Simple Living- Year 2 (Final Newsletter!)

"So be grateful for your pains, be grateful for your suffering-you will need them.". View this email in your browser

"The waste of materials of the conscious mind can always be transformed into flowers of compassion, love, and peace. Our consciousness is a living thing, something organic in nature. There are always waste materials and flowers in us. The gardener who is familiar with organic gardening is constantly on the alert to save the waste materials because he knows how to transform them into compost and then transform that compost into flowers and vegetables. So be grateful for your pains, be grateful for your suffering-you will need them." -Thich Naht Hanh Right before joining Mission Year, I had just moved to a new city and was trying to start a new life, again! I left my hometown Reno,NV the spring of 2013 hoping to find some newness, and direction. And honestly, maybe trying to run away from a thing or two. In the summer of 2013, I had just left Olathe, Kansas and was living in Steilacoom Washington, desperately looking for ways to live out my values. But despite filling out dozens of job applications and relocating to two new cities, I couldn't seem to make life happen. I became very disheartened that summer that all my efforts were in vain, and that I had made a mistake by leaving Nevada.   "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him..."- Romans 8:28 One night, while feeling exceptionally discouraged, I read over this passage.  It occurred to me that whether my decision to move from Reno was right or wrong, God was still able to give me insight about my next step. (Which just so happen to be Mission Year)  From that experience, I began to see how resourceful God can be with our shortcomings and short-sighted decisions. God does not just throw out our efforts like trash, however self-interested or pain driven they may be. God is able to use all of our efforts and all of our suffering to bring wholeness to our lives.   These past two years have held many surprises.  I have marched in protests. I have worked in gardens. I have been a mentor, been mentored, and had my first book of poems published.    I have worked in summer camps. I have learned how to not burn out working at a high school. I have burned out working in a high school. I have learned that my talents are both valuable and able to be used. I have seen challenging relationships turn into deep friendships. I have seen pain be transformed into beauty. I have seen doubts turn into conversation. I have seen fear of the unknown met with understanding.   As I exit this season of life, I feel comfort knowing that my half-answered questions, unfulfilled goals and remaining pains are not waste, but may just be things waiting to be worked out for good.    Simple Living -What's Next?- I hope that all of you will be pleased to know that I have been employed at my service site, Nueva Esperanza Academy, this coming school year as a one-on-one assistant for a student with autism.  I will be returning back to school at the Community College of Philadelphia to pursue a degree in Theater Arts. I have been contacted by the Drexel University Dornsife Arts Center to help facilitate a monthly poetry event. We plan to feature local and high school poets at "Word Play Wednesdays" here in Philadelphia starting this September. I plan to continue embracing a lifestyle of simplicity and will start construction on my very own tiny home here in the Kensington area by October. (http://tinyhouseblog.com/stick-built/escape-traveler/)   Also... I have released my one chapter book of poems! "Blessed Are Those Who Mourn" is a tribute to faith, justice, pain and healing.  https://mrospoetry.bandcamp.com/                  Folks, thank you for your help! This season of life has been quite the journey, and I couldn't have done it without you supporting me second year to learn, live and love. This year you have contributed, by your collective efforts, all of my living expenses for the year, including groceries, public transportation, rent and more. I am equally thankful for your spiritual and financial support. If you still would like to receive a newsletter from me each month, separate from Mission Year, please send me an email indicating your interest. I pray that God blesses you in all that you do this month and would encourage you in the pursuit to love your neighbor as yourself! Much love, -CHARLIE charliejoconnor.blogspot.com

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Simple Living, Year 2 (April Newsletter)

