Elder Circles
March 2017
Join us on the Wisdom Journey
IN THIS ISSUE:
* Gather the Elders 2017 report
* Blog: "Acknowledging, Blessing and
Honoring the Lives of Sacred Elders"
by Del Jones
* Elder Circles Schedule
Oro Valley
Oro Valley Public
Library
1305 W. Naranja Dr.
Wednesday, March 8,
10:00am
North Tucson
Gather the Elders 2017
More than 65 area elders took part in the
2017 Gather the Elders event held Jan. 27
at the YWCA of Southern Arizona. Keynote
speaker and acclaimed parenting
educator Dr. Marilyn Heins (below) spoke
on The Journey to Geriatrica: bringing your
experience and curiosity to a new land,
followed by comments on this theme from
Wisdom Panelists Isabel Amorous, Judith
Billings, and Devorah Coryell. In addition to
enjoying a hearty breakfast, nature
photography, Qi Gong exercises, live flute
music, and an interactive art
display, participants gathered at their tables
in spirited Circles of Meaning to further
explore the tools needed on the Wisdom
Journey.
St. Francis in the
Foothills
4625 E. River Rd. (at
Swan)
Friday, March 10,
10:00am
Note: The meeting place
has changed from the
Sanctuary to Room 41. Go
the parking lot in the back
and look for the sign.
Ellie Towne Flowing
Wells Community
Center
1660 W. Ruthrauff Rd
(Wetmore & Romero)
Wednesday, March
15, 10:30am
Note: The Elder Circle held
at St. Philip's Church, 4440
N. Campbell, has
permanently moved to the
Ellie Towne Community
Center. Dates and times
have not changed,
however.
Central Tucson
Jewish Community
Center
3800 E. River Rd. (at
Dodge)
Sunday, March 5,
1:00 pm
Dr. Marilyn Heins shared
stories and insights
Elder Circles Blog
Acknowledging, Blessing,
and Honoring the Lives
of Sacred Elders
Thirteen years ago Elder Circles...The
Wisdom Journey was launched in Tucson.
Since then we have had more than 200
participants, five to 10 circles a year in
different places all around Tucson, and
recently added Training for Facilitators. The
Elder Circle Advisory Council manages all
this and Chris Medvesek manages us! As
does Catherine Tornbom, Manager of the
Center for Community Dialogue, a program
of Our Family Services, and of which we are
a project. WHEW!
Seven years ago, after 6 years of Elder
Circles, I suggested that we have an event
called "Gather The Elders." This would be a
time when anyone who ever participated in
LGBTQI Elder Circle
Cornerstone
Fellowship
2902 N. Geronimo
Ave.
Saturday, March 18,
1:00 pm
East Tucson
Udall Senior Center
7200 E. Tanque
Verde Rd.
Monday, March 13,
1:00pm
Sierra Del Sol Senior
Living
8151 E. Speedway
Wednesday, March
22, 10:30 am
Broadway Proper
Retirement
Community
400 S. Broadway
Place
Thursday, March 2,
2:30 pm
a circle, or those who always wanted to,
could come together and share around
Green Valley
"tables of meaning." In January 2017, we
had the 7th annual event!
Casa Community
Center
780 S. Park Centre
Ave.
Monday, March 27,
Recently my 90th birthday was upon me
and my dear friends of many years at my
women's spirituality group, Sophia's,
3:00pm
advised me that they wanted to do an
honoring/blessing ceremony. I did not know
***************
what that was. I was pleased to learn that I
could suggest a list of 25 people and they
Join us at one of the many
free Elder Circles held
across town.
would then receive invitations and details of
how the ceremony worked. On the day of
the ceremony, we all sat in a circle and a
chair was placed next to me. Each person
in the circle then came forward and sat on
the chair, and could hold my hand, read an
ode, a poem, or say for two to four minutes
how I had impacted their life. I was coached
and advised that the only thing I could say
was "Thank you."
An Honoring/Blessing ceremony is an
opportunity for an elder to hear how their life
has impacted those who love them. The
idea is that the ceremony will give people a
chance to express to their loved ones the
acknowledgements, appreciation and
Our groups meet monthly
and you are welcome to
"drop in." Feel free to visit
different groups and find the
one that feels right to you.
Elder Circles are a place to
explore life issues in the
company of supportive, nonjudgmental peers. In a
facilitated group setting,
Elder Circles focus on topics
related to four cornerstones:
Life Review, Life Repair,
Mentoring, and Leaving a
Legacy.
For more information email
Chris Medvescek or call
323-1708 x122.
sentiments that are often saved until
funerals. Yet this is not a good-bye party!
Click for the January-March
2017 Elder Circle schedule.
Honoring/blessing is a transformational
Elder Circles are a project of
the Center for Community
Dialogue, a program of Our
Family Services.
experience, for those doing the honoring
and even more so for the person (like me!)
who is receiving the kindnesses.
****************
You guessed it---I knew this just couldn't be
such a rich time for me alone. Now I would
like to see Blessing Ceremonies added to
the Elder Circles repertoire. It is hoped that
St. Francis in the Foothills will also be adding
this to their ministries and onward we go.
Questions, input, ideas welcomed:
[email protected]
Del Jones
Elder Circle co-founder and facilitator
Blog author Del Jones is an
Elder Circle founder, facilitator,
and trainer.