by Doug Hammack | Nov 8, 2015 | Message Audio, Time
We don’t use the word “sin” very often at NRCC because it has gotten kind of encrusted with toxic meanings over the centuries. However, it is an important spiritual concept. In this lesson we look at the double nature we tend to carry inside...
by Doug Hammack | Nov 1, 2015 | Community Meeting, Message Audio
A lot has happened to our community recently. Our minister (me) got the boot from the denomination we were part of. Our community voted to keep the minister (again, me), which meant our vote was to both leave the denomination, and since the denomination owns the...
by Doug Hammack | Oct 25, 2015 | Message Audio, Time
Last week, we saw how our brains have a built-in motivation system to get us up, out of bed, eating, drinking, procreating, and doing the things we need to further our lives and the species. The whole system is a real blessing. But it’s also a curse. It sucks us...
by Doug Hammack | Oct 18, 2015 | Message Audio, Time
There are some chemicals in our brains that create a motivation cycle which really helps us. These chemicals get us out of bed, and motivate us to eat, and work, and make babies — all the stuff we need to do to sustain life. What a relief! When something goes...
by Doug Hammack | Oct 11, 2015 | Message Audio, Prayer of Detachment
This lesson is about staying engaged in the present moment. It is about not borrowing regrets from the past — or anxiety from the future. But sometimes we don’t borrow regret or anxiety — we borrow relief, or respite. In our painful moments, it is...
by Robin Camu | Oct 4, 2015 | Enneagram, Guest Speaker, Message Audio
by Robin Camu We can still receive grace from God in a season of uncertainty and discomfort. (apologies about the low volume for the first 5:30 minutes of the recording) ...
by Doug Hammack | Sep 27, 2015 | Message Audio, Prayer of Detachment
Before you dismiss the idea of time not being the solid thing we all live in – you should hear what philosophers and physicists have to say. If time really is a persistent illusion in which we all live — what Jesus said about staying in the present moment...
by Doug Hammack | Sep 20, 2015 | Message Audio, Prayer of Detachment
“Staying present to the moment.” It’s a buzz-phrase in contemplative circles these days. But what does it mean? Does it mean we don’t plan our futures? Does it mean we don’t interpret our pasts? If so, we’re pretty much out of luck....
by Doug Hammack | Sep 13, 2015 | Message Audio, Prayer of Detachment
We took a break in August, from our lesson series on rethinking prayer (lots of change going on in our community). Today we return. In this lesson, we rehearse some context — why prayers of detachment are so valuable on the spiritual journey. We give this...
by Doug Hammack | Sep 6, 2015 | Message Audio, The Move
Last week we had a community vote to leave our denomination. It was a gutsy thing for the community to do, because in the denomination we were part, the local church doesn’t own the church building. We will be renting back the building for a while, but...
by Doug Hammack | Aug 9, 2015 | Individual Lesson, Message Audio
Jesus gave us a handful of really straightforward things to do… Love God. Love people. But as long as false identities define the “me” that I think I am, I’ll take off to follow those straightforward things — and screw them up badly. All...
by Robin Camu | Aug 2, 2015 | Enneagram, Guest Speaker, Message Audio
by Robin Camu https://media.blubrry.com/north_raleigh_community_church/s3.amazonaws.com/nrccaudio/2015/08-02-15_Sermon.mp3Podcast: Play in new window |...
by Doug Hammack | Jul 26, 2015 | Community Meeting, Message Audio
If you’re part of our community, you know that our denomination is deciding if they will ask us to leave. I (Doug) wrote a book that raised some red flags for them, so they’ll decide soon whether my credentials will be revoked. If that happens, our...
by Doug Hammack | Jul 19, 2015 | Individual Lesson, Message Audio
Organized religion has a bad name these days. And religious jargon has an even worse one. So when we hear religious words, we tend to glaze over and shut down. Unless we dig deeply enough to understand what they mean — and where the life and vitality was when...
by Doug Hammack | Jul 12, 2015 | Message Audio, Rethinking Prayer, Self Awareness Self Disclosure
We conclude this rather lengthy lesson on the prayer of confession — the prayer of self-awareness and self-disclosure with this epilogue. If you’ve seen a movie where the the priest finishes confession with an assignment, “say ten...
by Doug Hammack | Jul 5, 2015 | Message Audio, Rethinking Prayer, Self Awareness Self Disclosure
We can’t practice the prayer of self-awareness and self-disclosure we’ve been talking about these many weeks — without creating an environment that is safe for doing it. Today’s lesson is about the practical things we must have in place before...
by Doug Hammack | Jun 28, 2015 | Message Audio, Rethinking Prayer, Self Awareness Self Disclosure
We’re nearing the end of this lesson on the ancient prayer of self-awareness and self-disclosure. But all the rich treasure we’ve learned about the practice is moot — if we don’t have access to the environment in which to practice it. Have a...
by Doug Hammack | Jun 21, 2015 | Message Audio, Rethinking Prayer, Self Awareness Self Disclosure
The 12-step tradition has hard-won wisdom to offer. Turns out, the same dynamics that govern addiction to alcohol, drugs, or the other well-known addictions — govern all of us. The way our brains balance themselves makes over-use of any tool, almost automatic....
by Doug Hammack | Jun 14, 2015 | Message Audio, Rethinking Prayer, Self Awareness Self Disclosure
To know ourselves deeply, the questions we ask are really important. Fortunately, our tradition has left us a legacy to help us ask good questions. They are wrapped up in the ancient practice of confession — or as we’ve framed it, the prayer of...
by Doug Hammack | Jun 7, 2015 | Message Audio, Rethinking Prayer, Self Awareness Self Disclosure
There are three steps in the ancient prayer of self-awareness and self-disclosure (confession). Step 1: We pay attention to our negative emotions Step 2: We undertake a thorough self-examination Step 3: We engage forthright self-disclosure The second step is tough!...
