Preview Available Workshops by Name/Title
The pipe organ has a breadth of sound that is far beyond what most people expect. This is a "music appreciation" session appealing to artists, engineers, and historians alike. The story of the pipe organ will be presented in an entertaining, example-filled lecture including an overview of the technological and artistic advances over two millennia that resulted in the two top-of- the-line instruments we have in the Cathedral today. Not just a lecture; every aspect will be accompanied by examples played on our organs, as well as sample pipes you can toot on to see how they work. Come bask in the power and finesse that led to the organ being named the "King of Instruments".
My presentation will take those in attendance briskly through the Seven Days of Creation Story while demonstrating how our spiritual life and development can be mapped from the Genesis 1 revelation. I will highlight how we can discern the different states we may find ourselves in as we journey towards a New Jerusalem. Overall, this presentation will help people navigate the many obstacles and roadblocks to true spiritual advancement.
Remember your own 'birds and the bees' talk with your parents? When should you talk to your children about sex, and how do you time it to protect their innocence and keep them safe? And how do you support the values you hold dear, and prepare them for a hyper-sexualized world? Is the conjugial ideal relevant in the lives of our young people? We will discuss these ideas and many more. I will offer some practical tips for avoiding guilt and shame, and promoting healthy, open conversations about sex with our children.
If we choose or are attacked by evil spirits, the Lord helps us. He does so in ways that no one else could know, not even the angels. I will present some of these ways and the miracle of how He leads us up out of hell, towards heaven and into heaven (AE 1174), and never ceases to lead us, as if by the hand, from evil.
Developing a cross-organizational strategy to keep people interested in the Writings: How do we get people who develop an interest in the writings to stay interested? How can we leverage strengths of different New Church organizations to create a worldwide community that people will find and then never want to leave?
There is nothing more important than marriage, as it goes hand in hand with our regeneration. We want to approach this in an as orderly a way as possible, which is still delightful and beautiful. What does the Lord say about this that can help us?
Over the last 200 years, there have been various attempts by New Church people to make translations of parts or the whole of the Word. This presentation will consider questions like these: Do there need to be New Church translations of the Word, or is it reasonable for New Church people to rely on translations by experts from the broader Judeo-Christian world? What priorities might New Church translators have that would be different than those of other translators? Do the quotations of Scripture in the Heavenly Doctrine constitute a "New Church"translation? Are some translations more helpful in raising our thoughts to the higher things?
Overview and discussion of how and why madness appears so often in literature, with consideration of its connections to spirituality and our own lives.
See what New Church Bible Study can do now and see where we are headed. See how this engine can serve the people and the congregations of the church as a core toolset - the Word, the Writings, explanations, sermons, videos, podcasts, collateral -- and NC translations of the Word, all searchable, and all user-friendly - in every language where the church has a foothold.
Really listening, and being listened to, can lead to individual and relational understanding and healing. We will share ideas and experiences about how to listen with attention and compassion. We will then break into pairs, so that each of us can practice listening and be listened to.
There has been a great deal of interest in artificial intelligence among New Church people to whom I have spoken. This workshop is intended for a non technical audience.
Throughout history religious ideas have always had to compete with other ways of thinking. In fact many religious ideas came into existence to combat then-current ideas. However modern distractions - particularly those related to social media and the press - appear to have a more widespread and insidious influence and impact on people today than in any time in history. Their influence is addictive and their impact nearly universal. Managing the impact of these distractions requires awareness of their addictiveness, their impact (both good and bad) and conscious choices about their use.
Are you wondering if New Church K-12 education can survive in today’s world? Do you want to feel reinspired with hope for the future of New Church education? Come learn about popular emerging trends in educational models including hybrid schools and microschools plus how these not only fit hand-in-glove with a New Church philosophy of education but also hold promise for re-invigorating New Church schools and serving both members and newcomers.
Connect and share with other women who are in different stages of motherhood.
The Lord is constantly working to grow His church in every human heart, both with those who are formally part of a New Church organization, and with those who are not. What can we do to best participate in this vital work the Lord has for all of us? How can we better help the Lord grow His church in our own hearts, and what can we do to help Him grow the church in other people's hearts? In some ways, these are esoteric questions that have spiritual answers, but there are also very practical, down-to-earth things we can all do. Each individual will work with the Lord differently, but we can all learn some key principles that can help us all. Come and
see!
Meaningful. Heartwarming. Precious. These are recurring affirmations about New Church Groups where people connect thoughtfully around mutual loves. Groups encourage learning from the Word and each other, growing spiritually, and building community. Come, support engagement in small groups throughout the General Church through a panel presentation, a 20-minute breakout session, and discussion. Share insights. Ask questions. Have fun.
Godly Play is a Montessori-based children’s spiritual development program that uses storytelling, wondering and child-led discovery learning to invite children to approach the Word, and the stories and practices of the church. Various societies around the world have adapted it for New Church use. In this ninety-minute workshop, participants will have the opportunity to experience a full session of Godly Play, followed by time for questions, comments and discussion.
