Jerry will reflect on how to navigate Grief and Gratitude side by side and help others at the same time, drawing on his long career as a trauma therapist, social work supervisor, and child puppeteer/ storyteller and songster.

“In my journey to finding my roots in the spiritual traditions of my native ancestors and becoming an initiated medicine man in that tradition, I am coming to see how the focus on beauty of Nature and Earth, and the celebration of the goodness in humanity is suffusing my life with gratitude. For me, this is the true Thanksgiving.”

The lack of affordable housing is a local crisis and a crisis for Oregon as a whole. Jerry Allen, perceives it becoming a 4-way win for Josephine County and for Oregon, and he will describe some ways of addressing it.

Therapist and educator Jerry Allen returns with his skills and his music to nurture and encourage us in addressing the many vital and massive issues that vie for our attention.

Our multi-skilled pulpit guest is a marriage and family therapist, a public health educator, and a trained medicine man. His message inter-relates self-care, family and community care, and earth care; and how to apply them in ways that enhance our lives. (You can explore these further in a 2-hour workshop that afternoon.) He’ll add to the service with music and song.