A MESSAGE FROM REV. LINDSEY ALTVATER CLIFTON: THE POWER OF WORDS
Greetings friends,
As we conclude our series on mystics and the spiritual practices they offer for connecting us more deeply with the Divine, it is probably no surprise that I picked the poets and writers. The former English teacher in me couldn’t help it!
I may have said this before, but I feel like I really 
learned to read and write in the 11th grade. Obviously, I could read and write before that, but Mrs. Little’s AP English class my junior year was when I experienced reading and writing for the first time—when they took on a new power and meaning, when I was moved in heart and spirit by what I read and began to learn that I might do the same with my own writing.
While words can, at times, limit our capacity to express what might otherwise only be experienced, they also have tremendous capacity for capturing what can feel indescribable.
This week, we hear from the prophet Isaiah about the ways in which the written word can capture and cast vision of God’s beloved community for this and future generations. We’ll also engage the writings of Howard Thurman and Andrea Gibson as more contemporary mystics and conversation partners for the journey.
I look forward to hearing whose written work sounds a bit like God’s voice to you!
Blessings,
Lindsey