This newsletter is geared towards those who have completed a Living Compass training, but is also intended for, and can be shared with all those interested in Living Compass. 
Living Compass Community Newsletter
November 2016
Wellness In Action
This section features how our Living Compass community is using their Congregational Wellness Advocate Training and Living Compass materials within  their  communities.
     One of our CWAs, Cyndi Sax from St. Anthony on the Desert of Scottsdale, AZ has worked with her church to lead Living Compass Wellness Circles for teens and adults. Here is some of what she has shared with us about her experience with the adults:
     "This morning's session was exceptional!  We began with worship and played the version of "Tis A Gift to Be Simple" with YoYo Ma and Allison Kraus.  That song has become very meaningful to us.   Catherine gave an overview of how we came to Living Compass and how it aligns with our new parish vision/mission to build on our history as a place of spiritual well-being, with Christ at the center
     I introduced the table compass exercise.  We had six tables of 5-6 people each.  They were instructed to complete the exercise within the context of their ministry at St. Anthony.  Members of our Spiritual Well-Being team served as scribes at each table; our rector and I floated the room to add additional support.
     Kathy Phillips guided them through creation of individual Faith Steps and we had a few share theirs with the room.
    Our rector then presented a resource guide that she created, which includes links to the Living Compass website, as well as a slew of other resources. We closed with worship in our Chapel of St. Luke the Physician. 
It was a time clearly blessed by the Holy Spirit."  

Cyndi also shared with us her experience leading a teen group with her church:
      "I wanted to share with you news of how the first Teen Compass session went at St. Anthony last weekend, especially in light of all the help you provided me.
     We ended up starting with the "heart" quadrant of the compass, so that we could follow the same sequence as the Parents' group is following.  For the first session, I combined the three sections in the Relationships unit.
      We started with a listening exercise for the notebook, then the self-assessment.  I facilitated a short debrief on the assessment, then we moved into "learning and living it".  Then we read a reading from the notebook together, and took about 10 minutes for each of them to answer the questions with the reading. As they finished, they paired up with someone else in the group and shared their responses.  This segment went unbelievably well!  I was very impressed with their level of participation and ability to dive pretty deeply on their thoughts.
     We talked briefly about Feel - Act - Think versus Feel-Think-Act, then right into an explanation of Faith Steps.  I walked them through writing a Faith Step and they all came up with one!  Amazing Grace!
     Finally, we stood in a circle holding hands for the closing prayer.  I got it started and then had each youth share one word that expressed their gratitude for some aspect of their relationships that they had discovered that evening.  Some of their responses were expected, like "friendship".  Others blew me away with their unexpectedness, like "forgiveness".
     During each of their next three youth group meetings, our youth minister will check in with them to ask for any stories about progress they've made on their faith steps and to keep it uppermost in their mind.  I'll be back with them again on October 23rd, when we will explore Emotions."
 
Congregational Wellness Advocate Training
Future Trainings: 
Boston, MA November 17-18, 2016
Sewanee, TN February 8-10, 2017
Chicago, IL March 9-11, 2017
Chicago, IL April 20-22, 2017
Chicago, IL July 13-15, 2017
Chicago, IL September 21-23, 2017

New: Parent and Teen Training 
Chicago, IL June 29- July 1, 2017

Learn how to use Living Compass tools to enhance your congrega tion's vitality and to conn ect with the community by beginning or  expanding a wellness ministry. After a training retreat, you'll return to your congregations to complete your certification. 

Visit the Living Compass website to learn more training.

Register for a Congregational Wellness Advocate Training
Additional Training Opportunities
Private group trainings can be arranged both at the Nicholas Center and at regional locations (for large  groups) on mutually agreeable dates.
For more information contact Edith@livingcompass.org
 

Making Connections
Look for Living Compass at these up coming events:
If you will be attending, please stop by our exhibit table where we will be sharing The Teen Compass Faith and Wellness materials and at our talk, Guiding and Nurturing the Well-being of our Teens: Heart, Soul, Strength and Mind, Thursday the 10th at 3:30. 
Chicago Diocesan Convention Nov. 17-19

Coaching Corner
As you know, the mindset of Living Compass is grounded in the theory and practice of motivational interviewing (MI).  While the principles of MI are easy to learn, they take a lifetime to master.  It seems that we are all wired to want to give advice when we are talking with someone who is struggling to make a change.  Learning to overcome our "righting reflex" is key to helping people to connect with their own motivations to change and helping them come up with their own ideas of how to make the change they desire. 

Below you will find links to short two videos.  The first video shows an ineffective way to help a person change, and the second one, based on MI, shows an effective conversation that promotes change for a person. 

I (Scott) recommend them as a great reminder of what we discussed together at our training!


Certification Celebration
Please help us to congratulate the following Congregational Wellness Advocates who have completed their certification:
  • The Rev. Mary E. Groff, LCSW (Diocese of Alabama, Guntersville AL)

Many of you have already far surpassed the completion of what it takes to be certified and all you need to do now is fill out the form. 

I f you are interested in completing your CWA List of Activities for Certification found in your training binders or need a new form please contact Edith@livingcompass.org . 

We will be honored to send you your official certificate. Keep an eye out for future certified CWA promotions and events.
Recommended Resources
Announcing our brand new Advent devotional, available in both English and Spanish! Order by November 14th for assured delivery by the beginning of Advent. 
     Practicing simplicity is always challenging, but especially so during the holiday season. Practicing Simplicity With All Your Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind is a timely resource to help us slow down and simplify the choices we make at a time when the world around us is often doing just the opposite.
     Designed for use as an individual reflection or for group study, this guide provides a foundation for seeking a deeper experience of the Advent season, an experience that will help prepare us for the true meaning of Christmas.
     This booklet includes reflections from: The Rt. Rev. Ian Douglas, The Rev. Canon Suzann Holding, The Rev. Canon Carol Petty, The Rev. Dr. Scott Stoner, The Rev. Edward Thompson
     For those of you who have completed a Living Compass Congregational Wellness Advocate training, we are happy to offer you one or two packs of 25 booklets at no cost-you will just have to pay for shipping. You can order these free booklets with the code CWAADVENT. If you need more than 50 booklets, you can purchase them for $25 per pack of 25. If you need financial assistance for additional booklets, please contact Edith Lipscomb at  edith@livingcompass.org.
     The Spanish version, based on the same theme of Practicing Simplicity, contains separate, original content, written by: El Rev. Alvaro Araica, El Rev José Arroyo Jaime Briceño, y El Rev. Gary Cox.
Please place your orders soon!
Visit our website and order through the links below:
Living Well Through Advent 2016-Spanish
Lent 2017 Coming Soon
Already planning your Lenten Program for 2017?  Keep an eye out for our resource: Listening With All Your Heart, Soul, Strength & Mind .
 

Living Compass Training
This photo is from our Spirit-filled training retreat in San Antonio in early October, our biggest "on the road" event ever. The two people who made this happen in Texas had themselves already come to a training and then wanted to bring it back to their area for this much larger group. So please know, we are happy to come to your area and partner with you to offer Living Compass trainings and retreats for larger groups. 

Closing Thoughts

"The wisdom is in the group!"
We had another exciting training two weeks ago, and once again we were reminded that, "The wisdom is in the group!" This time we had folks from Oregon, Louisiana, Kansas, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Ohio, Virginia, and Rhode Island. Everyone there was so full of awesome wellness ideas and plans for their communities.  With this in mind, it is helpful to remember that we all can benefit from the wisdom of others who are working to connect faith and wellness. 

So, please continue to use the CWA Facebook page to crowd source when you have a question and to share when you have a new idea that others can learn from. We are better together.