Filling the Empty Page for God: Rev. Roberta Corson Leads Prayer-writing Workshop
*Note: Barbara Hiura , former assistant editor for Hokubei Mainichi, held the final lent writing workshop on “Writing For God” which focused on the style of writing used among journalists in scripting stories for print. Those attending were given a brief overview and as a class wrote the headline (the teaser) and first paragraph for the following article.
Filling the Empty Page for God:
Rev. Roberta Corson Leads Prayer-writing Workshop
Rev. Roberta Corson Leads Prayer-writing Workshop
By Barbara Hiura, with Rev. John Oda, Misao Kusuda, Jim Mar, Mark Teagle, Barbara Mulford and Letianna Caginitoba.
You should have been there! Intimidated by the empty page? Rev. Roberta Corson gave budding writers tools to capture their innermost thoughts in a prayer writing Lent workshop held on March 23. Rev Bobbie, as she is often referred to, went through her intuitive-based, writing process and gave each in attendance a useful method to break through that nagging issue of writer’s block in this brainstorming prayer-writing session.
A prayer can be for anyone or any situation she informed the group, but it’s best to begin with just a word, an expressive one. At this particular workshop, we decided to learn her process which is intuitive and infinite in possibilities which begins simply with a word, like love, hope and because of Rev. John’s inspirational Sunday message, “Gratitude”. Words of brightness radiate from this core of gratefulness, all coming from what moves the participants. Truly a group participatory event and moved by our innermost feelings about our relationship to God and being grateful, we filled her brain-storming blank page with key words about gratitude. Words like health, relationship, grace, all-encompassing, food, safety, aging, emotion, family came to mind and written down in a circular yet infinite pattern. This then became our template as a relationship and connectivity were drawn from all the words verbalized. Rev. Bobbie remarked that she begins all her prayer work in this fashion. It’s her intuitive method of brainstorming. From there she writes her prayer.
With this example, all who participated in this workshop were asked to create their own intuitive and infinite circular template beginning with just a word. One’s whole person becomes involved, who they are, their past experiences and relationship to Christ comes to bear. It truly is an amazing and creative process simplifying what is generally for many a difficult task when asked out of the blue to write a prayer. The group then wrote their own personal letter to God. While none shared what was written at the time, a couple of beautiful prayers/poems by Mark Teagle and Jim Mar were presented in the last newsletter having its birth at this workshop. It was Beautifully presented.
In thinking of this process, Roger Miller, so used to a more standard outline format, was taken by this unique and quite accessible way to create a meaningful piece. Karen Miler, shared how one of Rev. Bobbie’s prayer to her when she was going under the knife for ankle replacement surgery, gave her calm and warmth, and those words gave her comfort throughout her ordeal in the hospital and during rehab. We all crave that relationship to God and to one another in meaningful ways. Rev. Bobbie understands us as individuals and intuitively knows how to draw that spiritual connection, that bridge to the Spirit of God inside each of us. For all of us, that is exactly what Rev. Bobbie offers.
As you know, Rev. Bobbie and of course her husband, Rev. Dick, have been an important and integral part of our church for many years, both being retired pastors from the United Methodist Church of Campbell. We at Wesley are so fortunate to have them with us at Wesley as they support the work of the church with their time, talents, and service. You may not know this but Rev. Bobbie holds a BA in English which makes sense given the elegant and calming prayers she’s offered the congregation, an MDiv from the Pacific School or Religion and a PhD in Clinical/Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, making her Rev. Dr. Roberta Corson…but she prefers to be called “Bobbie.”
If you wish to know more about Rev. Bobbie, a gracious woman who exudes love, spirituality and pours out that warmth and elegant grace over each of us when she meets you, you can go to her website: RobertaCorson.com or check out her book Stepping Out of The Shadows: Naming and Claiming the Medial Woman Today.
