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
January 2018
Available Now!
 
Living Well Through Lent 2018
Loving With All Your Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind
&
Vivir Un Buens Cuaresma En El 2018
Amando Con Todo El Corazón, Alma, Fuerzas y Mente
 
Once again, Living Compass has produced an all new daily devotional booklet for personal or small group use during Lent 2018. A free, downloadable, Leader's Guide is also available now. Booklets are only $1 each, with a small charge for shipping. Many churches order extra and encourage members to take two and give one to a friend. Churches are welcome to insert a half-sheet with information about their Lenten and Easter programs and services. 
 
Click here for more information and to order printed booklets.
 
Wellness In Action
    
Stacy Jackson, recently certified CWA,  shares how she and co-facilitators, Mary Borge and Angie Duncan at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in La Grange, IL used Living Compass tools for an all-ages experience. 

"I was one of three facilitators to conduct a six week long intergenerational wellness circle for all "Ages and Stages."  Each week we covered an area on the Compass and did an assessment in the respective area.  We held a brief discussion on the impact of the topic on our lives and had the kids in the group ask the adults a set of questions, which related to the topic, to spark conversation.  Each week, I would create an activity or demonstration which was kid friendly and relevant to the topic to hold the kid's attention.  I developed a kid friendly assessment for the younger kids and we had the teen assessments available for the older youth.
 
The original program was designated to run for five weeks.  There was such an interest and it made such an impact on the participants, we were asked to extend it.  We were able to extend it an additional week. We have been asked to continue with other programs in the future and are currently working on future programs."

Upcoming Community Wellness 
Advocate Trainings:    
Join us for another training!
Parent and Teen Trainings
Trinity Church Wall Street in  NYC, NY March 9-10, 2018
Chicago, IL April 26-28, 2018
Chicago, IL June 28-30, 2018

This training is a great addition to the traditional CWA training! This is not a traditional CWA training in that it is meant for people that want to focus specifically on parents and teen wellness in their school or church community. Visit our website,  livingcompass.org or contact edith@livingcompass.org  for more details.

Upcoming Traditional CWA Trainings
Beecken Center in Sewanee, TN February 7-9, 2018
Chicago, IL March 1-3, 2018
Chicago, IL May 17-19, 2018
Chicago, IL September 27-29, 2018
Chicago, IL October 18-20, 2018

Learn how to use Living Compass and other ideas for wellness ministry to enhance your congregation's vitality and to connect 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 livingcompass.org for more information.

Sewanee: University of the South CWA training in Sewanee, TN 

Living Compass is again excited to be offering a Community Wellness Advocate training in conjunction with the Beecken Center of the School of Theology in Sewanee, Tennessee this coming February 7-9, 2018. 

This is the fourth time we will be offering our training at Sewanee and will be the same training that we make available multiple times each year in Chicago.  The training is held at the beautiful Sewanee Inn which is also where participants stay. We start at 2:00 PM on Feb 7th and conclude at 11:30 AM on Feb. 9th. 

Scholarships are available for the training and materials costs (but not for the hotel costs).  

Contact Edith at Edith@livingcompass.org for more information.

Click here  to register and learn more about the event.

Trinity Wall Street Episcopal Church 
Parent and Teen Wellness Training in New York City, NY

Scott and Holly Stoner, creators of Living Compass and both marriage and family therapists, will be offering a Community Wellness Advocate training with a special Teen and Parent focus at Trinity Church Wall Street on March 9-10, 2018. 

This training is open to people who work with parents and teens in any capacity in New York City and surrounding areas.  Join us Friday evening and all day Saturday to become equipped and trained to serve these populations in your context (church, school, nonprofit) with Living Compass's unique whole-person wellness resources. 

Participants will learn how to facilitate both Parent Wellness Circles and Teen Wellness Circles. Visit www.parentwellnesscompass.org or www.theteencompass.org for more information about our resources.  Contact Edith Lipscomb at edith@livingcompass.org for more information.

Certification Celebration
Please help us to congratulate the following Community Wellness Advocates who have completed their certification:

Meredith Holt Crigler- Grace Episcopal Church (Galveston, TX)
Angela Dawn Duncan- Emmanuel Episcopal Church (La Grange, IL)
Stacy Jackson- Emmanuel Episcopal Church (Aurora, IL)
Catherine Ross Loveland- St. Patrick's Episcopal Church (Dublin, OH)
Kathleen O'Neill- St. Peter's Episcopal Church (Arlington, VA)
Curt Paddock- St. Edward and Christ Episcopal Church (Joliet, IL)
Rose Walker- St. Patrick's Episcopal Church (Dublin, OH)

Our first CWA to get certified in both the general CWA and the parent and teen focus as well!
Katrina Kimble  (Memphis, TN)

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  download here, and email to Edith@livingcompass.org
 
We will be honored to send you your official certificate. Keep an eye out for future certified CWA promotions and events.
Making Connections
Look for Living Compass, or join us at these up coming events:

Holly will be speaking about teen wellness at the 
Adolescent Health Symposium in Madison, WI on Feb. 9th, 2018

Scott will be leading a leadership day for the Diocese of SE Florida titled: Living Well in the Midst of Transitions in Miami, FL on Feb. 17th, 2018.

Scott will be preaching at St. James Cathedral in Chicago, IL on 
 March 4th, 2018. 

Closing Thoughts
Thank you to all of you who shared our Living Compass Advent booklets with others. We are all partners in this wellness ministry, with you all being the ones who connect what we are doing with so many others. Thank you. 

I know those of us in the church, and those of us here at Living Compass are all already looking ahead to Lent (and by the way, please get your orders in right away for our Lenten booklets), but please allow me for a moment to reflect back on our Advent booklet them of "Practicing Wonder." To practice wonder is to practice curiosity as we stay open to the new and surprising ways in which God shows up in our lives, and in the lives of the people we serve. Practicing wonder is actually a core component of all that we do as ministers of wellness.  In this ministry we are midwives to the surprising ways that God shows up in peoples' lives. We help them to practice wonder and stay attentive to how God is working in their lives, even when they may not be aware of it.  

Please know how grateful we are to be sharing this ministry with you. Blessings to you all in the New Year, both upon you and your loved ones, and upon the people that you are called to serve.  
-D. Scott Stoner