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The Big Idea: No matter what we call “home” in this physical world, we yearn for a spiritual home that offers serenity, acceptance, belonging. The extravagant acceptance of the father for the son in Jesus’ parable of the wandering son is difficult for us to believe, that no matter what we have done, who we are, how far we are from what we want to become, we are welcomed home by the Loving Parent.

Big Idea: In the Way of life that God has opened to us, there are many choices, but they are not all good ones. In making choices about ways to go through life, God is continually calling us to the highest and best ways. Paradoxically, the highest and best ways are open to all. All are invited to the table of God's grace.

Big Idea: We are not always understood. Jesus found this out, just like so many others whose closest family, friends, and neighbors create a persona for us. Jesus was not willing to let that persona limit the possibilities God had called him to. If we are acting through our true selves, we will go ahead and let God lead us, claiming who we know ourselves to be, with God's help. We can take the other way around, no matter what other ways others think we should take.

Big Idea: After Jesus' baptism he went on a pilgrimage into the wilderness, a common practice among spiritual leaders of his day, and ours. This is a time to dig deep into the soul. Along the way the pilgrim has time and space to consider one's true identity, not the false self that tempts us to ignore our real selves. But God is gracious. All who wander are not lost. Jesus surrenders himself to his true calling, in submission to God, to a true way.

Big Idea: Those who encounter God are transfigured, enlightened, emblazoned. Early Christians were called "Illuminati" at their baptism because they now were to live with the light of Christ emanating from their lives. Jesus is remembered as the human whose interior garden was so vibrant that it shone out visibly. The story of the Transfiguration of Christ reminds us that, for sake of life, we are to let our lights shine because we have encountered and live in the reign of the loving and just God. What will you do with your own Enneagram type?

Big Idea: As individual gardeners, were all can’t accomplish much. The lures of the false selves we maintain are strong. All we can do is let the old life die so that God can grow in us a new life. Spirit work is like that. Enneagram types 5, 6 & 7.

Big Idea: The purpose of the Christian life is to know God and know ourselves. The knowledge of God and the knowledge of oneself are for the purpose of a flourishing life—for the sake of ourselves and others. Overview of enneagram types 2, 3 & 4.

Big Idea: Paul had the audacity to claim his own interior soul work would benefit the churches with which he was in relationship. Pastor Beth will show how the tool of the Enneagram has helped her to work on her own interior garden, for the benefit of this church. Pastor Beth’s Enneagram type is 5.

Big Idea: Understanding our own motivations and personality types is not for the purpose of destroying ourselves, but becoming aware of the loving way to look at ourselves with compassion, as God does. Special insights, not coupled with love, don’t help us or anyone else to grow spiritually. Enneagram types 8, 9 &1.

Big Idea: Renewed spiritual life depends upon seeing ourselves and others as part of the same living ecosystem. No plant can survive alone. At the same time, no one being can be all kinds of being or personality in and of herself. The complex of Enneagram personalities can be a way to understand our own foibles, fears and false selves in order to weed out what needs to be uprooted so that God can work the whole garden. Overview of the whole Enneagram and types ______.