We Belong to One Another

Healing Division with Compassion, Presence, and Love

This January, join Gladdening Light and the Center for Spiritual Life and Interfaith Engagement at Rollins College for a weekend-long interfaith symposium on compassionate and courageous conversation.  Together, we will move beyond the concept of civil discourse to explore the teachings of various faith traditions that provide a spiritual foundation for approaching one another with curiosity, compassion, presence, and love.  Guided by the wisdom of spiritual teachers and leaders, we will lean into the question of what it means to be fully present, to listen well, to speak with courage, and to abide with one another across difference and amidst the tension of disagreement.  We will ground ourselves in prayer and contemplative practice as we collectively strive to honor the dignity and holiness of all human beings.  Gladdening Light’s 2027 Symposium will be a gathering of hopefulness for a future of authentic dialogue, compassionate communication, and working together across difference for the common good.

Photo by John Noltner

“If ignorance is what ails us, then learning about one another is medicine.”

Writer, educator, and activist Dr. Simran Jeet Singh is a professor of history at Union Theological Seminary, a Senior Adviser for The Aspen Institute’s Religion & Society Program, and the host of Wisdom & Practice, a new podcast by The Aspen Institute and the Public Radio Exchange (PRX).  Growing up in Texas as the son of Indian immigrants, Simran constantly confronted racism, bullying, and ethnic slurs but refused to give in to anger and hate.  Recognized among TIME Magazine’s sixteen people fighting for a more equal America, Simran draws on the Sikh teachings from his childhood and encourages others to commit their lives to empathy, service, and positive change.  He is the author of The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life.

“I’m a mediator, and I’m a meditator.  It’s taken me until probably 10 years ago to realize that fundamentally they’re the same thing … ‘Meditate’ and ‘mediate’ both literally mean ‘to bring two into one.’”

Diane Musho Hamilton is an award-winning mediator and a teacher of Zen meditation.  Diane served as the Director of Dispute Resolution for the Utah Judiciary from 1994 – 1999, mediating many matters, from simple neighborhood disputes to complex, multi-party negotiations.  She was most recognized for her skills in facilitating difficult conversations about race, gender, and religion in Utah.  She began working with Ken Wilber and the Integral Institute in 2004 and has held transformative containers for people interested in their development for more than twenty years.  Diane is the co-founder of Two Arrows Zen, a Buddhist practice center in Utah, and is the author of four books: Everything Is Workable, The Zen of You & Me, Compassionate Conversations, and, most recently, Waking Up and Growing Up: Spiritual Cross-Training for an Evolving World.

“What if the key to healing a polarized world lies in the ancient wisdom of our faith traditions? What if the energy of conflict could be harnessed as a catalyst for connection and growth?”

Michael Gulker is an ordained Mennonite pastor and graduate of Duke Divinity School and Calvin College, where he studied philosophy and theology.  Since 2011, he has served as president of The Colossian Forum, a Michigan-based organization devoted to helping Christians pursue a deeper love of God and neighbor by cultivating connection across difference and embracing dialogue and conflict engagement as a spiritual practice.  Michael recently collaborated with director Nicholas Ma (Won’t You Be My Neighbor) to create the documentary film, Leap of Faith, which followed 12 diverse Christian pastors in the Grand Rapids area in a year-long process of exploring the question of whether people with deep disagreements can still belong to one another in a divided world.  Michael’s work through The Colossian Forum has helped hundreds of Christian communities explore divisive topics such as human sexuality and politics prayerfully, reverently, and honestly over the past 15 years.

Dr. Andrew Minear is the founding Artistic and Executive Director of Orlando Sings, a Central Florida choral organization committed to fostering a culture of belonging where the many voices, stories, and experiences of our community enrich our music-making and strengthen our connections with one another.  An octet of vocalists from Orlando Sings’ professional choir, the Solaria Singers, will be blending their voices in song throughout the weekend, as well as leading symposium participants in the transcendent and transformative experience of shared singing.

Schedule of Events

(subject to change; all events held in Rice Family Pavilion unless otherwise noted)

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2027

6:30 p.m.  Opening Program with Solaria Singers of Orlando Sings
7:00 p.m.  Welcome from Gladdening Light Founder Randall B Robertson and Symposium 2027 Hosts Hannah Miller and Dorrell Briscoe
7:15 p.m.  An Evening with Simran Jeet Singh—The Light We Give and the Sikh Tradition (followed by book signing)

SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2027

7:00 a.m.  Optional Centering Activities
7:45 to 8:30 a.m.  Continental Breakfast
8:30 a.m.  Intro to Zen Meditation with Diane Musho Hamilton
9:00 a.m.   Morning Session with Diane Musho Hamilton—Compassionate Conversation and Zen
10:30 a.m.  Morning Break
10:45 a.m.  Conversation with Michael Gulker—One Anothering and the Gospel of Christ
12:15 p.m.  Buffet Lunch
1:30 p.m.  Afternoon Dialogue Workshop facilitated by Diane Musho Hamilton
3:30 p.m.  Afternoon break
4:00 p.m.  Group Singing Experience with Andrew Minear and the Solaria Singers of Orlando Sings—Belonging to One Another through Shared Song
5:00 p.m.  Evening Break for Dinner
7:15 p.m.  Evening Concert with the Solaria Singers of Orlando Sings in the Historic Knowles Chapel

SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2027

7:00 a.m.  Optional Centering Activities
7:45 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.   Continental Breakfast in Rice
8:30 a.m.  Zen Meditation with Diane Musho Hamilton
9:00 a.m.  Listening Exercise
9:30 a.m.  An Interfaith Conversation with Speakers and Local Community Leaders—Finding Hope through One Another
10:15 a.m.  Morning Break
10:45 a.m.  Closing Interfaith Service and Community Ritual
12:15 p.m.  Adjourn

Event Venues

Rollins College –Rice Family Pavilion, Knowles Memorial Chapel

Hotel Partners

Hilton Garden Inn Winter Park, SpringHill Suites Winter Park, and the Park Plaza Hotel.  Reservations may be made at the Hilton Garden Inn or SpringHill Suites by using the links provided.  For discounted rates during the Symposium weekend at the Park Plaza, please contact the hotel directly at (407) 647-1072, referencing the GladdeningLight discount.

Registration

Participate in the entire weekend for $245 (access to all symposium events, continental breakfast Saturday and Sunday morning, and Saturday lunch buffet).  Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express accepted.  Cancellation policy: full refund for any reason until 1/4/27, no refunds thereafter.   Students with valid ID, Rollins College faculty and staff, and clergy are welcome free of charge, advance registration required.  Partial and full scholarships available, e-mail [email protected] to inquire about availability.