Understanding < Love View this email in your browser

Understanding < Love "Training is needed in order to love properly; and to be able to give happiness and joy, you must practice deep looking directed toward the person you love. Because if you do not understand this person, you cannot love properly. Understanding is the essence of love. If you cannot understand, you cannot love." -Thic Naht Han " "The fruit of Silence is prayer. The fruit of Prayer is faith. The fruit of Faith is love. The fruit of Love is service. The fruit of Service is Peace. " -Mother Teresa"        Earlier this month, as I was coming home from work, I was stopped on the corner of my street by a street evangelist. It was, unfortunately, a very impersonal experience. The older man was friendly, but was so determined to have me a say a prayer with him, that he never asked what my name was or what I did for a living. After asking a few questions about what I had done wrong in my life, I was quickly ushered into the first line of the sinners prayer. I stopped the well intentioned man right after the line "Okay, repeat after me...", and informed him that I was something of a missionary myself.     Perhaps it is because of the environment that I grew up in that can I relate all too well with the man who stopped me. In past experiences with the Church, I often felt pressure to convince people to believe the things that I believed. But, if the God he was telling me of was, "Not a religion but a relationship", it would seem that his focus wouldn't be on making sure that I believe all the right things, so much as it would be on trying to get to know me. Sometimes our efforts to love people have good intentions behind them, but if there is no understanding of the person we are aiming to bring life to, we will not know what they need to experience God's love.      A large part of Jesus's ministry did constitute speaking of the Kingdom of Heaven, but there was a point where his love for us became actions. There may be appropriate times to tell others about God's love, but as people seeking to be understood, we often place a large priority on one aspect of Jesus's ministry over the other. "The fruit of love is service". And how can we best love, unless we understand? And how can we understand unless we listen? As we seek to embody the love of God in our lives, may the prayer of our hearts be as Saint Francis of Assis inquired, "Grant that I may not so much seek to be understood than to understand...for it is in giving that we receive... and in dying that we are born into eternal life".  Simple Living As I continue down the transformative path of art and faith, it has been a wonderful experience discovering how my talents can be used within the Kingdom of Heaven. As my awareness of the pain in, and around me increases, spoken word poetry has served as an outlet to process all that I have been learning. I have found a supportive community of poets this past month in North Philadelphia who run a workshop called, "Pecola Breedlove". Performing at Breedlove has been very life giving, and as I enter into this last trimester of MY2, I am thrilled to be able to spend this season with their community as I expand my experience as a performing artist. As a step in the direction of pursuing my career as an artist, I plan on releasing a C.D. of my poems later this month. In order to raise the necessary funds for my second year with Mission Year, all proceeds will go towards my remaining fundraising goal.  "Blessed Are Those Who Mourn" will be a tribute to faith, justice, pain and healing. The album will be a suggested minimum donation of $9, for 12 poems ( That's only $0.75 a poem! ;D ).  Please stay tuned for other updates. Hey folks, I could use your help! As I try to live out this second year of intentionally learning, living and loving any prayers or words or encouragement would be greatly appreciated. I also have a financial need of $3,610.33 dollars to help fund my full immersion into this way of life that covers all of my living expenses for the year, including groceries, public transportation, rent and more. I welcome your partnership this year and invite you to consider becoming a one-time or monthly donor.  I am equally thankful for your ongoing spiritual and financial support. I pray that God blesses you in all that you do this month and would encourage you in the pursuit to love your neighbor as yourself! Special shout out to...Dawson Vosburg, and Conner McFarlin, thanks guys! Much love, -CHARLIE charliejoconnor.blogspot.com

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Simple Living- Year 2 ( November Newsletter )

