August 27, 2017 Updates
Materials for August 28 meeting
Two Generation Framewwork
Civil Accord
JoP Schema
August 21 Updates
We have reached quite a milestone with completion of all of the written materials we need at this time. With a varied calendar of vacation travel into September our next meeting of the whole (everyone is invited) is scheduled for August 28th. I will be gone but Loretta and Ashok will guide open discussion in order to improve skills with talking points for the meaning of Compassionate Rochester MN, our chosen identity.
Here is an update:
1. Attached are three documents you may copy and use in conversation with others, especially potential partners in the Compassionate Rochester MN initiative in your workplace, your friends, volunteer, social service, arts, educational, religion/spirituality/faith, healing organizations including healthcare, and more. You can refer any interest to me and the adhoc group can facilitate contacts.
2. Please put the City Council meeting on September 18th at 7:00 pm on your calendar for the signing of the City Charter Resolution. The Resolution has been acknowledged by the city attorney with no concerns and the Mayor's office has formated the document.
- We are looking to contact City Council members prior to the Sept 18th meeting to introduce them to the initiative. A list of members is attached. We ask you to join others in your ward in sending an email or personally visiting your representative to show support for building compassion as a value in our community. Email me, indicating your representative and we will offer guidance.
- The actual Resolution will be released to the City Council members in a packet with other supporting materials (including the 3 attached) the Friday before the Sept 18th meeting. It will become a public document at that time.
- We will invite one or two Council members to meet with us prior to signing at a convenient time for them. At this time we are considering Randy Staver and Mark Hickey.
3. We have begun the process of designing our logo which we could have as early as next week. We also have a Facebook page under Compassionate Rochester MN Please join. We have also begun development of our web page.
4. We have intimately discovered that speaking of compassion is not necessarily easy. What becomes important in practicing it for ourselves and others is the enlivening expression coming from the inside out. This may mean challenging oneself with recent explosive events in another city, Charlottesville, and looking inside to see if we can see the suffering on "all sides" and extend our open hearted compassion to all, even those we disagree with or find fault with. Difficult work. And this allows us to see our connection to all in our community and truly express a Compassionate Rochester.
5. We have begun the process of making Rochester Area Foundation our fiscal agent.
6. We are involved in the planning of further events including
- Journey of Peace, October 22nd, 2 - 4 at Assisi Heights with the theme "Weaving Compassion"
- A showing of the Thich Nhat Hanh film Walk With Me at Marcus Wehrenberg Theater on October 2nd. Let me know if you need to order tickets.
- I will conduct a workshop on Compassionate City on September 17th, 11 - 12:30 at the Women and Spirituality Conference at the Mayo Civic Center
- Opportunities for "conversations" and resources for awakening and cultivating your own heart of compassion.
Please let us know what any of your affiliates (communities of faith, workplaces etc) are doing to adopt compassion as a value and further explore how to grow compassion in our community. We would like to add events to our calendar.
With full hearted blessings and gratitude for all of you,
Cathy Ashton
Rochester MN A City of Compassion
"Compassion is the Radicalism of Our Time"
July 10 General CoC Meeting Agenda
June 29 CoC Ad Hoc Committee Updates
