The BTS Center
97 India Street • Portland, ME 04102
October 7, 2020
Dear friends:
After a really energizing Convocation, without missing a beat we've jumped headlong into planning for Fall Programs, and we're really exciting about what's coming together.
Our mission statement is "to catalyze spiritual imagination, with enduring wisdom, for transformative faith leadership." With this series, we're turning our attention to that first phrase, inviting several leading thinker-practitioners to share conversation about the art and practice of imagination: both how to create wide-open spaces for possibilities that others find impossible and what it looks like when our dreams become reality.
The series kicks off on Monday, October 19 with Rob Hopkins, author of the inspiring book From What Is to What If: Unleashing the Power of Imagination to Create the Future We Want. In this book, Hopkins tells the stories of individuals and communities around the world who are reclaiming and unleashing the power of collective imagination, and making a real difference as they imagine a better future. It's an empowering and challenging read, and we are really looking forward to launching this series with a conversation between Rob and award-winning poet, author, educator, and activist Dominique Christina. You'll find lots of details and the registration link below.
Some of the details for events 2 and 3 in the series are still coming together, but as a teaser, let me share that the series will include four conversations:
- Imagine a New Future
- Imagine a New Democracy
- Imagine a New Church
- Imagine a New Planet
And while we're not quite ready to announce the details of the second and third events, we are excited to share that the series will culminate with Bill McKibben, renowned author, environmentalist, and leader of the climate campaign group 350.org, in conversation with Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr., President & Founder of the Hip Hop Caucus, minister, community activist, U.S. Air Force veteran, and one of the most influential people in Hip Hop political life. That event is scheduled for Monday, November 30, so mark your calendar and plan to join us!
In conjunction with this series, we're also offering an Unlocking Possibility Co-Learning Community, which will meet during the alternating weeks between the Speaker Series events, as a small group, praxis-based learning experience for those intrigued by the possibilities of an intentionally imaginative frame for life. We invite faith leaders of all types — clergy and laity, professional and volunteer — to join.
And coming this fall, starting in mid-November, we are offering a five-week Book Retreat focusing on Rev. Daniel Wolpert's new book, Creation's Wisdom: Spiritual Practice and Climate Change. Over the course of five weeks, through discussion, teaching, and contemplative practice, Dan will lead us in exploring the nature of Creation’s Wisdom — how God speaks to us through Creation, how we can connect to the wider Creation in holistic and meaningful ways, and how we can become ambassadors for a path of healing in this time of climate crisis. The details and registration link are below.
Finally, just a reminder for those who attended Convocation: the Participants' page is still live, accessible from the main Convocation page on our website, and there you can access recordings of all of the Convocation sessions, along with learning materials from each of our four eco-innovators, self-guided Trailside Spiritual Practices videos with Aram Mitchell, our Convocation song book, and lots of additional resources.
Thank you for your interest in the work of The BTS Center. We hope you'll join us this fall for one or more of these programs, through which we are working toward the vision of human hearts renewed, justice established, and creation restored.
Peace, Salaam, Shalom,
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Rev. Allen Ewing-Merrill
Executive Director
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Unlocking Possibility Speaker Series
Every crisis can be an invitation to dream. Even in uncertain moments, we are called to imagine better futures together: for ourselves, for our communities, and for our planet. In this series, we’ll be talking with leading thinker-practitioners about the art and practice of imagination: both how to create wide-open spaces for possibilities that others find impossible and what it looks like when our dreams become reality.
Suggested donation: $10 per event
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First event in the series
Monday, October 19, 2020
2:00–3:15 pm (Eastern)
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Imagine A New Future: Calling Forth the World We Long For
What does it look like to go from "What is" to "What if?" To shift from constantly reacting to what we don't want, to imagining what we do? Join us for an aspirational and highly practical conversation with noted author and community activist Rob Hopkins and award-winning poet Dominique Christina to learn the art and practice of imagining new futures together.