OCTOBER NEWSLETTER-Charlie O'Connor View this email in your browser

"Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow."-Isaiah 1:17   "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." -Proverbs 31:8-10 "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked."-Luke 6:35        Repeatedly in the Old Testament we see a God who is an advocate for the oppressed, a God who gives a voice to the voiceless, and a God who remembers the faces of those who have been forgotten. We often want to distance the face of our problems away, and reduce our enemies, to one dimensional beings. But when we limit people to an isolated event, which can not only disregard interpretation or understanding, we take away their worth and humanity. When Jesus chose his disciples, he saw more than just tax collectors, zealots, rebels and outcasts, he saw children of God, multifaceted, beautiful, messy people. Jesus took the time to try to understand why people were the way they were. It is often easier to listen to the dominant voices in our life to make sense of our experiences, but when voices in our life seem to confirm our prejudices,  we limit our ability to love, and be loved, by people. Although it is gentle and softly spoken, it is extremely important to try to listen to how the Spirit sees all of creation. When we do so, we open ourselves up to viewing, and accepting, the potential that lies in every individual.  Just as we are so much more than our shortcomings, so should we also try to view our enemies , in love.     Simple Living A vital part of living in simplicity is trying to stand in solidarity and remembrance of our brothers and sisters around the world who are under resourced and impoverished. In remembrance of our brothers and sisters in Iraq, I have joined a silent protest that stands in opposition to the use of drone warfare. It is a monthly meeting that hopes to bring awareness to the issue that has taken the lives of many innocent civilians in the war by distancing the faces of people away to and reducing them to merely targets on a screen. Not only is it unjust, inhumane, with horrific outcomes but ultimately, it is probably not something that Jesus would do.  http://www.livingunderdrones.org/ I am in! After an interview with Michael Brix on Friday, October 20th, I have been taken on as a part time volunteer to Yes! And.. performing arts collaborative. I will be volunteering with a group of students (ages k-4th) Tuesday-Thursday during the after school program. Yes! And.. offers the community a summer theater camp, studio classes including a choir ensemble, acting and visual arts classes as well as advanced acting class for middle school aged students.     Hey folks, I could use your help! As I try to live out  this second year of intentionally learning, living and loving any prayers or words or encouragement would be greatly appreciated. I also have a remaining financial need of $4,905 dollars to help fund my full immersion into this way of life that covers all of my living expenses for the year, including groceries, public transportation, rent and more. I welcome your partnership this year and invite you to consider becoming a one-time or monthly donor. I am equally thankful for your ongoing spiritual and financial support. I pray that God blesses you in all that you do this month and would encourage you in the pursuit to love your neighbor as yourself! Much love,                  -CHARLIE charliejoconnor.blogspot.com

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Simple Living- Year 2 (February Newsletter)

"God, Who is so great, so wise, no doubt has hidden secrets in all things He created" - St. Teresa of Avila I have been trying shift my focus towards seeing God in all things, especially in the parts of my life that are hardest to see hope in. It is easy to let life's distractions take away our awareness of God's ever present presence in all of our memories, relationships and hurts in our lives. When our sights are shifted from our focus, we are likely to become disoriented and confused. God patiently waits for us to gently shift our focus back towards our loving center. Not by force, lest we doubt our capacity, not by penalty of punishment lest our fears would overwhelm us, not by promise of reward lest in our excitement our thoughts should become busy, but with the same patience and gentleness that God has shown us.   Simple Living         My housemates and I have recently started building a relationship with one of our neighbors here in Kensington named, "Chris". This past week we had Chris over for dinner on one of our Monday night hospitality meals. After hearing of some of his needs, we provided Chris with some extra clothes, blankets and allowed him to make a few calls on our phones. Thinking we were a church or outreach center, Chris asked us, "What do you call this place?". Without missing a beat, my roommate Adam responded, "Home".      One of the challenges of Year 2 has been trying to find ways of making this lifestyle of hospitality and intentionality sustainable. Since we are no longer held under the same level of accountability as in Year 1, we are now provided with the challenge of questioning how our actions align with who we want to be. In some ways, it was easier to live out the values of Mission Year during the first year. Since our schedules we created by the program, we were able to focus on investing in our neighborhoods without as many distractions.       As I have been taking an additional year to transition between the structure of Year 1 and a traditional working life, I have enjoyed experiencing a sense of ownership in the added responsibilities of Year 2. It feels good to know that I am not living an intentional life because I am part of a program, or an organization, but because I have chosen to. This lifestyle of community, solidarity and hospitality is part of who I want to be, this lifestyle of love is becoming home.   Hey folks, I could use your help! As I try to live out this second year of intentionally learning, living and loving any prayers or words or encouragement would be greatly appreciated. I also have a financial need of $3,718.33 dollars to help fund my full immersion into this way of life that covers all of my living expenses for the year, including groceries, public transportation, rent and more. I welcome your partnership this year and invite you to consider becoming a one-time or monthly donor.  I am equally thankful for your ongoing spiritual and financial support. I pray that God reveals himself to you in all areas of your life this month and would encourage you in the pursuit to love your neighbor as yourself! REMEMBER! This month is the Love Drive.  February 2nd- March 17th       We have two shirts as gifts for this drive. One is a long-sleeved, teal Love God. Love People. shirt ($70 donation) and the other is a gray short-sleeved ($55 donation) Love God. Love [Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, or Philly] shirt. People can pick one of our cities to have on their gray shirt and our four cities are the only options. Donors can also get both shirts for $100.   Special shout out to Dawson Vosburg, Patsy Schuch, John Pappas,Yuki Burton and Crystal O'Connor this month, thank you guys! Much love, -CHARLIE charliejoconnor.blogspot.com

