Catholic Volunteers in Florida Retreat
Our Fall Retreat was held at the United Methodist Camp in Fruitland Park, under the direction of our new Retreat Director, Julie McElmurry. The exuberance of friends coming together from their various service sites was infectious.
Friday began with chair yoga, then a presentation on "The Spirituality of Conflict" by Heidi Peckham, who always gives a lively discourse on interesting and timely subjects. We had plenty of free time, and I played my first volley ball game that afternoon. Chelsea starred in college, so you can imagine the caliber of the competition.
Another presentation on the 'Examen' of St. Ignatius of Loyal was given by the Orlando Director of Communications, Teresa Peterson. She encouraged spiritual journaling using the Daily Examen to explore God's presence in our lives. Each evening Julia and Calla provided inspirational material for prayer and reflection. There is a cross on the lake that is illuminated at night, and a heron and an alligator show up, faithfully, at sundown, I guess to glorify God and thank Him for another day.
Saturday I led a yoga routine and the Morning Prayer with Taize music, Psalm, Scripture and Intercessory prayer. Then THE FUN! - a Ropes Course in the woods to continue to build team spirit. We were led through various routines, to test cooperation and support, culminating in very difficult rope and rock climbing, which only the stout-hearted were able to complete. I climbed the tower to the zip line, my knees shaking, stepped on that flimsy platform and wondered what kind of fool was I? Then jumped! OMG, I can now cross that off my 'bucket list'.
Later that evening, we carved pumpkins to take back to our service sites and lit a bonfire to toast sommores (or however you spell it). I recited "The Cremation of Sam McGee", and we sang and honored those who birthdays had passed or about to be celebrated. Again, the stout-hearted stayed after midnight to watch the flames go out.
Sunday several of us attended Mass at St. Paul's before saying goodbye until January, where we will gather again in St. Augustine.
Monday, October 27, 2014
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Catching Up
These 14 hour days have made it difficult to blog consistently. So I'll try to remember last week. Seems it was full of glitches. Last Thursday, Greatfull House was schedule to have a group portrait taken. We all dressed in our finest, but for the first time in memory, two core members were late getting home from work and workshop, so we had to reschedule.
Saturday we celebrated Octoberfest with a picnic on the back deck. With all the sausage we get from the Food Bank, we made chicken sausage, Kielbasa, pork sausage, sausage with artichoke and garlic etc., etc.
I cooked most of the day. The occasion was to be in honor of our neighbor, Tommy, living next door at Nouwen House, but an old friend came along and took him out for the afternoon. Now Tommy wants to know when we're going to have another picnic for him.
Sunday we all attended the Gracias Christmas Cantata at The University of North Florida, performed by a company of Korean youth. They are world renowned, and the show was quite spectacular. However, between the second and third acts, I realized why it was free. . . we had to listen to a twenty minute sermon by the Reverend Park on sin and salvation. So during the intermission, Stacy and I went into the lobby. She is very friendly and will engage any stranger in conversation. Some are gracious, but most do not know how to react, or are embarrassed, or embarrassed for her. Such people begin to annoy me, but then I think it's really their problem. When we attempted to get back into the auditorium, the doors were locked, so we never heard the finale.
Last night was Bible Study night at St. Matthews Lutheran Church. The parishioners prepare a nice supper for L'Arche Harbor House. It was Greatfull House's turn to put on a skit to illustrate the evening's teaching from Scripture, (Jesus' journey to Jerusalem). Getting our core members to rehearse was like pulling teeth, but finally we were (somewhat) ready to perform. Just as the cast was making its entrance, Stacy and Kathy (The Disciples) had a little misunderstanding, and Kathy refused to go on. We grabbed Larry from the audience to replace her, then Stacy balked and had to be cajoled into cooperating. That's show biz!
These 14 hour days have made it difficult to blog consistently. So I'll try to remember last week. Seems it was full of glitches. Last Thursday, Greatfull House was schedule to have a group portrait taken. We all dressed in our finest, but for the first time in memory, two core members were late getting home from work and workshop, so we had to reschedule.
Saturday we celebrated Octoberfest with a picnic on the back deck. With all the sausage we get from the Food Bank, we made chicken sausage, Kielbasa, pork sausage, sausage with artichoke and garlic etc., etc.
I cooked most of the day. The occasion was to be in honor of our neighbor, Tommy, living next door at Nouwen House, but an old friend came along and took him out for the afternoon. Now Tommy wants to know when we're going to have another picnic for him.
