I cannot believe that a month has gone by so fast! Time is flying here in Belfast, but it has been full of fellowship and fun for me. One of the highlights of October was a tour that I was invited to attend with David. A group from Florida came to visit their sister church, Springfield Road Methodist, and they decided to take a tour of Northern Ireland monasteries under David's guidance. So, I tagged along as the "intern," and found that my tagging was extremely beneficial. Not only did I get to hear about Irish religious history, but I actually got to see it. Yes, it was in its very remnants, but the theological foundation upon which each site was constructed was absolutely fascinating. Our stops ranged from the alleged buriale site of St. Patrick in County Down to the healing springs of St. Patrick. My favorite site was our first stop at Nendrum. Nendrum is a monastery that was founded in the 5th century by St. Machoai. Structured in three concentric rings, Nendrum held a variety of life and was able to flourish on its own until invaded by Vikings in the 7th century. Within the outer ring (or wall) was the agricultural sector of the community – where livestock flourished and farmers harvested produce. The middle ring was the business sector of the community. Blacksmiths, weavers and produce sellers would have presided within the walls. And, at the center of the community was the church, where the abbot and clergy would have lived. People could come and go from one area to another and life was woven together in a series of circles. Celtic monasticism held that faith was interlinked with all areas of life, from the tilling of the soil to worship in the church, and unlike traditional monasticism it did not advocate for a complete separation from the world in order to draw closer to God. The idea was that God was at the heart of everything. I think that there is a lot to garner from this Celtic theology especially when it comes to living through each day. There are days here in Ballybeen when I am very tired, when the rain seems to get the best of me, but I think that visiting Nendrum was an enlightening experience in that it got me thinking about all the different levels in which God moves through our lives -even on those wet, miserable days. I think sometimes we tend to confine Him to the 2 hours of worship on a Sunday morning. It's easy to think that our worship of God is separate from our professions, our relationships, our daily tasks. But really, as Nendrum demonstrates in its concentric rings, He's in everything - in every conversation we have, in every task we perform, in everything we think and feel. And somehow, these people, thousands of years ago, somehow understood this so much so that it literally shaped their lives. A main question that has pervaded my mind during the last month has been: Can we, and if so, how do we live in response to the knowledge that God is at the center of everything? And I've discovered that it's simply a matter of opening our minds to the smallest of things, that could easily, in a world that demands our time and attention, get overlooked. It takes some slowing down, and some reflection. Because for me, He's in the construction paper that evolves into a Halloween card, given to me by a Scout on one of my loneliest days. He's in the sausages and toast, and sippy cups of juice that bring smiles and satisfying burps from the toddlers in our Sticky Fingers program. And, yes, as hard as it is for me to admit, He's even in the never-ending rain showers, that makes the earth a breath-taking emrald-green when the sun shows its face. I'm a beginning learner at this mentality - it takes a lot to look beyond circumstances and immediate demands to watch Him moving. But I've found when I do stop for a minute that I am moved in a such a way that I am forever changed. Thank you for your love, support and prayers.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
October Happenings
I cannot believe that a month has gone by so fast! Time is flying here in Belfast, but it has been full of fellowship and fun for me. One of the highlights of October was a tour that I was invited to attend with David. A group from Florida came to visit their sister church, Springfield Road Methodist, and they decided to take a tour of Northern Ireland monasteries under David's guidance. So, I tagged along as the "intern," and found that my tagging was extremely beneficial. Not only did I get to hear about Irish religious history, but I actually got to see it. Yes, it was in its very remnants, but the theological foundation upon which each site was constructed was absolutely fascinating. Our stops ranged from the alleged buriale site of St. Patrick in County Down to the healing springs of St. Patrick. My favorite site was our first stop at Nendrum. Nendrum is a monastery that was founded in the 5th century by St. Machoai. Structured in three concentric rings, Nendrum held a variety of life and was able to flourish on its own until invaded by Vikings in the 7th century. Within the outer ring (or wall) was the agricultural sector of the community – where livestock flourished and farmers harvested produce. The middle ring was the business sector of the community. Blacksmiths, weavers and produce sellers would have presided within the walls. And, at the center of the community was the church, where the abbot and clergy would have lived. People could come and go from one area to another and life was woven together in a series of circles. Celtic monasticism held that faith was interlinked with all areas of life, from the tilling of the soil to worship in the church, and unlike traditional monasticism it did not advocate for a complete separation from the world in order to draw closer to God. The idea was that God was at the heart of everything. I think that there is a lot to garner from this Celtic theology especially when it comes to living through each day. There are days here in Ballybeen when I am very tired, when the rain seems to get the best of me, but I think that visiting Nendrum was an enlightening experience in that it got me thinking about all the different levels in which God moves through our lives -even on those wet, miserable days. I think sometimes we tend to confine Him to the 2 hours of worship on a Sunday morning. It's easy to think that our worship of God is separate from our professions, our relationships, our daily tasks. But really, as Nendrum demonstrates in its concentric rings, He's in everything - in every conversation we have, in every task we perform, in everything we think and feel. And somehow, these people, thousands of years ago, somehow understood this so much so that it literally shaped their lives. A main question that has pervaded my mind during the last month has been: Can we, and if so, how do we live in response to the knowledge that God is at the center of everything? And I've discovered that it's simply a matter of opening our minds to the smallest of things, that could easily, in a world that demands our time and attention, get overlooked. It takes some slowing down, and some reflection. Because for me, He's in the construction paper that evolves into a Halloween card, given to me by a Scout on one of my loneliest days. He's in the sausages and toast, and sippy cups of juice that bring smiles and satisfying burps from the toddlers in our Sticky Fingers program. And, yes, as hard as it is for me to admit, He's even in the never-ending rain showers, that makes the earth a breath-taking emrald-green when the sun shows its face. I'm a beginning learner at this mentality - it takes a lot to look beyond circumstances and immediate demands to watch Him moving. But I've found when I do stop for a minute that I am moved in a such a way that I am forever changed. Thank you for your love, support and prayers.
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