Racine & Me: Siena Retreat Center "Thriving in Turbulent Times"

 

RACINE, WI (CBS 58) -- Vicky Curtis is the new Program Director at the Siena Retreat Center and joined us in studio to promote an upcomin event at the center. 

This event is a public forum called "Thriving in Turbulent Times: Dancing in the Darkness," presented by Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III, which is open to and relevant for adults of all races, cultures, backgrounds, and beliefs. Reverend Otis Moss, III, Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago since 2006, is one of the nation’s most renowned and beloved spiritual and civil rights leaders. Dr. Moss spent the past two decades practicing and preaching a Black theology that unapologetically calls attention to the problems of mass incarceration, environmental justice, and economic inequality. Dr. Moss is part of a new generation of ministers committed to preaching a prophetic message of love and justice, which he believes are inseparable companions. Dr. Moss is hailed as one of the twelve most effective preachers in the English-speaking world and was named by Chicago Magazine as one of the top thirty leaders of influence in Chicago. Dr. Moss is an NAACP Image Award recipient, an award-winning filmmaker, poet, and professor of homiletics. His two-hour presentation with discussion will examine the history of racism and efforts toward racial justice, lift up the high moral ethic for action that combines justice and love, and give guidance and inspiration for participants to work for justice in these politically turbulent and socially challenging times. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. first observed in the 1960s, it is once again midnight in America--a dark time of division and anxiety, with threats of violence looming in the shadows. In 2008, Trinity United Church in Chicago received threats when one of its parishioners, Senator Barack Obama, ran for president. Late one restless night, Trinity’s pastor, Dr. Moss, heard a suspicious noise in his house. An old threat, “We're going to kill you" echoed in his ears as he grabbed a baseball bat to confront the intruder. When he opened the door to his daughter's room, he found that the source of the noise was his own little girl, dancing. She was simply practicing for her ballet recital. In that moment, Dr. Moss saw that the real intruder was within him. Caught in a cycle of worry and anger, he had allowed the darkness inside. This awareness led him to write his recently published book, “Dancing in the Darkness – Spiritual Lessons for Thriving in Turbulent Times.” In this public forum, his presentation will help those committed to the ongoing work of pursuing racial justice to slay personal demons, confront civic challenges, and reach high goals. He will also deepen understanding for the need for such work and inspire his hearers with hope. Michael Eric Dyson, in his introduction to the book, “Dancing in the Darkness,” wrote, “Moss is a magnificent fusion of radical Black theology and uplifting American moral philosophy.” He makes “a stirring plea for the nation to become a better version of its democratic self.” Otis Moss III wrote in his book, “Our trouble [as a nation] is not, at its root, political… we hope for more than political victory. I believe we hunger for the bread of love wrapped in the actions of a just society. We yearn to embody the promise of our American experiment in pluralism and democracy... “In these troubled times… we face a double challenge. We must meet the demands of our personal lives and yet also respond to the nation’s profound political and… spiritual crisis.” Dr. Moss also states, “The African American experience is perhaps a hundred years ahead of the rest of this country when it comes to living with and making the most of the blessings of diversity.” In his presentation, Dr. Moss will draw on the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Howard Thurman, Black culture, the civil rights movement, the Scriptures, global spiritual traditions, and his own personal experiences. Dr. Moss will give guidance on how to practice spiritual resilience through an ethic that combines love and justice, which he believes are inseparable companions. Love without justice has no lasting impact. Justice without love can become ruthless and destructive. This ethic has nearly been lost, even though a version of agape love can be found in all of the world’s great spiritual traditions. Dr. Moss will examine the history of racial reimagining of dark-skinned people in this country, and of slavery and its lingering destruction. He will also glean insights for effective anti-racism efforts and spiritual resilience from such historical events as Black Lives Matter, the 2015 shooting in Charleston, South Carolina, and the efforts of his own congregation to harness anger and grief over a young male member who was killed by gun violence. The principles Dr. Moss will teach are applicable for, and needed by all, regardless of their spiritual traditions, or no tradition. Such principles encourage pausing quietly before reacting in a situation to discover possibilities for a response; redirecting rage to harness one’s power, beating bias through vulnerable and deep listening, meeting failings with grace, facing fears with love, and building spiritual resilience through forgiveness that breaks the cycle of retaliation. These principles express inclusiveness, nonviolence, restorative justice, and hope. The public forum will be held at the Siena Retreat Center in Racine, Wisconsin. It will be followed by lunch served at the retreat center, providing opportunity to strengthen relationships among those gathered. The Siena Retreat Center in Racine, WI is in a beautiful setting on the shore of Lake Michigan, with prairie wildflowers blooming in summer and woods to walk in nearby. It offers individuals and groups space for one-day or multiple day gatherings and retreats. It has over 60 private bedrooms, each with its own bathroom with walk-in shower, bed, desk, and recliner. There are also spacious rooms for meetings, meditation, and creative arts. The Siena Retreat Center also sponsors over 80 retreats and programs during the year and offers spiritual guidance one on one, and training in how to support those who are grieving. People can register for programs online at www.sienaretreatcenter.org. There one can also find contact information to reserve space for a group or individual retreat.