Sophia’s Spring welcomes Jan and Kay

Last Sunday was the start of a three month Intentional Creative Ministry that Jan Sebastian and Kay Quisenberry will undertake with the Sophia’s Spring community.  Jan and Kay are no strangers to Sophia’s Spring. We have enjoyed their gentle and joyous presence on many occasions, so it is with real delight that we welcome them as friends to this period of leadership for us.

As a feminist community, we acknowledge that divinity is found in the world, in finite, embodied life.  One of the areas that Jan and Kay will particularly focus on is further exploration of just how our embodied lives matter, particularly in the context of our theology and practices during our Sunday morning services.  Jan suggests that some of the ways that this might be done are through:
~ exploring and inspiring embodied expressions of the lectionary
~ incorporating creative reflections with interaction
~ visual sermons
~ congregational movement and embodied prayer
~ encouragement of sharing the gifts and graces of those gathered
~ contextually crafted services of celebration or lament and all in between

Jan is an ordained Uniting Church Minister. She has a wide experience of ministry, with congregations and also as a hospital chaplain. A trained dancer, she studied sacred dance and other worship arts in the United States but completed her candidature for ministry here in Melbourne.  A clear aspect of her ministry, she understands, ‘is to facilitate people  into a space of mystery in an intentional and wholistic way.’

Kay also has a background in dance, particularly sacred dance.  The focus of her Masters thesis was the Women’s Ceremonial Dances of Elcho Island. Jan and Kay have been friends and colleagues in ministry for 26 years but four years ago began offering short term periods of Intentional Creative Ministry to congregations within the Synod of VicTas. This ministry is characterised by colour, energy, humour and the offering of space to reflect in an experiential way.  Invitation to movement is also a feature of this ministry they offer. Jan says “movement has the potential to disarm the heart and free our bodies to soar in spirit, something that is deeper than words”.  Sophia’s Spring is glad, and grateful, to be given the opportunity to experience this creative intentional ministry.

Over the next three months, Jan will be leading two services per month. She will also be available for pastoral conversations.  Her contact details are Phone: 0448 291 533 and email: jansebastian4@aol.com

Photo shows Kay in purple and Jan in green with a Sophia’s Spring banner made by Stella Watson

Photo taken by Di Gilbert