2005 ROTB Awards
Religion-Outside-The-Box helps people reclaim the heart of their religious life -- and in 2005 celebrated 5 people who were living their religious lives their way. They were honored for finding and singing praises to God as they best understand how – and each in their own way.
Here are the honorees (in no particular order):
Maureen Killoran is a Unitarian minister and life coach with a gift for helping people translate their strengths and values into joy-filled lives. She's an enthusiastic public speaker, and coaches individuals and groups through phone calls, emails, and workshops. Maureen's monthly e-zine SEEDS OF CHANGE always has nice bits that teach with a simple, homespun wisdom - like her understanding of the word "Q-Tip" -- "Quit Taking It Personally." Her web-site is has some fun -- and free -- self-help quizzes and is filled with many ideas that can help you reach towards your dreams.
Sharon Brous is a rabbi who dances to the beat of her own drum – and that's often one that plays at her services. She is the rabbi of IKAR, a group of prayer-filled LA Jews who pray with such devotion that even if you don't understand a word of the traditional Hebrew they are chanting, the fervor is contagious. She is soulful, passionate, and blazing a path for liberal, inclusive religious zeal.
Arthur Rosenberg will tell you that he didn't ask to be called to serve God, but it's what he finds himself doing. His first career was as a teacher and his second as an actor. Now he finds himself serving as the Rabbi/Chaplain of the Motion Picture Hospital in Los Angeles and performing life-cycle events for those in need of rabbinic services. Arthur is a true man of faith – doing that which he has been called to do.
Amichai Lau-Lavie runs Storahtelling – a collective of artists helping people to get in touch with their spirit in a multitude of outside-the-box type ways. The "RitualLab Shabbat Services" that he conducts are more improvisational jazz performance by all those in attendance playing parts of than anything "by the book." He is a brilliant artist whose work happens to be in the medium of religion.
Larry Keene was a minister and a professor of sociology for 50 years. He retired, found that he has the soul of an artist, and for the past two years has been creating beautiful stained-glass art - nothing he ever thought he would do. (I am so very proud to have been able to witness this "ol' man" learn a few new tricks and watch him tend to his inner child who likes so much to play.) He's more religious now than ever.
If you have someone to nominate for the next set of Religion-Outside-The-Box awards, please e-mail who it is and why they might deserve such an honor.
Or if you just want to get an official "pat on the head" for doing your religious life not necessarily how you were told you "ought to" but how you "know you are supposed to" please let e-mail.