"Rhinestone Reflections" on Christianity and Interfaith Spirituality by Rev. Sharon Leman, MLA July 2008 Rev. Sharon Leman In seeking a description of Interfaith spirituality, I can’t help but recall a time, about 14 years ago, when I was working at my Catholic parish. The church secretary and I had become close

A Journey of Inter-Faith by Rev. Sharon Leman, MLA December 2008 Rev. Sharon Leman Insight into my interfaith journey can be tracked through my understanding of three little words: “We are one.” Starting about six years ago, I found myself drawn to this simple statement. The words represented a distillation of

12-Step Sobriety Over Ego by Rev. Sharon Leman, MLA April 2008 Rev. Sharon Leman In contemplating death, it is life that stands out most vividly. Life would have little meaning without an end. Death makes human existence finite. Even if reincarnation occurs, we will never again have a chance to live

The Transformative Power of Grief by Rev. Sharon Leman, MLA May 2009 Rev. Sharon Leman Some people jump to the conclusion that when the topic of grief comes up the discussion will be centered on sickness and death. While these traumas can be the root of much sorrow, grief is the

Psalms, the Ten Commandments, and an Examination of Conscience by Rev. Sharon Leman, MLA November 2008 Rev. Sharon Leman Informed by both Catholic and Jewish sensibilities about sin, I created an "Examination of Conscience" as a tool for prayerful reflection on life—both its personal triumphs and its shortcomings. I chose the

A Ritual for Caregivers by Rev. Sharon Leman, MLA June 2008 Rev. Sharon Leman Enjoying longer lives as the result of medical advances has changed our experience of death. We face issues that were not present a few generations past. In my grandparents' time, people got ill and either recovered or

Supporting Others Through Grief by Rev. Sharon Leman, MLA March 2009 Rev. Sharon Leman When the calm of routine is interrupted by unexpected losses such as unemployment, sickness, divorce, or death, the experience can abruptly bring life to a stop. Just as driftwood becomes caught in the silt of shallow waters,