Scroll down or click here to view the resources from the Pádraig Ó Tuama event.
Background
Jim Sell served as Rector of Christ & St. Luke’s from 1990 to 2005. This service was bookended by his earlier work with Episcopal communities in West Virginia and New Jersey in the 1970s and 1980s and his “retirement” career as an interim rector, consultant, and mentor at parishes in Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut, and back home in Virginia.
Jim lived a long, full life that was enriched by the people in his “community.” This included his family, friends, colleagues, and parishioners, as well as neighbors, community leaders, and really anyone else with whom he may have crossed paths. On the eve of his 80th birthday, he passed away peacefully in his sleep. Earlier in the day, he shared his reasons for being an Episcopalian. You can read the full document here.
“I rely on my fellow worshipers to honor me with their tolerance, kindness and generosity of spirit. I trust that they are engaging in the same interior dialogue with God that I am. We may end up with different answers to our most pivotal questions and, surprise of surprises, we can affirm the validity of all of our quests.”
Mission
We believe in the idea that small actions can have large effects, and so we hope that these community conversations inspire other conversations to flourish. All are invited to the table, to sit together, to learn from one another, and to “go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.”
Click here to purchase a copy of Jim Sell’s memoir, Learning to Live.
Your Invitation to Join the Conversation
A check can also be mailed to Christ & St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, PO Box 11499, Norfolk, VA 23517 and include “Jim Sell Community Conversations Fund” in the memo line.
Pádraig Ó Tuama
Resources from our inaugural Jim Sell Community Conversation Event
It was an honor to have the great contemporary spiritual writer, poet, and teacher, Pádraig Ó Tuama, to talk to us about the value and challenge of maintaining a spirit of community in divisive times and what role communities of faith can play in holding us together when so many other forces are trying to drive us apart.
In honoring Fr. Jim Sells’ legacy, we wanted to hear from someone who could offer us some recourse and resources to combat the anger and animosity of our current cultural context and help us overcome it.
Below you will find a version of the workshop Pádraig led for us on writing collects as well as the video of his keynote talk with us from Oct. 26, 2024. Please note that the keynote video will only be available for a limited time!