Sunday we all attended the Gracias Christmas Cantata at The University of North Florida, performed by a company of Korean youth. They are world renowned, and the show was quite spectacular. However, between the second and third acts, I realized why it was free. . . we had to listen to a twenty minute sermon by the Reverend Park on sin and salvation. So during the intermission, Stacy and I went into the lobby. She is very friendly and will engage any stranger in conversation. Some are gracious, but most do not know how to react, or are embarrassed, or embarrassed for her. Such people begin to annoy me, but then I think it's really their problem. When we attempted to get back into the auditorium, the doors were locked, so we never heard the finale.
Last night was Bible Study night at St. Matthews Lutheran Church. The parishioners prepare a nice supper for L'Arche Harbor House. It was Greatfull House's turn to put on a skit to illustrate the evening's teaching from Scripture, (Jesus' journey to Jerusalem). Getting our core members to rehearse was like pulling teeth, but finally we were (somewhat) ready to perform. Just as the cast was making its entrance, Stacy and Kathy (The Disciples) had a little misunderstanding, and Kathy refused to go on. We grabbed Larry from the audience to replace her, then Stacy balked and had to be cajoled into cooperating. That's show biz!
Monday, October 6, 2014
Noah's Arc
Thursday was Community Night again, where visitors spend the evening with L'Arche. The core members donned animal masks they had made at the Rainbow Workshop and filed, two by two, into the 'virtual' arc while Sharon, one of the earliest residents of Harbor House, read from Genesis. We all sang, "A la la la la Leluia, shake another hand next to ya". The Spiritual Life Committee, made up of core members and coordinators, have come up with some very creative skits for these evenings.
Afterwards thirty or so members and guests came back to Greatfull House for supper. Because Mariusz, our renowned house chef, was off to Chicago, I was left to prepare the menu once again: baked rigatoni, garlic break and salad. We had some good wine, also.
Thursday was Community Night again, where visitors spend the evening with L'Arche. The core members donned animal masks they had made at the Rainbow Workshop and filed, two by two, into the 'virtual' arc while Sharon, one of the earliest residents of Harbor House, read from Genesis. We all sang, "A la la la la Leluia, shake another hand next to ya". The Spiritual Life Committee, made up of core members and coordinators, have come up with some very creative skits for these evenings.
Afterwards thirty or so members and guests came back to Greatfull House for supper. Because Mariusz, our renowned house chef, was off to Chicago, I was left to prepare the menu once again: baked rigatoni, garlic break and salad. We had some good wine, also.
Downward Mobility
This week's Formation was about 'descending the ladder of success'. Jesus Christ being the premier example; God shedding his divinity to become a slave among us, itinerant, washing feet, eating with despised tax collectors, etc. There have been many throughout history who have given up fame and fortune to lead a life of humility and simplicity. Henri Nouwen was a highly respected theologian and the most popular lecturer at Harvard University, a bastion of secularism. Students packed his classroom, those who couldn't get in stood outside to hear him. His books were published and translated throughout the world.
He was invited by Jean Vanier to visit Daybreak, a L'Arche community in Canada. Henri stayed. A man of tremendous energy and vitality, he was given the care of Adam, a severely disabled young man. It was torturous waiting for Adam to accomplish the simplest task of brushing his teeth. Henri writes, "I have heard about and read about the life of Jesus, but I was never able to touch or see him. I was able to touch Adam. I saw him and I touched his life. That's what we did; touched Adam! And what is said of Jesus must be said of Adam; 'Everyone who touched him was healed.'" (Mark 6:56)
This week's Formation was about 'descending the ladder of success'. Jesus Christ being the premier example; God shedding his divinity to become a slave among us, itinerant, washing feet, eating with despised tax collectors, etc. There have been many throughout history who have given up fame and fortune to lead a life of humility and simplicity. Henri Nouwen was a highly respected theologian and the most popular lecturer at Harvard University, a bastion of secularism. Students packed his classroom, those who couldn't get in stood outside to hear him. His books were published and translated throughout the world.
He was invited by Jean Vanier to visit Daybreak, a L'Arche community in Canada. Henri stayed. A man of tremendous energy and vitality, he was given the care of Adam, a severely disabled young man. It was torturous waiting for Adam to accomplish the simplest task of brushing his teeth. Henri writes, "I have heard about and read about the life of Jesus, but I was never able to touch or see him. I was able to touch Adam. I saw him and I touched his life. That's what we did; touched Adam! And what is said of Jesus must be said of Adam; 'Everyone who touched him was healed.'" (Mark 6:56)
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