Saturday was one of the most beautiful days of my life. Surrounded by friends and colleagues, Tom and I were honoured by the people of Circlewood, as we celebrated the dedication of the almost completed first building of Circlewood village on Camano Island. Tom and I poured a lot of time, energy and resource into this land over the last 30 years, meeting regularly on the land for Celtic retreats, digging a well and getting planning permission for this building. Some of you may remember that 7 years ago the building was vandalized and the windows smashed. The death of a dream that took the stuffing out of our sails.
It was very emotional to visit the building now with new windows installed, electricity and water connected and an almost completed interior, the beginning of the realization of a new dream rising from the ashes of the old. We did not expect however that this first building would be named after us. It is now The Sine Center for Ecological Learning and will become a place dedicated to the greening of faith. It is our strong belief that in the future we will need more such sites at which people of faith can learn more about an eco-centered theology and a sustainable way of life. We are privileged to be a part of this movement.
On Monday Circlewood published a podcast response to the elections and our growing concerns for earth care. In this urgent no-frills episode, James and Forrest offer thoughts on how we might care for ourselves AND how we can persist and persevere in our calling as earthkeepers.
Change is in the air. You don’t need me to tell you this, but I am sure that like me you need help on negotiating that change. There is no better way to prepare for change than to begin Advent early this year and join with me and groups all around the world who are celebrating Celtic Advent together. Rest, relax, refocus are some of the words I read as I look around social media this week and I think that celebrating Celtic Advent is a great way to experience all three. This week I am reconfiguring my sacred space to help me focus throughout the season. I have pulled out my Celtic Advent wreath, some of my Celtic crosses and other Advent symbols and am busy tidying my desk and arrange the new objects. I am also using Mary Fleeson’s Inspired: How To Manual for Creating Scrap Weavings as inspiration for a project that I can embark on throughout Advent. And of course, I will be reading Celtic Advent: Following An Unfamiliar Path each day, because to be honest when one is writing a book it has a totally different impact from when one uses it as a devotional. I also plan to post a special series of spiritual reflections and practices prompted by the ideas in the book and others that I read in conjunction with it. This special series will be available to paid subscribers only so I hope you will consider supporting this venture in this way. I really appreciate those who continue to contribute to my ongoing work. It makes a huge difference and I am excited about the new endeavours it will make possible next year as well, including another year of Liturgical Rebels podcast episodes.
In Meditation Monday: – Tips for Navigating Change, I posted some other suggestions on how to cope with the upcoming changes we will face, and for all of us, whether we are pleased or despondent about the U.S. election results will face changes, and most of us like to resist change. Negotiating those changes will be challenging. I hope these suggestions help.
On Godspacelight, in Freerange Friday Lilly Lewin posted an inspiring post Freerange Friday: When All Else Fails Bake Cookies in which she shares her experiences of baking cookies and then sharing them around her neighbourhood. On Wednesday we posted the 20th Episode of Liturgical Rebels and the last in our series on Celtic Spirituality, a delightful interview with David Cassian Cole who inspired my own journey into Celtic Christian Spirituality. I hope you have enjoyed this series which is a great preparation for Celtic Advent and a lead up to our celebration which begins on Friday.
As Celtic Advent begins, my Gratitude season is ending, culminating in American Thanksgiving next week. If you are looking for prayer and ideas for the season you may like to check out the following posts:
My favourite Thanksgiving Prayers
As I mentioned last week we are rapidly approaching the end of the liturgical year too and the last Sunday of the year (November 24th this year) is Christ the King Sunday is well worth checking out.
As we walk through this very challenging season I was reminded of this prayer from a couple of years ago that keeps revolving in my mind. I feel is even more important today:
Love is God’s language,
May we learn to speak it fluently.
Love is God’s culture,
May we learn to live it joyfully.
Love is God’s image,
May we learn to mirror it faithfully.
Many blessings
Christine Sine