So pleased to be in conversation with my friend the Rev. Dan Burchett, Executive Director of the Wayfarers Chapel. This was a poignant time to speak to Dan as Wayfarers is in the process of being disassembled because of land movement.
Summary In this conversation, Rev. Sage Cole interviews Rev. Dan Burchett, the executive director of Wayfarers Chapel, about the challenges they are facing due to a landslide that has caused significant damage to the chapel. Dan shares his personal journey of finding love and acceptance in the midst of religious structure and societal expectations. He describes how his connection with God and the divine has been a source of strength and guidance throughout his life. Dan emphasizes the importance of breaking free from the chains of religious dogma and finding true freedom and authenticity. Sage reflects on his journey of leaving a restrictive religious structure and finding a new spiritual path in the Swedenborgian faith. He discusses the importance of breaking away from confining religious dogma and embracing a more expansive understanding of God. He shares his experiences of finding peace and union with the divine, even in the midst of a chaotic world. They also discuss the need to observe and control our thoughts in order to dwell in a place of freedom and spiritual truth. Dan concludes by discussing the role of structures in spiritual growth and the importance of keeping an open door within them.
Keywords Wayfarers Chapel, landslide, challenges, love, acceptance, religious structure, divine, freedom, authenticity, spiritual journey, Swedenborgian faith, expansive understanding, peace, union with the divine, observe thoughts, freedom, spiritual truth, structures in spiritual growth
Takeaways
The Wayfarers Chapel is facing significant damage due to a landslide, and the board is committed to rebuilding and finding a new site if necessary.
Dan's personal journey of self-discovery and acceptance has been guided by his connection with God and the divine.
He emphasizes the importance of breaking free from religious dogma and finding true freedom and authenticity.
The glass chapel of Wayfarers represents the freedom and transparency that Dan has found in his spiritual journey. Breaking away from confining religious dogma allows for a more expansive understanding of God.
Observing and controlling our thoughts is essential for dwelling in a place of freedom and spiritual truth.
Structures can serve as incubators for spiritual growth, but it is important to move beyond them and convey the essence of spiritual evolution to others.
The true self cannot be harmed, and finding peace and union with the divine is possible even in a chaotic world.
Structures in the spiritual journey should have an open door and not confine individuals.
Titles
A Journey of Love and Acceptance
Breaking Free from Religious Dogma Finding Peace and Union with the Divine
The Role of Structures in Spiritual Growth
Sound Bites
"There's hope. There's a forward thrust in what we are doing and we're all very excited for that."
"I discovered a life source and an opening to a new path in my life that just became, it's hard to describe. It was a definite sense of being reborn in a sense."
"I've never felt judged by God. And I was able to draw this to delineate between this religious man, it wasn't my father at the time because we were attending a church and my dad wasn't pastoring."
"God had other things in mind"
"God is doing inside of you and God is doing inside of me what God really is committed to doing"
"The true self can't be confined the way the false self is"
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
03:04 Facing the Challenges at Wayfarers Chapel
06:45 A Journey of Love and Acceptance
13:23 Finding Freedom from Religious Dogma
23:36 The Glass Chapel: Symbol of Freedom and Transparency
28:53 Breaking Free from the Chains of Ego
29:23 Breaking Free from Confining Religious Dogma
30:19 Finding Peace and Union with the Divine
37:04 Observing and Controlling Thoughts for Spiritual Freedom
41:22 The Role of Structures in Spiritual Growth
51:47 Embracing an Expansive Understanding of God
Our Theme Music is “I Love it,” by Luke Concannon www.lukeconcannon.com
Be Love: "I've always felt loved by God."