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Dominique Christina is an award-winning poet, author, educator, and activist. She holds five national poetry slam titles in four years, including the 2014 & 2012 Women of the World Slam Champion and 2011 National Poetry Slam Champion. Her work is greatly influenced by her family’s legacy in the Civil Rights Movement and by the idea that words make worlds. She is the author of four books. Her third book, This Is Woman’s Work, published by SoundsTrue Publishing, is the radical exploration of 20 archetypal incarnations of womanness and the creative process. Her fourth book Anarcha Speaks: A History In Poems, won the National Poetry Series award in 2017. She is a writer and actor for the HBO series "High Maintenance" and does branding and marketing for Under Armour.
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In 2012, Hopkins was voted one of the Independent’s top 100 environmentalists and was on Nesta and the Observer’s list of Britain’s 50 New Radicals. Hopkins has also appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Four Thought and A Good Read, in the French film phenomenon Demain and its sequel Apres Demain, and has spoken at TEDGlobal and three TEDx events.
An Ashoka Fellow, Hopkins also holds a doctorate degree from the University of Plymouth and has received two honorary doctorates from the University of the West of England and the University of Namur. He is a keen gardener, a founder of New Lion Brewery in Totnes, and a director of Totnes Community Development Society, the group behind Atmos Totnes, an ambitious, community-led development project. He blogs at transitionnetwork.org and robhopkins.net and tweets at @robintransition.
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Unlocking Possibility Co-Learning Community
in conjunction with the Unlocking Possibility Speaker Series
For Faith Leaders (broadly defined)
Wednesdays from 2:00–3:15 pm (Eastern)
4 sessions: Oct. 28 • Nov. 11 • Nov. 25 • Dec. 9
* Depending on participants' availability, we may reschedule the Nov. 25 session
$40 Program Fee, which includes registration for all speaker series events & co-learning community meetings
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If you’re intrigued by the possibilities of an intentionally imaginative frame for life, join us as well for a small group, praxis-based learning experience. Co-Learning Community members are expected to attend all ‘Unlocking Possibility’ speaker events and will meet during the weeks between the public events.
Truly, there has never been a more urgent time for us to imagine new possibilities for the future. Thankfully, imagination is not a gift given to a few, but a discipline that can be practiced by all of us. We’ll cultivate our ability to envision better futures for ourselves, for our congregations, for our communities, and for our world. We’ll learn together about the nature of imagination, center it in God’s ongoing work in the world, and apply our learning to our own contexts through ongoing practice and reflection as we build community with like-minded peers. Faith leaders of all types: clergy and laity, professional and volunteer, are all welcome!
Note: This Co-Learning Community is offered in conjunction with our Unlocking Possibility Speaker Series. If you register for this Co-Learning Community, you are also automatically registering for all four speaker series events, so you do not need to register for these separately.
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Creation's Wisdom Book Retreat
with Author Rev. Daniel Wolpert
Offered by The BTS Center in partnership with MICAH (Minnesota Institute of Contemplation & Healing)
5 sessions on Thursday afternoons from 4:00–5:30 pm (Eastern)
Nov. 12 • Nov. 19 • Dec. 3 • Dec. 10 • Dec. 17
Suggested donation $50. Registration includes a copy of Creation's Wisdom, which will be mailed to your address.
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Using Christian scripture and theology through the lens of modern science, Creation’s Wisdom explores the concept of the Tibetan Five Wisdoms to address such questions as:
- What is a Christian spirituality that speaks to the needs of people in an era of climate change?
- What practices can guide us?
- What is a helpful perspective?
This five-week book retreat will explore the nature of Creation’s Wisdom — how God speaks to us through Creation, how we can connect to the wider Creation in holistic and meaningful ways, and how we can become ambassadors for a path of healing in this time of climate crisis.
The retreat will use a combination of discussion, teaching, and contemplative practice that will strengthen us for the challenging journey ahead.
Gathering in the time after our historic election and as we enter into the holiday season — for Christians, a season of spiritual preparation called Advent, and for others a season of anticipation and reflection as one year draws to a close and another approaches — this book retreat will ground us in the ways of Wisdom as we prepare to enter into the new year. How can Wisdom’s call be heard and help lead and guide us in these challenging times?
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Allen Ewing-Merrill
Executive Director
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Nicole Diroff
Program Director
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Our mission is to catalyze spiritual imagination with enduring wisdom for transformative faith leadership.
We equip and support faith leaders for theologically grounded and effective 21st-century ministries.
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