West Hill Podcast: Gretta Vosper

We travel together in the spirit of love

Dana Wilson-Li — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 20:14:00 -0500

July 11, 2010.

Gretta concludes her discussion of VisionWorks 2009 by asking: what do we do with this document? How is it to be used given that we recognize it has no inherent authority?

VisionWorks 2009 ::

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Our vision is growth

Dana Wilson-Li — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 16:01:00 -0500

July 4, 2010.

In the last meditation on the them of Visionworks 2009, Gretta explores how we might consider our effect on the world, using music to frame her thoughts. She then relates her son’s harrowing experience at the G20 and suggests how anger can turn to growth and resilience and change.

VisionWorks 2009 :: Vision Works 2009 - Our Vision is Growth

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Our gatherings are multi-faceted

Dana Wilson-Li — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 14:58:00 -0500

June 27, 2010.

As the G20 takes place in Toronto, Gretta explores the more contemplative and meditative facets of gathering together. Through simple ritual, she asks the congregation to consider money and glass beads.

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Our sources of inspiration of diverse

Dana Wilson-Li — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 21:55:00 -0500

June 20, 2010.

Gretta explores a diversity of resources to inspire, initiate discussion, and encourage contemplation. She offers several quotations and engages the congregation in conversation about some of the ideas.

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Our response to life is love

Dana Wilson-Li — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 10:52:00 -0500

June 13, 2010.

Gretta reflects on the second part of VisionWorks 2009: Our response to life is love. She asks what that might mean in an ethically complex society.

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Reason and Meaning

Dana Wilson-Li — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 15:22:00 -0500

June 6, 2010.

With Gretta, the congregation explores ideas connected to Vision Works 2009. It begins a six week conversation on the document. Join the conversation on West Hill’s facebook page.

Find us on Facebook :: Vision Works 2009 section 1 discussion

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Getting Beyond Assumptions

Dana Wilson-Li — Sat, 29 May 2010 11:49:00 -0500

May 23, 2010

Gretta connects the society of Victorian England and Pentacost as a way to reflect upon the assumptions we hold—and the ways in which we might get beyond them, if we so choose.

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Being Buddy-Sattvas

Dana Wilson-Li — Tue, 18 May 2010 20:02:00 -0500

May 16, 2010

Gretta shares a poem, The Buddy-Sattva Promise by Charles Page. In doing so, she reflects on the West Hill community and the gifts we have offered and those we have been offered during the time she and Scott were in Australia and New Zealand.

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Easter - Fabric and Thread

Dana Wilson-Li — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 15:43:00 -0500

April 4, 2010

Gretta explores what it means to be connected.

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Good Friday - Hope and Despair

Dana Wilson-Li — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 15:38:00 -0500

April 2, 2010

A Good Friday reading explores joy and pain, hope and despair, life and death.

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Symbols and Fairy Tales

Dana Wilson-Li — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 15:44:00 -0500

March 28, 2010.

On this, Palm Sunday, Gretta explores with the congregation the meaning and metaphor we take from the fairy tales of our childhoods. And she looks at that moment when Jesus steps “into the dream”, the dream of change in the world. She reminds us of how we have already been change in the world and calls each of us to walk again through that archway to the centre of where change can happen.

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Inglourious Basterds

Dana Wilson-Li — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 11:26:00 -0600

February 28, 2010. Gretta continues her sermon series on the Academy Award nominees by exploring the spiritual – an not so spiritual – implications of Inglourious Basterds.

Inglourious Basterds :: Trailer for Inglourious Basterds, directed by Quenton Tarantino

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The Hurt Locker

Dana Wilson-Li — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:23:00 -0600

February 21, 2010.

Gretta continues her series looking at Academy Award nominees by exploring the implications of The Hurt Locker

The Hurt Locker :: Trailer for The Hurt Locker, directed by Kathryn Bigelow

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Up in the Air

Dana Wilson-Li — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 19:20:00 -0600

February 14, 2010.

On Valentine’s Day Gretta explores love, isolation, and connection as she reflects on the Oscar-nominated movie Up in the Air.

Up in the Air Movie Trailer :: Official trailer for "Up in the Air" directed by Jason Reitman

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Avatar

Dana Wilson-Li — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 17:04:00 -0600

February 7, 2010

Gretta begins her reflections on the 2010 Academy Award nominees with Avatar. She considers how good movies—important movies—break our hearts and call us to new awareness. Awareness that asks for us to think differently, respond differently, and act.

Avatar Movie Trailer :: The official trailer of the movie Avatar, directed by James Cameron

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Anniversary of Trees

Dana Wilson-Li — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:32:00 -0600

January 31, 2010

On the Sunday of the annual budget meeting of the congregation, Gretta considers why we might gather in community together and explores the point of church in a progressive community of faith.

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Spiritual Leaders

Dana Wilson-Li — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:12:00 -0600

January 24, 2010

Gretta discusses the idea of birth order and connects it to spirituality and moreover, how it may call us to be spiritual leaders. She offers a challenge: that we may find the tools to be spiritual leaders, building right relationship in all the connections we make in our life.

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Roots and Soil

Dana Wilson-Li — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 12:09:00 -0600

January 17, 2010

In a very personal meditation, Gretta speaks about her week in a rural setting with her sister Martha’s family, coping with the sudden death of Martha`s husband. She reflects on Ron’s life, his impact on that small community and what community and family mean during times of loss and grief.

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Legacy

Dana Wilson-Li — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 13:48:00 -0600

January 10, 2010

Today, Gretta talks about what we leave behind. She reflects on how we might examine ourselves and our lives in the building of that legacy.

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Commitment to the Future

Dana Wilson-Li — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 16:19:00 -0600

January 3, 2010. We begin 2010 by looking back at some of 2009’s remarkable people as Gretta reads an article from Johann Hari. Each of these remarkable people give us glimmers of hope for the future.

Caution: the reading contains graphic descriptions and language that some may find disturbing or offensive

As a dark year ends, remember the inspirational lights of 2009 :: Johann Hari is an award winning journalist who writes for several publications including the NY Times and Independent.

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