People's weekend plans don't always include sitting in a house of worship, but that's not to say they aren't on a spiritual journey or they don't need the fellowship of community.
Some find a spiritual connection in art; others connect spiritually with music or dance. Laurie Gonda of Traverse City finds a sense of spirituality every time she enters the former church at 225 W. 14th St. that she purchased in 2004 and revamped into the Just Imagine Creative Center.
Along with the weekly art and dance programs offered at the center, Gonda and her associate Claire Crandell have set aside Sunday afternoons from 1 to 3 p.m. for an ongoing series of programs they hope will provide a sense of spirituality through their ecumenical presentations of poetry, art, music and film.
"This is a way to celebrate diversity and offer a space to share and experience new things," Crandell said.
Planned events include live concerts the first Sunday of each month starting March 2 with the Chicago folk band Patchouli. Labyrinth walks are offered the second Sunday as well as a Tibetan Bowl concert every fourth Sunday. Starting Feb. 17 a new "Toast and Jam Café" on the third Sunday will provide the opportunity to gather in celebration and sharing of open mic poetry and conversations within a coffee house setting.
Gonda and a former business partner originally planned to use the building as an interfaith church. She recently decided the facility would better serve the community by providing a public venue to celebrate the joy and uniqueness of life.
Gonda, who was brought up a Catholic, always searched to learn more about spirituality, personal power and growth. She believes that there's more than one way to find spirituality. "I don't believe in ruling out any possibilities. We're always evolving and changing," she said. "This is a time of awareness. People are talking about spirituality with a sense of self awareness -- no longer in arcane terms, but with an intuition and the ability to sense and describe the things they feel. They're eager to talk about these things with others."
Gonda and Crandell want to offer a variety of ways to achieve a sense of spirituality with a goal toward inner growth.
The Tibetan bowl concerts with Mark Handler help in centering in a meditative experience similar to sound therapy.
During the labyrinth walks with Patty Lohman, participants can center into the divine.
Mainly they want people to feel welcome and comfortable and see it as an option for those who don't have a formal religion. For those who do, it's a nice place to come after Sunday services. "The goal is for everything we do to be rejuvenating and meditative," Gonda said.
For details on the Just Imagine Sunday series, email: Claire@justimagine.com or call 932-9808.
Reach Gretchen Murray at gmurray@record-eagle.com or call 933-1490.
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