Gualala Arts Lecture Series presents:
An Autumn Evening

with Brother Toby McCarroll

Monday, November 13, 7:00 pm
$5 donation requested

On Monday, November 13 at 7:00 p.m. Gualala Arts will present an autumn evening with Brother Toby McCarroll. This is a beautiful way to find calm before the holiday rush.

Brother Toby's new book, A Winter Walk, featured at the recent Sonoma County Book Festival, begins with this line: "Only in winter can we see the full moon through the bare branches of a tree or hear the call of unseen geese piercing the cold night air."

In times of conflict we must quest for what holds each of us and our communities together and move away from what tears us apart. This is an old American theme of poets, such as Emily Dickinson during the civil war. We have a critical need for such experiences at this moment in our history. Winter is a good time to start.

The chaos of the holiday season rarely contributes to our well-being. We all know of plainer and simpler winter paths which can lead us into places where something sacred can be found in the ordinary moments of life. These are some of the themes Toby will explore in this rare coastal appearance of our neighbor from Starcross Community in Annapolis.

Known for finding the transcendent in the ordinary, Toby will also read a few selections from his new book which covers a full range of human emotions and experience - some very close to home!

This promises to an enjoyable and helpful evening with this prize-wining author and respected spiritual guide for people on many different paths and journeys. His book will be available for sale, the proceeds going to the Starcross Children's Fund. And there will be time at the end for questions on all Toby's activities and those of Starcross, from AIDS orphans in Africa to olive oil and wreaths up the road!

Biography: Tolbert McCarroll

Tolbert McCarroll, better known as "Brother Toby," has lived by Meister Eckhart's adage that what a person acquires in contemplation should be spent in compassion. He is a highly respected spiritual guide for people on many paths and journeys.

An award-winning author of nine books, including Notes from the Song of Life and Childsong, Monksong, he is a founding member of the Starcross Community, a small lay community in the monastic tradition. A former attorney for humanitarian causes, he still frequently ventures forth in response to children in need. The adoptive father of six children, he has established homes for children oppressed by the AIDS pandemic in California, Romania, Uganda and South Africa. He lives at Starcross in Sonoma County, California, where he writes and helps grow olives.

Located at 46501 Old State Highway in Gualala, the Arts Center is open weekdays 9 am to 4 pm, and weekends from noon to 4 pm. Please call (707) 884-1138 for more information.