Nurture - (part 1)

Oh Great Mystery
We give thanks for the natural world we see:
All the creatures, stones and plants
Who show us how to be.
We learn their lessons, seek their truths,
Return our loving praise,
We honor the peace they show us,
Which guides our human ways.
We ask that we may become like them,
Living in harmony,
And deep within our heart of hearts,
Know the Sacred Mystery.

~Jamie Sams

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Nurture is a language found in every culture. Nurture has formed the human family. It is timeless and adaptable. It comes from the heart and will, combined. We care for, we honor, we feed, we nourish.
Nurture is what we give our precious energy to, where we focus our ample attention, how we make our hearts know. What could be more essential!

Today we begin a simple project with a collection of of people, all ages, from Dayton, OH. This is part of an education and outreach project for Cityfolk. (This is one of the places I put my energies (smile).) For the past few months, we have held meetings, made phone calls, sent emails, planned and discussed, struggled with calendars and budgets and stuff... all in an effort to bring a diverse collection of people together around this common theme. I'll tell you right now: all worth it!!!
The goal, simply put: nurturing the human family.

Dayton is a remarkable community for its size, highly diverse, robust with culture and ideas. This project is a gathering of some, only scratching the surface, but a symbol for ALL of us. Cityfolk has invited two public schools, one with whole-school content investment (Cleveland), one with a committed after-school sports program (Kiser), Dayton's Jewish day school (Hillel Academy), students from local Catholic Schools (Holy Angels, Alter and C.J), University of Dayton visual artists (sculpture, print making and photography), an anthropologist (Mayan studies) and naturalists (the Rivers Institute); several cultural organizations: Burundian Cultural Education Association, Miami Valley Council for Native Americans, Chinese representatives including a local Chinese teacher, inspiring local African American artist, Willis 'Bing' Davis, Orgullo Mexicano, our local Mexican dance ensemble and all the networks therein. All Cityfolk projects are in partnership with the City of Dayton's Welcome Dayton initiative, living into our immigrant friendly mission. All of us together: we are nurturing the community!!

The core of the Nurture Project will be felt today as many gather at SunWatch, a beautiful, honoring space- a prehistoric Indian village - that embodies much about our theme. Today, school children and their families, teachers, administrators, artists and nature lovers will come together to play and pray, all in one action. During the afternoon, one of our Nurture Project leaders will lead an opening ceremony to engage the community-of-the-moment and those who will join, in a sacred connection. We will be nurtured to nurture.

Guy Jones is the executive director of the Miami Valley Council for Native Americans and a friend. He shares his wisdom with this community on a regular basis. He speaks of a life ethic, a history, a connectedness, that proves to be as essential as the theme itself,  an appropriate leader to bless us forward today.

I'll be blogging throughout the project, particularly as we begin and culminate, offering this small community effort as an example of compassion in action! It is about the Action!

More soon,

Jean