Explore this online library of New Church educational resources with a new design and new content. Take a hands-on tour of ready-to-go programs for use in the home and Sunday school. Learn how to quickly locate materials for ages 3-18 including songs, coloring pictures, teen activities, etc.
www.newchurchvineyard.org
Women’s programming is a major part of community building and spiritual growth in the Glenview New Church. After hearing about our spectrum of activities, workshop participants will break into small groups and discuss which activities they feel would work well in their congregations, and other kinds of activities they feel are needed.
Many of us aspire to find our life's work in high-stakes careers, whether that's medicine, high profile law, Wall Street, or entrepreneurship - all require high levels of focus, competitiveness and risk taking where the natural world rewards can be very high for those who succeed. So, how do you live and maintain your New Church values and understand the spiritual uses of your career while pursuing your dreams? This panel attempts to address those questions from multiple disciplines and viewpoints from years of experience.
There are "many secrets that lie hidden in the sciences in a higher degree" that are revealed throughout the Heavenly Doctrine. These anticipate much of modern physics and beyond. In the light of these teachings the study of Physics is made new, so that "the natural world becomes a theater of the kingdom of heaven."
“As for Me and My House, We Will Serve the Lord” is a book I recently wrote about New Church parenting and how to share your faith more effectively with your children. I will briefly review twenty principles drawn from the Word that hopefully will help parents see positive things they can do from infancy through adolescence that will increase the chances that their children will freely choose to enter into the life of religion and participation in the church. This class and discussion should have relevance to all adult mentors in a child’s life, so it you are a parent, teacher, grandparent, aunt, or uncle – please feel welcome to attend.
This talk will survey the scores of New Church schools which have existed since 1785. We will cover the principles and key moments in these schools’ histories as well as interesting slices of their stories. Hopefully you will leave with a fuller sense of the New Church education movement and your place within it.
The benefits of mindfulness, gratitude, self-compassion, awe, and CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) are well known in this day and age: practicing them helps us sleep better, improves our ability to ward off illness, improves our relationships, and helps us rebound from stress. Come to this workshop to hear about the science behind these practices, to explore how they fit in with the teachings in the sacred scriptures, and to engage in a few practices that will contribute to your well-being.
Whenever we talk about death we are also talking about life. Often people shy away from talking about death. We profess a belief in the afterlife, but still are resistant to discuss the way or the doorway to that life. We often hear the phrase, “I want a good death” or “I want to die well.” We want to be prepared practically, physically, emotionally, and spiritually: practically (wills and insurance), physically (advanced directives, health care proxy), and emotionally (without fear, regrets, guilt). How can we prepare spiritually? What can we learn spiritually by contemplating our death? Let’s talk about it.
What messages and meanings in the Old Testament and New Testament are similar and which are unique? What chapter of the Bible shares the most meanings with Divine Love & Wisdom? Using semantic analysis methods from computer science, it is possible to automatically compare every pair of sentences (paragraphs, chapters, or full texts) across two texts to discover convergent wisdom and unique meanings. The results can be surprising and fascinating, prompting further contemplation, discussion, and investigation.
This is for people who love to read the Arcana to share their delight, and for people who are a little scared of it to get some inspiration.
"The Life and Times of Emanuel Swedenborg" will be a presentation of who Swedenborg was and why he was chosen by the Lord to be the revelator. It will be based on the biography of Emanuel Swedenborg written by Dr. Jane Williams-Hogan (as yet unpublished) and the scholarship on this topic done by Rev. Stephen Cole, currently an instructor at the Bryn Athyn College its Theological School.
Using the teachings from the Heavenly Doctrines on the structure and operation of heaven as illustrated by the science of biology as another foundation of truth (SE 5709, 5710), we will develop and present a model for a church that could build on variety as a strength rather than a source of anxiety and division and provide it with the freedom to grow as never before. “A New New Church” will look at what the New Church on earth might be like if it were intentionally patterned after the order of heaven. The model is waiting for us in the Writings, for a church where perfection is from the variety of its worship (HH 56, AC 690), and where charity is so central to its purpose that doctrinal differences do not cause divisions (AC 3451, AC 2385).
How to use correspondences regarding one's daily events; accidents, disease, meeting people, places, circumstances, food, nature, relationships, spiritual and natural life etc...
Join us for a discussion-based workshop centered on the opportunity for participants to share what is on your mind and heart about your faith journey. Conversation may cover anything from the growth and successes you have experienced as relates to your faith, to questions and challenges you grapple with. This is a space for celebrating inspiration and strength you have found, wrestling with obscurities, and appreciation of the commonalities and difference between yours and your neighbors' journeys.
An opportunity to check in and pray out loud or silently.
An overview of the Swedenborg Library's New Church collections which provide the very foundations on which the New Church is based and how to ensure the permanent preservation of these priceless collections and the continued dissemination of Swedenborgian thought. This includes an exhibit of Swedenborg's own personal books that illustrate his preparation by the Lord, tours of these unique collections, and demonstrations of the New Church Digital Collections.
