Roxanne Schueller

Since 2011, Roxanne Schueller has been leading the Brookmont Interfaith Services at the Brookmont Church on Sundays at 5:30 pm. In 2015, she also started a monthly Sunday morning family services for neighbors with young children.

“In my mind, these services each have their own ‘big picture’ descriptions,” Roxanne says. “I think of the adult services as, ‘Being at home in the world and being at home within ourselves.’ The family services express to young children, ‘Welcome to your wonderful spiritual life!’ Both services are grounded in everyday moments that can fill us with wonder and gratitude, a sense of connectedness and peace.”

Roxanne’s love of songs and stories is naturally appealing to young children, and her family services have created a growing spiritual community here in Brookmont. On the second Sunday morning of every month, Roxanne brings joyful music and simple spiritual lessons into the chapel.

Singing together is a vibrant part of both services. Roxanne has been song leading since she was a teenager, and doing so professionally for eleven years as well as serving as a Cantor. “I love music that builds bridges between people, no matter what their background,” Roxanne says. “Singing together creates community and is often the springboard for feeling part of something greater than ourselves.”

Mindfulness meditation is presented in both the morning family services and the evening adult services, specially prepared for different ages. Roxanne explains, “Mindfulness meditation is a perfect fit for our gathering of neighbors here in Brookmont. Together we learn and practice skills that support the spiritual life: the ability to pause and go within, to contact our goodness and remember who we are and how we want to live in this world with each other. I graduated from the Mindful Schools’ yearlong program, which is a secular presentation of these skills. It is based on our common humanity, scientific research and respect and acceptance of individual experience -- no particular belief system required!”

Neighbor Rebecca Petillo, who attends services regularly, says, “Roxanne brings warmth and deep spiritual energy into the chapel each week. I wouldn’t miss it. People rely on the meditation sessions. They offer folks an opportunity to quiet down, reflect and practice Mindfulness.”

Readings and songs in services are drawn from various spiritual traditions. Regarding religion, Roxanne says, “I grew up believing that wisdom is wisdom, no matter what religious tradition it comes from. I have always felt the incredible benevolence of God, but I don’t think that you have to believe in God to have deeply moving spiritual experiences.”

Services are organized around a theme. Through movement, prayers and songs, the morning family service has explored such themes as Gratitude, Peace, Kindness and Loving the Earth. A sample of adult service topics includes: Wonder, We are Wired for Compassion, the Poetry of Rumi, Building a Sanctuary Within, Visiting the Sick, The Journey of Our Lives, and Generosity in Many Traditions. Brookmont Church services also celebrate nature, the change of seasons, and holidays such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday.

“In the near future, I will be offering a six-week series on mindful parenting, which I am very excited about!” Roxanne adds. “If anyone would like more information about these services, or more of an idea of what they are like, I truly welcome you to call or email me, or come to a service to check it out and see if it is for you. I love what I do and I love talking about it!”

The Brookmont Church Board thanks you, Roxanne, for being such a vibrant part of Brookmont’s spiritual life!