speaking at my church
K, um, this event happend awhile ago, but per reminder from Heather here is the mini-analysis of talking about last semester at my church. Looking back now, it even seems funny that I spoke there. I am in such a weird place after last semester, and the past two years really. I can't put my finger on it enough to explain right now, so for now here is just the story of speaking at my church.
As I explained to Steve at our friends' marriage in late June, I tried to strike a balance between being gutsy and being tactful. That is, I didn't want to be too lily-livered to share thoughts that I believe in, yet also I didn't want to be vitriolic, self-righteous, or overly offensive about it. I talked with the pastor's wife first and she assured me that sometimes you're just going to step on toes, and to go for it.
So although it was in some ways a benign travelogue, I also read an anecdote from We Belong to the Land, and quoted the Abuna's speeches as I stood between two banners which read: "The Lord is Present" and "The Lord is our Peace" in Hebrew. The emphasis was on the humanity of the people that I met in our travels, the beauty and the pain, and hurt, and the love and above all the hope.In fact, was pretty much a one point lecture, and if the message could be summed up in one word, it would be "humanity," the humanity of another people, when "The Other" is so often demonized. While this is nothing different from the basic precepts of Christianity, if we self-examine I think it can be quite revolutionary. At least, I think that is part of what I experienced and was challenged by in Egypt.
After I talked, we did Q & A, dispelling some common sterotypes of Muslims and generalizations about the Middle East. While I articulated the message in positive rather than harsh lingo, I think that listeners' reactions were dependent upon how far they chose to reflectivly engage. But I suppose that stands to reason in almost any instance, doesn't it? We are changed to the extent that we allow ourselves to relate to people. The deeper we allow ourselves to feel, the more we risk and the more we grow as individuals and in our capacity to relate, to love.
To give color and images to mere words was a poster of about 15 representative pictures; mainly of beautiful sceneries and beautiful Egyptians. I also seem to remember a group shot of some sweet Canadian and American college kids in Turkey, as well as a silhoutte of friends holding hands in the desert at sunset.
I'm glad that the opportunity presented itself, or was kind of forced upon me. Most of all, I hope it can be fodder for further thought and a way to spark further conversations and one-on one discussion with members of my church as the summer continues. I've certainly been stuffing away my thoughts and ideas about this past semester, as some of you have indicated, and this was helpful in virtually forcing me into doing some processing. THANKS to all of you who e-mailed me back with articles, advice, insights, and encouragement. I took every one into advisement, even though I didn't write anyone back individually yet.
That's all for now.
P.S. about the public speaking bit....well, I started out with a joke, so as to garner interest and calm my nerves. It worked. I was nervous, but the longer I talked, the easier it got. The congregation was very supportive. And so I peppered the whole thing with jokes and tales and adventures and stories (alas, no puns!), all things that I tried to tie into the main point I was trying to make, but things that made the whole thing more approachable and more, well, human! Plus, hey, I like stories.
As I explained to Steve at our friends' marriage in late June, I tried to strike a balance between being gutsy and being tactful. That is, I didn't want to be too lily-livered to share thoughts that I believe in, yet also I didn't want to be vitriolic, self-righteous, or overly offensive about it. I talked with the pastor's wife first and she assured me that sometimes you're just going to step on toes, and to go for it.
So although it was in some ways a benign travelogue, I also read an anecdote from We Belong to the Land, and quoted the Abuna's speeches as I stood between two banners which read: "The Lord is Present" and "The Lord is our Peace" in Hebrew. The emphasis was on the humanity of the people that I met in our travels, the beauty and the pain, and hurt, and the love and above all the hope.In fact, was pretty much a one point lecture, and if the message could be summed up in one word, it would be "humanity," the humanity of another people, when "The Other" is so often demonized. While this is nothing different from the basic precepts of Christianity, if we self-examine I think it can be quite revolutionary. At least, I think that is part of what I experienced and was challenged by in Egypt.
After I talked, we did Q & A, dispelling some common sterotypes of Muslims and generalizations about the Middle East. While I articulated the message in positive rather than harsh lingo, I think that listeners' reactions were dependent upon how far they chose to reflectivly engage. But I suppose that stands to reason in almost any instance, doesn't it? We are changed to the extent that we allow ourselves to relate to people. The deeper we allow ourselves to feel, the more we risk and the more we grow as individuals and in our capacity to relate, to love.
To give color and images to mere words was a poster of about 15 representative pictures; mainly of beautiful sceneries and beautiful Egyptians. I also seem to remember a group shot of some sweet Canadian and American college kids in Turkey, as well as a silhoutte of friends holding hands in the desert at sunset.
I'm glad that the opportunity presented itself, or was kind of forced upon me. Most of all, I hope it can be fodder for further thought and a way to spark further conversations and one-on one discussion with members of my church as the summer continues. I've certainly been stuffing away my thoughts and ideas about this past semester, as some of you have indicated, and this was helpful in virtually forcing me into doing some processing. THANKS to all of you who e-mailed me back with articles, advice, insights, and encouragement. I took every one into advisement, even though I didn't write anyone back individually yet.
That's all for now.
P.S. about the public speaking bit....well, I started out with a joke, so as to garner interest and calm my nerves. It worked. I was nervous, but the longer I talked, the easier it got. The congregation was very supportive. And so I peppered the whole thing with jokes and tales and adventures and stories (alas, no puns!), all things that I tried to tie into the main point I was trying to make, but things that made the whole thing more approachable and more, well, human! Plus, hey, I like stories.
posted by Chels at ٤:٤٣ ص
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