This workshop will focus on how to identify and address six fundamental spiritual human needs both in ourselves and others. Through discussion and reflection, we will learn ways to serve those who are spiritually hungry, thirsty, strangers, naked, sick, or in prison. More information at newchurchteachings.org
At the onset of popular education, innovators made a lasting impact on contemporary education by transforming New Church teachings into effective methods for teaching children. The system rapidly globalized. Discover what happened, learn about the struggle to birth their vision, and find out what it means today.
Come experience this process of spiritual transformation which bridges to all faiths and cultures. If you want to feel closer to God and other people, or if you want to discover a tool for making and sustaining any life change that is important to you, this workshop can help.
A doctrinal presentation illustrating how creation of heavens & the universe took/takes place, discrete degrees of material from infinite Creator to finite - from spiritual sun to solid matter - the Advent and New Church descending from the Lord.
Have you ever wondered why the Lord’s birth is recorded in Matthew and Luke, but not in Mark or John? Why does Matthew begin by describing Jesus as the “son of Abraham,” but Mark begins by describing Jesus as the “Son of God”? If Jesus is God, why does He pray to the Father? In our study of the Four Gospels in their order and sequence, we have seen that each gospel has a specific theme which sheds light on these questions. Come join us as we enter with understanding into these mysteries of faith.
We will present our experiences with grief and what we have learned. We will allow time for all participants to share their thoughts, briefly, and discuss how the Lord is always there with us.
The essential elements of a strong marriage can be found in the building blocks of a pyramid. These 15 descriptive building blocks are a guide to help couples better navigate the challenges and achieve the joy found in The Lord's intended binary union of one man and one woman. The work to strengthen our marriage here on earth will build that solid foundation that we need for our eternal marriage in Heaven.
This workshop will focus on the many tools for spiritual growth detailed in DBT. The "Dialectic" of Dialectical Behavior Training is a contradiction of two conflicting forces, and in the case of DBT, the conflicting forces are Change v. Acceptance. Learning skills for *acceptance* and skills to bring about *change* are at the heart of this training and echo the Serenity Prayer of 12- Step Groups.
Understanding mind-body connections has long been thought impossible, but, using the causal principles from the Writings, we advance New Church theistic science with some specific ideas for how physics is changed by influx from the spiritual. After introducing and explaining the proposal, we also suggest how these changes could be measured.
Christianity contains many paradoxes, dilemmas, or apparent contradictions. Is man a sinner at heart, or the crown of creation? Does the Lord determine everything or am I free to choose something? Which is better, traditional services or contemporary services? The New Church is the crown of all churches and enables us to understand the synergistic outcomes of these contradictions. A Polarity Map is a visual representation that allows the situation to be clearly seen, discussed, and resolved.
List of Available Activities
Like to sing? Join us to sing the popular "Baba Yetu", a setting of the Lord's Prayer in Swahili by Christopher Tin. Led by choir director Graham Bier who worked with the composer on the 360° virtual choir performance (findable on YouTube), this session is to prepare the piece to sing as the last prelude at the Community Worship (10am) service in the Cathedral. (If you can't make the service but want to sing at the rehearsal anyway, you can do that.) All are welcome; if you love to sing you can do this accessible piece. Individual tracks will be provided to learn your part at home ahead of the Assembly as desired. Additional time commitment is a soundcheck at 9:15am on Sunday morning ahead of the service. The more singers the better - please spread the word and sign yourself up!
Improvisation for Successful Interactions: "Improv" your communication skills by playing improvisation games together. The tenets of improv apply to every day interactions with our neighbors and can help strengthen and enliven our relationships. Come play with us!
David Lindrooth and Martin Gyamfi
Come as you are. Holy Supper at the Cathedral. Wheat/GF bread and wine/juice available.
This would be mostly a time to relax without an agenda, for conversation. TAI will bring tea and cookies and conversation starters.
Have you ever wondered what performance poetry is all about? Come and explore! You will have the chance to work in this genre through creative exercises culminating in an open mic where you perform your own poem.
Workshop for writers, poets, or anyone interested in applying the Writings to literary efforts – their own or someone else’s. Balancing the challenges and pitfalls with the joy of sharing the Writings. Presentation followed by voluntary sharing of a poem or short excerpt from longer pieces in progress. No critiques – simply sharing our efforts
You are invited to come hear the Bishops discuss the important goals, short-term and long-term, of the General Church and to participate in an open forum to follow. The Bishops will discuss steps being taken to support the vitality of congregations around the world, to foster the next generation of teachers and ministers, and to deepen the engagement of our New Church friends through messages and resources for you to apply in your spiritual life.
Come enjoy the Bryn Athyn pool with fellow Assembly families as well as members from the community.
Come explore the Cathedral grounds with a guided tour.
Come visit and view Cairnwood Village apartments. Tea will be served in the dining room.
A guided tour focused on Glencairn as an example of a New Church home. The tour will answer the question “How did Raymond and Mildred Pitcairn design their home to reflect their New Church beliefs?’ and “How did they practice those beliefs in their home?
Full list of Workshops can be printed out here.