Spring 2010
The Servant Leadership School of Austin began in 1992 and has offered a wide variety of classes twice a year for seventeen years. Based on a model from the ecumenical Church of the Saviour inWashington D.C., the School has been a space for transformation and healing. It was a fundamental presence in the creation of St. Hildegard's Community, a faith community within St. George's Episcopal Church founded in January of 1996. Currently two committed founding members of St. Hildegard's compose the SLS Mission Group-a place of intimacy and prayer as well as the practical work of operating the School: Judith Liro (priest to St.Hildegard's) and Francesca Wigle (Third Order,Society of St. Francis). The SLS offers a welcoming space for all: members of other faith communities, seekers of all kinds, as well as those who worship with St. Hildegard's.
Vision Begins to Happen Book Group
  • Schedule-Classes meet on Thursday evenings, 6:00 to 9:15. When enrollment is sufficient, an afternoon class meets from 4:15 - 7:30 p.m. The Spring 2010 session begins January 21 and ends March 25
  • Dinner and Worship-All participants gather at 6:00 for a candlelit vegetarian dinner and a brief worship.. For our first meal we ask everyone to bring a favorite fruit, cheese, bread, nuts, or olives to share. After the first night we take turns preparing and serving the meal. Even if you prefer not to eat, please plan to join us and have coffee or tea. Community grows among us as we cook, serve, and worship together.
  • Commitment-Anyone who enrolls in the school makes a commitment to attend and complete weekly assignments. The building of community is frustrated by absences of class members. Anyone who anticipates being absent for more than two class meetings should not enroll this semester. Completion of weekly homework assignments is essential to provide the space for God to work. Participants are asked to commit to a daily discipline of working on homework and praying for one another.
  • Cost and Work-Study-Cost is based on a sliding scale of $40 - $100 per semester, plus books and supplies, and is payable by cash or check on the first night of class, unless other arrangements are made. Participants are asked to discern prayerfully how much to pay within the sliding scale. We do not want lack of money to keep anyone from participating, so we offer a small work-study program for those who cannot afford tuition. Please contact the registrar if you need work-study.Child Care Child can be arranged as needed. Please contact the registrar at least two weeks prior to the first day of class.
  • Enrollment Enroll by email or phone. Contact the registrar by email at SLS.of.Austin@gmail.com or by phone at 512-524-5145.

Spring 2010 Course Offerings
The Inner Journey: Opening to the Beloved
Viriditas Curriculum Core Class

Offered by Maryrose Hightower-Coyle & Daphne Levey

 Care for Creation

Offered by Francesca Wigle, TSSF
Often the journey inward begins when we find ourselves broken by life. It might be a gradual, gentle experience over time or one major event that sets us on the path. With the husks of our souls cracked open, we become like seeds revealing the tender shoot that is now free to respond and grow toward God. The Beloved invites us to embrace our vulnerability, opening ourselves to the depths within.

This class is based on the premise that we journey in unique ways, finding our paths by listening to our hearts. You'll be offered experiences to sample here and to explore further on your own, understanding that opening to the Beloved involves totality of our body-mind-spirit. This rich diversity is rooted in some simple fundamentals that can support each of us: a daily quiet time, mindfulness, accountability, a Rule-of-Life, and participation in nurturing communal rituals. In the class we will support each other in growing strong roots and in authentic seeking.
 Earth, with all its creatures, is in crisis, and responding to this crisis will require every possible resource of our human community. The ancient Christian tradition that sees the Earth as our sister and mother provides fertile ground for wise, inspiring and practical contributions to ecological theology. Authors Ilia Delio, Keith Douglass Warner and Pamela Wood, are participating in a wider retrieval of Franciscan theology to help meet the challenges of our new time. We'll be using their book, Care for Creation, in which they offer a unique blend of three interrelated disciplines: scientifically informed ecology, theology and the practice of reflective action. Whether you already an informed and active friend of the Earth or just beginning to explore changes that you can make, this class will empower and encourage your deeper caring in a supportive community.