Join the Community of Practice 2026

Applications are Open until November 21!

Bread of Life Community of Practice 2026 

“The Community of Practice has been such an important part of my spiritual life since I joined two years ago. To have an interfaith community that has faith in my faith, even when I struggle to do so; that is open to my doubts, my explorations, my heterodoxy: that can embrace people of such different backgrounds and beliefs:  this has been a godsend (or, if you will, a spirit-send) to me as I try to navigate these troubled and divided times.  It is a safe place to be open and vulnerable.  A place to share compassion, and laughter, and reverence (and, yeah, a little bit of irreverence now and then).  It is, above all, a valid and loving community--something so many of us hunger for.”

The Community opens applications once a year from mid-October to mid-November for the following year, a process which initiates a period of mutual discernment. We are an inter-spiritual community meaning our members come from a range of traditions but share a common desire to engage practices together that deepen the intentional journey. We meet monthly with hybrid options for those at a distance. Check out the Community section on the Bread of Life website for more information and to apply. Applications close November 21. We welcome your questions to community@breadoflife.org.

-- Chris Motley

Friday Reflection: The Scariest Thing

The Scariest Thing

Bread of Life Center – Community Reflection

Today, as children dress up in costumes and families enjoy candy and laughter, many of our neighbors are facing something much scarier than ghosts or ghouls — uncertainty.

According to recent data, there are over 14,000 federal employees in the greater Sacramento area (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and FRED). These are not just statistics; they are our loved ones, our neighbors, and members of our faith communities. Each of them is being directly impacted by the ongoing government shutdown — a crisis that reaches far beyond politics and into the very fabric of our community.

In addition, more than 270,000 people who receive SNAP benefits in our region will begin November unsure about the future of their food assistance. Imagine starting a new month not knowing if your basic needs will be met.

I often reference Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in my talks and sermons, because it reminds us that the most foundational human need is physiological: food, water, shelter, safety. Before anyone can dream, worship, or create, they must first eat, rest, and feel secure.

This is a season for community.
Talk to your neighbors.
Assess your privilege.
Share what you can.

Let’s not be so distracted by the costumes and candy that we forget what truly matters: people who are living through real fear, real uncertainty, and real need.

Let’s commit to being light in the darkness — to being the kind of community that shows up when others can’t.

A place to donate: Joey's Food Locker (Click here)

An opportunity to volunteer: Loaves & Fishes (Click here)

A place to donate: Sacramento Food Bank (Click Here)

A place to find food: Sacramento Food Bank (Click Here)

Warmly,
Dominique
Executive Director, Bread of Life Center

Join the Community of Practice 2026

Applications are Open until mid-November!

Bread of Life Community of Practice 2026

"The Community of Practice has been a welcoming spiritual home in which my own unfolding is nurtured despite my having a faith tradition that differs from that of most participants.  As a Jew, I am completely comfortable and embraced, and find others to be curious about my faith practices much as I am about theirs.  Some of us belong to faith communities beyond the Community of Practice and others don’t. For some, nature is their church.  We come from diverse backgrounds but join together to create sacred space in this beloved community."

The Community opens applications once a year from mid-October to mid-November for the following year, a process which initiates a period of mutual discernment. We are an inter-spiritual community meaning our members come from a range of traditions but share a common desire to engage practices together that deepen the intentional journey. We meet monthly with hybrid options for those at a distance. Check out the Community section on the Bread of Life website for more information and to apply. Applications close November 21. We welcome your questions to community@breadoflife.org.

--Heidi Smith

Join the Community of Practice 2026

Applications are Now Open!

Bread of Life Community of Practice 2026 

“The longer I remain committed to the Community of Practice, the more I understand and appreciate the unity that is at the heart of our existence. The longing of my soul for “holy common union” comes to rest in the welcoming reality of relationship with all creatures.” 

The Community opens applications once a year from mid-October to mid-November for the following year, a process which initiates a period of mutual discernment. We are an inter-spiritual community meaning our members come from a range of traditions but share a common desire to engage practices together that deepen the intentional journey. We meet monthly with hybrid options for those at a distance. Check out the Community section on the Bread of Life website for more information and to apply. Applications close November 21. We welcome your questions to community@breadoflife.org.

                                                                                                                           — Dave Mullen, Ret. Bishop ELCA

Join the Community of Practice

Applications are Now Open!

Bread of Life Community of Practice 2026

 When my life turned upside-down at age 29, something ancient and instinctive reached out for connection in two core ways. I prayed the first real prayer of my life: “God, if you are, I need help!”  And I was drawn to others who were somehow connected to a spiritual dimension of life I’d long dismissed as silly.

It was my introduction to what Francis Weller calls the “solitary journey we cannot make alone.” It awakened a hunger in me for companions dedicated to engaging the depth spiritual journey in transparency with one another and trust that we would be met for goodness by the Spirit as we live our real lives. This is what led me to begin Bread of Life in 1997 and to participate in the Bread of Life Community of Practice now. I encourage you to consider whether it’s an option for you.

The Community opens applications once a year from mid-October to mid-November for the following year, a process which initiates a period of mutual discernment. We are an inter-spiritual community meaning our members come from a range of traditions but share a common desire to engage practices together that deepen the intentional journey. We meet monthly with hybrid options for those at a distance. Check out the Community section on the Bread of Life website for more information and to apply. Applications close November 21. We welcome your questions to community@breadoflife.org.

--Sandra Lommasson

Friday Reflection on the Changing of Seasons

Friends,

As we step into this new season, I’ve been reflecting on how much the rhythms of life mirror the turning of the year. When autumn begins, we instinctively adjust: we pull out sweaters before the first cold snap, we choose our parking spots carefully in case of rain, and we anticipate the small shifts that make life a little more comfortable.

In the same way, seasons in our personal lives and in our community call us to reflect, anticipate, and adjust. Just as the Earth’s tilt brings changes in temperature, daylight, and growth, our own rhythms—our habits, our spiritual practices, our patterns of thought—need re-evaluating when the seasons shift. The cycle of blooming, falling, resting, and renewing is not just nature’s story, it’s ours too.

This is a good time to ask: what patterns from the last season no longer serve us? What adjustments can we make now so that we enter the next season with greater health, strength, and purpose?

Bread of Life is committed to walking through these shifts with you. As we adjust together, may we embrace the new opportunities this season brings—with gratitude, with courage, and with hope.

With you in the change,
Dominique C. Beaumonte
Executive Director, Bread of Life

Friday Reflections: Embracing the Beauty of Aging

Friday Reflections: Embracing the Beauty of Aging

This week, I’ve been reflecting on the many ways our community engages with the gifts and challenges of aging.

First, I want to invite you to consider joining our Conscious Aging Writing Workshop. This gathering is designed to help us reflect on the psycho-spiritual opportunities of later life—because while our culture often idealizes youth, there is extraordinary wisdom, beauty, and resilience in the seasons that come with age.

I had the joy of visiting community members at Eskaton Village this week. I didn’t hear many personal stories, but I did see something powerful—the joy and hope that “aging in place” can bring. There was a sense of comfort in the familiarity of home, and a confidence in being surrounded by community.

I also spent time with a small group of parishioners who meet regularly in a caretaker circle. The love and care they extend to one another is a beautiful reminder that we are never meant to walk this road alone.

Aging invites us to notice what is life-giving—to find beauty in what’s right in front of us, to draw strength from all that we’ve experienced, and to receive the season we’re in with gratitude. Yes, our bodies may adjust differently now. Yes, ailments can sometimes cloud our days. But when we can find even one thing that brings joy—a conversation, a walk, a sunrise—it becomes a way to honor both the life we’ve lived and the life we are living now.

May we never take this season for granted.