Simple Living- Year 2 (January Newsletter)

Unwrapping who we really are. "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." - John 8:32   Although parts of ourselves are hurt and broken, damaged or influenced, or feel forgotten and buried, I believe that there is a gift beneath all that. There is something waiting in anticipation to be discovered, the true self who God created us to be. Often we start to believe the layers of self doubt, failure and guilt that have built up around our true identity, are the foundations of who we are. "We are nothing more than our shortcomings". As we exit the season of advent and enter into this New Year, let us remember the hope of Jesus manifesting in our lives as he shows us where our true identity lies.    Simple Living      These past few months have been challenging. In being in a new job, in a new city, with new people, I have been feeling a lot of pressure to perform. I have been trying to live up to, and into, the images that I have created of what I "should" being doing. When I fall short of these standards, I often feel drained and disappointed in myself.      As you may know, I have been working in a high school with students who have emotional handicaps, or learning disabilities. With little experience working in education, I have tried to base a lot the way I approach students off of my colleagues, a lot of whom have been School Officers at some point in their career. I however have not been a school officer, and have never really been the authoritarian type. In fact, trying to pretend that I am has left me trying to keep up a pace and persona that I am just not compatible with.      For a lot of this past semester, I felt tired and inauthentic to my self and my ideals of leadership. Once I began interacting with my students in a way that was more like my true self, building relationships became much easier. It seems that when we try to be, or do something that is not authentic to who we are, our incapacity with it will inevitably be destructive to our lives. I have been discovering an incredible sense of freedom in allowing myself to accept that who I was created to be is enough. It seems that God's work in me is most contagious when people see that they are free to be themselves as well.   Hey folks, I could use your help! As I try to live out this second year of intentionally learning, living and loving any prayers or words or encouragement would be greatly appreciated. I also have a financial need of $4,610 dollars to help fund my full immersion into this way of life that covers all of my living expenses for the year, including groceries, public transportation, rent and more. I welcome your partnership this year and invite you to consider becoming a one-time or monthly donor. I am equally thankful for your ongoing spiritual and financial support. I pray that God blesses you in all that you do this month and would encourage you in the pursuit to love your neighbor as yourself! REMEMBER! This month is the Love Drive. February 2nd- March 17th We have two shirts as gifts for this drive. One is a long-sleeved, teal Love God. Love People. shirt ($70 donation) and the other is a gray short-sleeved ($55 donation) Love God. Love [Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, or Philly] shirt. People can pick one of our cities to have on their gray shirt and our four cities are the only options. Donors can also get both shirts for $100.   Special shout out to Dawson Vosburg, Yuki Burton and Crystal  O'Connor this month, thank you guys! Much love, -CHARLIE charliejoconnor.blogspot.com

Copyright © *|2013|* *|Mission Year*, All rights reserved. E-mail. Our mailing address is: Mission Year 3300 Lyons Avenue apt# 202 Houston, TX 77020 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences