By Toni Guidice | Contributing writer
Jan Phillips connects the dots between creativity, spirituality and action by her unique use of music, poetry, images and stories.
The former Syracusan brings her multi-media and multi-sensory presentation, “No Time for Ordinary,” to All Saints Church, 1342 Lancaster Ave., Syracuse, on Sept. 18 and 19. It is a homecoming for Phillips, who graduated from St. Anthony of Padua High School in 1967, attended Syracuse University and was one of the five founding members of the Syracuse Cultural Workers. Phillips saved enough money working at a Fayetteville bookstore to make a peace pilgrimage around the world.
She has worked in 23 countries presenting keynotes, workshops and retreats. She creates a multi-sensory experience, weaving humor, storytelling, video and music to inspire and ignite insights for life-changing action. Blending East and West, art and activism, reflection and ritual, her presentations have been called transformative, uplifting and soul-stirring. She has performed with Pete Seeger, taught with Jane Goodall and worked alongside Mother Teresa.
The morning of reflection at All Saints runs from 9 a.m. until noon Saturday. Phillips will speak at each of the parish’s weekend Masses: 4 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Sunday. There is no cost for the Saturday event. Free-will offerings will benefit the All Saints Women’s Task Force. Refreshments will be served.
“No Time for Ordinary” focuses on the shift from ordinary to extraordinary in today’s world, and the need to step up, to step out and find our authentic voice.
Phillips is an award-winning author and co-founder and executive director of the Livingkindness Foundation, which provides leadership training for women and educational opportunities for children in Ikuzeh, Nigeria.
Her work has been published in the New York Times, Ms Magazine, The Sun, Newsday, People Magazine, Christian Science Monitor, New Age Journal, National Catholic Reporter and Utne Reader.
