Arloa Sutter, Interview #26

Name: Arloa Sutter

Where you live: Chicago, IL USA

What you do as a vocation or avocation? I am the Executive Director of Breakthrough Urban Ministries. We provide interim housing and wrap around services for homeless adults and we operate sports and academic programs for children in the community of East Garfield Park in Chicago

Your two favorite books:

Theirs Is The Kingdom by Robert Lupton and Walking With The Poor by Bryant Meyers

Your two favorite cd's: Rita Springer "I Have to Believe" and Michael W. Smith "Worship"

Why you are interested in spirituality? I believe there is so much more to life than the physical and material world and I love living in the mystery of God. I also feel I have a lover and best friend in my personal relationship with the resurrected Jesus.

Your favorite quote: "Preach the gospel always, and when necessary, use words." St. Francis

Your favorite web sites:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/

http://www.changethis.com/,

http://www.breakthroughministries.com/

Your hero? Mother Teresa and Dorothy Day

A spiritual lesson you hope to learn? Replacing fear with radical trust A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?" Breakthrough Urban Ministries

http://arloasutter.blogspot.com/

Julie Clawson, Interview #24

Real People, Real Lives, Real Spirituality

Name: Julie Clawson

Where you live: Yorkville, IL (outside of Chicago) USA

What you do as a vocation or avocation? I co-pastor an emerging house church (viachristus.org), I am a mother, and I am currently writing a book on how we can act justly and love others through our day to day actions.

Your two favorite books: Favorite is such a relative term... So these are two books that impacted me significantly at specific points in my life.

A New Kind of Christian - Brian McLaren. This book helped me to accept a faith beyond cultural constraints that allows for questions and authenticity. Discovering such options strengthened and saved my faith.

Dance of the Dissident Daughter - Sue Monk Kidd. Coming from a conservative background, this book helped me accept my worth as a woman and pushed me to help other oppressed women discover that same worth.

Your two favorite cd's: I've listened to both of these CD's incessantly the last few years. They capture a bit of who I am right now and inspire me. Into the Mystery - David Wilcox. Folk music that speaks to the heart of spiritual longings. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb - U2. Popular yes, but poignant nonetheless.

Why you are interested in spirituality? I can't help but be interested in spirituality. I have questions that it seems only the spiritual can answer, or at least begin to address. The world is uncertain and full of mystery, I can't reduce it down in any way that excludes the spiritual. There is also so much pain and injustice in the world that can only be healed through outpourings of love (a spiritual act as I see it).

Your favorite quote: I recently came across a saying from the Talmud that connected with me - "It is not up to you to complete the work, but neither are you at liberty to desist from it." So often I can become overwhelmed at the injustices in the world and feel like I can't make much of a difference, but quotes like this help put things in perspective. I can't be so arrogant to think I can solve the problems in the world, but that doesn't mean I can give up either. I do whatever I can when I can.

Your favorite web sites: Well there's my blog - onehandclapping (julieclawson.com) and I also participate in the community at Emerging Women (emergingwomen.us). As part of the emerging church I appreciate the Emergent Village site (emergentvillage.us).

Your hero? I love the spiritual example of writer Phyllis Tickle. Her depth of knowledge, commitment to faith, mastery of language, and ease of communication are all traits I admire and aspire to. Her journey of faith as an intelligent woman has inspired and blessed me.

A spiritual lesson you hope to learn? Humility. The ability to hold my faith as dear but also respect the faith of others. I want to be able to respect and show love to those I disagree with, and humility in my own beliefs is vital to achieving that.

A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?" I respect and feel connected to beautiful and wild places, perhaps a sign that I have let myself become too disconnected from the natural world. But I also find myself spiritually connected whenever I am in community and conversation with friends. Exploring topics of faith, theology, and justice together is a holy experience for me.

Richard Bartley, Interview #23

Name: Richard Bartley
Where do you live: Planet Earth, in a region called Ireland.
What do you do for a Vocation or Avocation? Sales/Co. Director, that pays the mortgage; I also work to try to bring World Peace closer, through a movement called The World Peace and Prosperity Movement. My new web site is http://www.wppm.org/ it will be up and running during or after Easter.
Your two favourite books:

The Divine Art of Living by Mabel Hyde Paine and

The Hidden Words by Bahá’u’lláh
Your two favourite cd’s: “Bird” by Susan Lewis Wright. (Written and sung by her, it’s absolutely beautiful.
As we move along our favourites change, at the moment it’s Eckhart Tolle’s cd “The Flowering of Human Consciousness”, I see almost everything in a different way than he, but I listen to it a lot because I am being constantly reminded of my wish to live in my higher nature – mindful of the God within. His cd helps me to do that, and so for this I am extremely grateful to him.
Your favourite quote: “Let deeds not words be your adorning” again from “The Hidden Words”, for this reason I was reluctant to input to this Blog, but my love, respect and admiration for Sue (the inspiration behind the blog) left me no choice.
Your favourite web sites: The nearest thing I have to a favourite web site is the Google Search engine, how sad?
Your hero: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Why you are interested in spirituality?
Because “Man’s reality is a spiritual reality”, therefore to know this and then to ignore it would make no sense, and I’d like to think that my life does make sense, besides, the all most beautiful and meaningful things in my life are as a result of spirituality.
A spiritual lesson you hope to learn? A spiritual lesson I hope to learn is how to deal with the responsibility of winning a million on the lotto… no to be serious, I hope to learn to live a contented, happy and joyful life – and to some degree to know and love God.
A place in the world where you feel spiritually “connected” Probably in my garden, but certainly with those I love.

Chad Parker, Interview #22

Real People, Real Lives, Real Spirituality...
Name: Chad "Lamaian" Parker, Lamaian is my Maasai Tribal name. It means, "the one that brings God’s abundant blessings."
Where you live: Physically, I was born and raised in Bloomington, Illinois, USA. Mentally I try to live with a global mindset. Spiritually…I live in God’s merciful arms.

What you do as a vocation or avocation?
The work I’m passionate about: In 1999, while still in high school I started a web design company that has become one of the largest design studio’s in Illinois. I love my job!
The ministry I’m passionate about: In 2006, after a brief trip to Kenya, I founded GOYA Ministries; an organization dedicated to radically transforming the slum community of Mitumba in South C Nairobi not only physically but spiritually by assisting and supporting the locals in starting a school, church, community center and a number of other programs run and organized by Kenyan nationals.
Your two favorite books:
The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman - I’m fascinated by the way technology allows a person in Bangalore, India to compete for a job in Chicago, Illinois. But I’m equally disappointed in the way that this new "flat world" kills off many traditional ways of life that may be lost forever.
Good to Great by Jim Collins – God has given me so much…I’m always excited about learning new ways to make the most of what’s been entrusted to me…business, ministry, relationships, everything…
James and Philippians if we’re talking about books of the Bible.
Your two favorite cd's:
Are you kidding…can I pick two from each genre???
I’ll give you two of my favorites this week…how does that sound?
Versions by Thievery Corporation – Lush, complex and diverse sounds, driven by deep, rugged rhythm’s. I love it!
Live Sessions by Bonobo – I was the drummer for an indie band called Winter in Alaska for several years and there was nothing better than finding "the groove" with my fellow band members. When I listen to "The Plug" I can feel the groove this band was in when they played the song. There is something remarkable about creating that groove and then recognizing it when another band, playing a different song find it.
Why you are interested in spirituality?
I have a lot of faith in people. Undeniably, people are capable of accomplishing amazing things, however there are many incredible things that cannot be attributed to human achievement and I believe to write them off as random coincidence would be absolutely reckless. I’ve seen so many things that defy human ability…transformations that are so incredible, so far reaching, and achieved with such little human interaction that they simply cannot be attributed to anything other than a spiritual presence.
I am absolutely amazed that something as simple as a prayer can produce results beyond measure. To see, experience and recognize that power and NOT ask "how is this possible?" would be categorically irresponsible. I am interested in spirituality because there is something happening all around us. We can’t always see it with our eyes or touch with our hands but I think that "something" is bigger than any of us may have ever imagined.
Your favorite quote:
"Get Off You’re A** (GOYA)" I know it’s crude, but this is the statement that rumbled through my head over and over again after leaving the slum community of Mitumba, in Nairobi, Kenya. After realizing what little effort it took to make an incredible difference around the world ($6 and a trip across town for a case of 36 bottles of cold/cough syrup for children in desperate need), I simply could not sit on my a** any longer. Previous to that trip, malnutrition, lack of water, poor health and sanitary conditions, malaria, and no education were things I assumed were someone else’s problems. But after realizing that those things are my problem, and after realizing it didn’t take much to solve those problems, I decided to spend a little less (ok a lot less) time pursuing the American Dream and a little more (ok a lot more) time serving those that have not been blessed in the same way I have been blessed. …and all it took was "something" telling me, "GOYA."
Your favorite web sites:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=PXI_5-aM6U8 (I was invited to a Filipino wedding and I was really excited about the food…until I ate this)
http://www.goyaministries.org/
http://www.cybernautic.com/
http://www.cubs.com/ …I check it every single day.
A spiritual lesson you hope to learn?
I hope to learn, why God continues to shower me in mercy when I continually disappoint. Hopefully I learn that lesson before the knobs on the "mercy shower" are turned off…come to think of it, hopefully they’re never turned off.
A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?"
The top of Mt. Pulag in the Philippines, the Maasai upcountry of Kenya, the backwater jungle of the Amazon and my families little ole farm house in Ellsworth, Illinois. Do you see a pattern? These are all places where my cell phone doesn’t work and no one can find me. It’s remarkable how spiritually connected we become when we disconnect from everything else.

Wendy Ellyatt, Interview #21

Real People, Real Lives, Real Spirituality...

Name: Wendy Ellyatt
Where you live: Cheltenham, UK

What you do as a vocation or avocation?
Founder – http://www.ouroborostrust.org/
Founder – http://www.f2be.com/
Founder – http://www.teachersunite.com/
Founder – http://www.webessence.biz/
Your two favorite books:
Christopher Alexander – The Phenomenon of Life
David Abram – The Spell of the Sensuous
Your two favorite cd's:
Currently Jan Garbarek and The Hilliard Ensemble
Why you are interested in spirituality?
I wouldn’t say that I am interested in spirituality, I would say that my essence is spiritual (being a joyful coming-into-being’ness) and that I express this innate nature through the skills and abilities that I have developed over the years.
Your favorite quote:
Time reigns; yet the kingdom of love is every moment
Whose citizens do not age in each other’s eyes.
In a time of darkness the pattern of life is restored
By men who make all transcience seem an illusion
Through inward acts, acts corresponding to music,
Their works of love leave words that do not end in the heart
--Taliesin, The Spring of Vision

Your favorite web sites:
Whatever I am deeply researching at the time :-)

Your hero?
Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev – an extraordinary man who is truly ‘walking his talk’
(and my mum who is a real light in the world! : ))

A spiritual lesson you hope to learn? Complete trust in the process

A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?"
Cornwall – on the coast of South West Britain where I grew up

Michael Farman, Xuan Lin, Interview #20

Real People, Real Lives, Real Spirituality...

Name: Michael Farman, literary name Xuan Lin.
Where you live: Palestine, Texas, USA

What you do as a vocation or avocation? Electronics Engineer/Translator of Classical Chinese

Your two favorite books: Complete Ghost Stories of M. R. James
A Guide to the Symphony by Robert Layton

Your two favorite cd's: Symphony No 5 in D by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Das Lied Von Der Erde by Gustav Mahler

Why you are interested in spirituality? Having no concept of a deity, I am aware of a connection at the deepest level between us all and between everything in the universe. Insights provided by modern science and cosmology underline this....see Bell's Theorem, for example.

Your favorite quote:
"It is the poems you have lost, the ills
From missing dates at which the heart expires."
--from William Empson's villanelle "Missing Dates"

Your favorite web sites:
The Ghazal Page http://www.ghazalpage.net/
China the Beautiful http://www.chinapage.com/main2.html

Your hero? The Dalai Lama

A spiritual lesson you hope to learn?
What lies beyond the ego?

A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?" Stonehenge

http://www.cipherjournal.com/html/home.html

http:www.renditions.org

http:www.uiowa.edu/~xchanges/

(Editors note: I asked Michael if we could post one of his poetry translations, here it is...)

Drinking Wine Poem No. 5 by Tao Qian (365-427 CE) , translation Michael Farman

I built my home near people's houses
without the noise of carts and horses.
You ask me sir, how can this be?
a focused mind will stay secluded.

Picking chrysanthemums at the east hedge
I become aware of the South Mountain;
in the clear mountain air at sunset
groups of birds are returning home.
There's a deep truth revealed in this:
try to tell it and the words are gone.

Bruce Reyes-Chow, Interview #19

Real Lives, Real People, Real Spirituality...
Name: Bruce Reyes-Chow
Where you live: San Francisco, CA
What you do as a vocation or avocation? Presbyterian Pastor
Your two favorite books: American is in the Heart by Carlos Bulosan and The Alienist by Caleb Carr
Your two favorite cd's:�
Why you are interested in spirituality? Yearning for a physical and emotional connection with God.
Your favorite quote: "Peace it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart."-Anonymous
Your favorite web sites: mine ;-) http://www.reyes-chow.com/
Your hero? My grandfather
A spiritual lesson you hope to learn? Sustaining a sense and presence of peace in the midst of chaos.
A place in the world where you feel spiritually "connected?" My church community, my family and while riding my motorcycle
Editor's Note: Check out Bruce's work here: http://www.blogger.com/goog_1013071816 and

Spreading the gospel in word and deed: Evangelism as a way of life (Celebrate)