Oiktirmos

It means “compassion” but in it’s more detailed definition it means a compassion (pity, enduring love) that resides or lives in your bowels.

I know right!

Well adolescent intestinal jokes aside, this is a very profound translation of the word, because it speaks to having a love for others that is more then a surface love or appreciation for our fellow humans, but instead delves into our inner workings. It could be said that this type of compassion is a type of “soul love” for others, a love that is literally a part of our physical and spiritual DNA.

This translation is used in a section of a letter that was written by the apostle Paul to the church in Philippi:

“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,

then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,

 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.”   

-Philippians 2:1-4

In the next few months we are going to be taking these words and putting them into practice, each Sunday we will discuss, examine and experience different aspects of these words as well as challenging ourselves throughout the week to commit to different practices or experiments that will challenge and strengthen our understanding of the needs and struggles of others.

As we move forward in 2012 one of the things we decided was to leave our gathering space at the HUB to move into a more intimate environment that would free up some resources for us to help love people better. With this change we have opened the door, not only for more projects, but an atmosphere that promotes a conversation about WHY we want to love others better and how we can foster as a community attitudes of compassion, empathy, justice and love.

It’s about becoming the kind of person that would do these things.

January 8^th “Practices: Choice” (vs. 1-4) Are we genetically predisposed to care?

January 15^th “Practices: Shadow Me” (v. 4) Listing who we are, against who we want to be in relation to loving others.

January 22^nd “Practices: Justice” (v. 1) What are you willing to fight for and how far are you willing to go?

*January 29^th Clever Love: BINGO

*February 5^th Super Bowl Party: Starting 3:00pm at the ewings (118 Whitney Rd. Lancaster, PA) bring food to share and if you were in this years Fantasy Football League, you’re on beer duty… you can bring your favorite or throw 5 or 10 bucks in the pot.

February 12^th “Practices: Compassion” (v. 1) What do we feel when we look at the struggles of others, and where do we feel it?

February 19^th “Practices: Empathy” (vs. 2&3) Sitting Shiva and being active in the lives of others in need.

February 26^th “Practices: Love” (vs. 1-4) identifying where our love is being “stockpiled” and learning to spread it around.

as always if you have any questions or comments just give me a call or shoot me an e-mail…

Godspeed

-e