News & Announcements
By Susan Turley This year, my realization for the importance of hope was rekindled. This is especially important when slipping into the depths of despair. The world can press heavy even on the broadest of shoulders. It can take tremendous effort to believe in new possibilities. 2023 has been a year filled with sorrow and …
By Karen Conger The General Council (GC) of the Swedenborgian Church of North America (SCNA) met in a hybrid format Friday and Saturday, November 3 and 4, 2023, at Mercy Center in St. Louis, Missouri. The business undertaken included hearing reports from the officers and others, such as the chairs of the Council of Ministers, …
By Michael Robbins Salvation through faith alone is discussed frequently among Christian organizations such as Swedenborgians, who wonder how some Christians testify that this faith must be obtained during life on earth. The controversy is centered around whether one can only access heaven by accepting (or saying they accept) a deity while living on this …
By Gordon Meyer Ed Kelly of the University of Virginia (UVA) Department of Perpetual Studies said that Max Plank held that consciousness is the heart and soul of everything. This fits with Swedenborg’s idea that God is Love and Love comes forth to create everything as Wisdom, which is, by another name, consciousness in as …
Consciousness is the Heart and Soul of Everything Read More »
Editor’s Corner After dealing with some severe health issues this past fall, I have been turning my focus to things that truly bring me great joy. As Jonathan Van Ness from Queer Eye tells us, “You have to find those little pockets of joy, honey!” They’re so right. No matter what is going on in …
Swedenborgian Church Youth League By Kurt Fekete Six enthusiastic teenagers from five different states came to Duxbury, Massachusetts, to attend the annual fall retreat at Cedar Hill Retreat Center. Our theme was “Look to the Heavens,” and we explored celestial bodies, both natural and spiritual, through art, religion, science, creative projects, and the writings of …
Teens Look to the Heavens at Cedar Hill Retreat Center Read More »
Reflection on the Keynote Address By Sage Cole At Convention this past July, I offered a keynote address titled“Being Everyday Mystics: Helen Keller and the Inner Call of the New Church.” Standing before our denomination’s representative body, my intended address got lost in an exposed vulnerable panic as I spoke hardly a word at all. …
by Jay Barry Our story begins with a soldier. He was on horseback, entering the city during a time of war. It was a winter day, and he saw a man who appeared desperate, and cold. The soldier approached him; he took off his own coat, and ripped it in half. He wrapped this around …
A Message from the President Still basking from our annual denominational convention at Bridgewater State University, I’m in a reflective mood about our tradition of our large denominational gathering every summer. Especially I’ve been musing about how we gather. Save for 1984 when we met at a large church camp owned by the National Council …
How We Gather in the Summer: Past, Present, and Future Read More »