Those participating in the prayer Lent Workshop were: Jim Mar, Misao Kusuda, Rev. John Oda, Mark Teagle, Barbara Hiura, Letitianna Caginitoba,and Roger and Karen Miller.
You should have been there! Intimidated by the empty page? Rev. Roberta Corson gave budding writers tools to capture their innermost thoughts in a prayer writing Lent workshop held on March 23. Rev Bobbie, as she is often referred to, went through her intuitive-based, writing process and gave each in attendance a useful method to break through that nagging issue of writer’s block in this brainstorming prayer-writing session.
A prayer can be for anyone or any situation she informed the group, but it’s best to begin with just a word, an expressive one. At this particular workshop, we decided to learn her process which is intuitive and infinite in possibilities which begins simply with a word, like love, hope and because of Rev. John’s inspirational Sunday message, “Gratitude”. Words of brightness radiate from this core of gratefulness, all coming from what moves the participants. Truly a group participatory event and moved by our innermost feelings about our relationship to God and being grateful, we filled her brain-storming blank page with key words about gratitude. Words like health, relationship, grace, all-encompassing, food, safety, aging, emotion, family came to mind and written down in a circular yet infinite pattern. This then became our template as a relationship and connectivity were drawn from all the words verbalized. Rev. Bobbie remarked that she begins all her prayer work in this fashion. It’s her intuitive method of brainstorming. From there she writes her prayer.
With this example, all who participated in this workshop were asked to create their own intuitive and infinite circular template beginning with just a word. One’s whole person becomes involved, who they are, their past experiences and relationship to Christ comes to bear. It truly is an amazing and creative process simplifying what is generally for many a difficult task when asked out of the blue to write a prayer. The group then wrote their own personal letter to God. While none shared what was written at the time, a couple of beautiful prayers/poems by Mark Teagle and Jim Mar were presented in the last newsletter having its birth at this workshop. It was Beautifully presented.
In thinking of this process, Roger Miller, so used to a more standard outline format, was taken by this unique and quite accessible way to create a meaningful piece. Karen Miler, shared how one of Rev. Bobbie’s prayer to her when she was going under the knife for ankle replacement surgery, gave her calm and warmth, and those words gave her comfort throughout her ordeal in the hospital and during rehab. We all crave that relationship to God and to one another in meaningful ways. Rev. Bobbie understands us as individuals and intuitively knows how to draw that spiritual connection, that bridge to the Spirit of God inside each of us. For all of us, that is exactly what Rev. Bobbie offers.
As you know, Rev. Bobbie and of course her husband, Rev. Dick, have been an important and integral part of our church for many years, both being retired pastors from the United Methodist Church of Campbell. We at Wesley are so fortunate to have them with us at Wesley as they support the work of the church with their time, talents, and service. You may not know this but Rev. Bobbie holds a BA in English which makes sense given the elegant and calming prayers she’s offered the congregation, an MDiv from the Pacific School or Religion and a PhD in Clinical/Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, making her Rev. Dr. Roberta Corson…but she prefers to be called “Bobbie.”
If you wish to know more about Rev. Bobbie, a gracious woman who exudes love, spirituality and pours out that warmth and elegant grace over each of us when she meets you, you can go to her website: RobertaCorson.com or check out her book Stepping Out of The Shadows: Naming and Claiming the Medial Woman Today.
Those participating in the prayer Lent Workshop were: Jim Mar, Misao Kusuda, Rev. John Oda, Mark Teagle, Barbara Hiura, Letitianna Caginitoba,and Roger and Karen Miller.
Rev. Bobbie Corson has those attending participate in her brainstorming method prior to actually writing a prayer.
Giving some serious thought on prayer--writing were from left: Rev. John Oda, Misao Kusuda, and Litianna Caginitoba.
Discussing ideas around the table were: Karen and Roger Miller, Bobbie, and Mark Teagle
Jim Mar came a little later and joined in the discussion.
Posted in Newsletter 2025-04-24