Friday Reflection: The Beauty of Hearing

Our office at Bread of Life is located right next to a hearing loss clinic. Often, I witness moments that tug at the heart—caregivers gently guiding loved ones, spouses accompanying each other, friends lending a steady hand as someone enters for hearing care. These quiet scenes speak volumes.

They’ve made me think about the deep privilege it is to hear.

Not just physically—but spiritually, relationally, and emotionally.
What a grace it is to truly hear someone:
– to pause and take in their story,
– to receive their silence without filling it,
– to catch the subtle tone beneath their words.

Hearing is more than a sense; it's an act of presence.

So today, I invite you to ask yourself:
How has your hearing been a gift to someone else?
Have you listened with compassion when someone needed to be seen?
Have you heard beyond the words—into the ache, the longing, the hope?

In a world often full of noise, may we become people who listen well.
And in doing so, may we echo the Spirit who still whispers, “You are beloved.”

With gratitude,
Dominique
Executive Director, Bread of Life

From Lamentation to Hope: A Transformative Afternoon with Don Bisson

On a warm summer afternoon at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Sacramento, more than 70 people gathered both in person and online for a powerful presentation by renowned spiritual director and teacher, Don Bisson, FMS. His talk, From Lamentation to Hope, invited participants into a sacred exploration of grief, transformation, and the inner journey toward renewed life.

With pastoral wisdom and deep psychological insight, Bisson led the audience through reflections on the spiritual value of lament, not as a weakness or complaint, but as a holy practice that clears the way for authentic hope. His message resonated deeply with those navigating personal, communal, and global struggles—offering tools for healing and resilience.

The event was more than just a lecture; it was a fundraiser for Bread of Life, a spiritual formation center committed to soul care and justice-rooted spirituality. The evening raised awareness and support for Bread of Life’s ongoing work of nurturing contemplative leadership in our region.

We are grateful to Don Bisson for sharing his wisdom, to St. Mark’s UMC for hosting, and to all who participated in this evening of reflection and renewal. Together, we continue the journey from lamentation to hope.

Bread of Life Friday Message
June 27, 2025

This week after teaching Bible Study, I found myself reflecting deeply on what it really takes to break cycles—especially the ones that feel noble but are rooted in guilt. Before I could finish that thought, someone asked me to share a personal example. I spoke about a time when I was sending weekly groceries to my mother after I got my first job. Not because she needed it—but because I felt guilty for living out of town, unlike my siblings.

That season taught me a hard but freeing lesson: sometimes honoring those we love requires setting boundaries. Learning how to care without overextending myself was not easy—but it was necessary for my own growth and sustainability.

Moments like these remind me why spaces like ours—Bread of Life—are so vital. We create room to process, to grow, and to heal in real time.

Coffee Hour Gratitude

Thank you to everyone who has joined us for Coffee Hour. These conversations have been incredibly refreshing and grounding. We’re excited to announce that Coffee Hour will now be held monthly, every last Wednesday of the month.
📅 Next Coffee Hour: Wednesday, July 31, 2025
🗣️ Theme: “Caring for the Caretaker” – an open discussion about caregiving and self-care.

Push for the Don Bisson Fundraiser

Please continue to support and share our Don Bisson Fundraiser. Your contributions help us keep vital programming alive.
👉 Donate now: https://www.breadoflife.org/don-bisson

Parent Support Group

Our next Parent Support Group meets on Monday, July 7, 2025. If you’re navigating parenting or caregiving, this space is for you.
👉 Register here: https://www.breadoflife.org/parent-support

Student Interns & Paid Position Open

We’re looking for Student Interns (volunteer positions) and a paid Executive/Office/Communications Assistant to help further our mission.

• Intern details: https://www.breadoflife.org/student-interns

• Job posting: https://www.breadoflife.org/position-available

Stay connected. Stay encouraged. And never underestimate the small steps you take toward wholeness.

With gratitude,
Dominique C. Beaumonte
Executive Director, Bread of Life