Volume 32 • Number 2
Spring 2006
“There is a realm of time where the goal is not to have but to be, not to own but to give, not to control, but to share.” - Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel in The Sabbath
Photo credit: Gary Andrew Smith
Cover photo: The early morning sun illuminates the monastery tower, which overlooks the Charles River and the John F. Kennedy Park in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
©2006 by The Society of Saint John the Evangelist, North America
A Letter from the Superior Dear Members of the Fellowship of Saint John and Other Friends, Curtis Almquist, SSJE
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t is a great joy to live wholeheartedly. As a community of brothers we offer our whole selves – spiritually, intellectually, physically, and emotionally – for the praise and glory of God, and for the well-being of God’s people everywhere. Our ministries take us far and wide, as you will see in the following pages. This last season we have ministered from Texas to Tanzania and Kenya, from western New York to western Canada, from Israel/Palestine to North Carolina. We have met God’s people in the inner city of Boston and on Ivy League campuses. We have welcomed hundreds of guests and retreatants to the monastery and Emery House. Our publishing house, Cowley Publications, distributes throughout the English-speaking world, helping people think and pray in new ways about spirituality, reconciliation, and the future. By God’s grace, our reach is far and wide. We also draw deeply from the well of life. Our goal is not to do more, but to be complete. Life in the western world runs at a frantic and fragmented pace, where multi-tasking is the norm, where what is new or what is next is presumed better than what is now. In the Genesis creation account, on the seventh day, we read that God stopped. The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
God turned around, looked at what had been created, and saw that it was good. For life to be whole, we need to anticipate, then participate, then stop and remember, then be thankful. This completes the circle. This makes for wholeness and holiness. In the scriptures, the word qadosh, holy, is quite fascinating. Holiness is first applied not to a place, nor to an object of creation, nor to a living creature, nor to work. Holiness is first applied to time. “And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy.” The great rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel says that “we know what to do with space, but do not know what to do about time, except to make it subservient to space. Most of us seem to labor for the sake of things of space [and] suffer from a deeply rooted dread of time…” In this issue of Cowley we share how our own cadence of labor and generativity is complemented by rest and renewal. Brothers and friends share aspects of sabbath keeping, a necessary complement to all the doing that life requires. As for the doing in our own life, I am especially thankful for brothers who serve in leadership. I have made several new appointments in recent weeks. Br. Geoffrey Tristram, who continues to serve as Novice Guardian, has been ap3
Brs. Geoffrey Tristram, David Vryhof, James Koester, and Mark Brown
pointed the Deputy Superior. Br. David Vryhof has been appointed Assistant Superior, and will be coordinating much of our pastoral care and administration. Br. Mark Brown, who continues to serve as Director of Music, has been appointed the Treasurer. Br. James Koester, who served for nearly five years as the Deputy Superior and Treasurer, has moved to Emery House, where he now serves as the Senior Brother. Few of us brothers were professionally trained for all the responsibilities we carry. We look to our professional staff, to consultants, and to you our friends
for your friendship, prayer, and financial support. In our prayers, we ask God for this sustenance, and we have so many, many reasons to give thanks for God’s provision. We count on you. We are very thankful for you, for sharing with us a partnership in the Gospel. Faithfully yours,
Curtis G. Almquist, SSJE Superior
Meet us at General Convention, June 13-22, in Columbus, Ohio!
SSJE brothers and Cowley Publications’ staff members will be on hand throughout the convention at our booth (#207 & #208) in the Exhibition Hall, and in the various assemblies. Join us for tea on Thursday, June 15, from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. and meet our authors! 4
SSJE
The Sabbath: God’s ‘Yes’ to Life
Alan Cooper, n/SSJE
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f the Ten Commandments, the one least understood by Christians is the commandment dealing with the Sabbath. We seem to welcome with fondness nine of the commandments to our table, but the Sabbath is a foreign guest who speaks a language we do not really understand and whose presence makes us feel a bit awkward. This should come as no surprise. Ancient Israel had difficulty with the Sabbath as well. They resisted it, and there is more than a little tension between God and Israel around their neglect of the Sabbath. By the time of Christ the Sabbath had become a heavy burden, with so many rules and prescriptions that Jesus’ response was to remind the people that humanity was not made for the Sabbath; rather, the Sabbath was made for them. In the creation narrative God makes the universe and everything in it within a framework of time. Much like an artist creating a painting, things begin with a bit of energetic chaos, and then order begins to emerge. God begins to tease out general forms and work with them. It’s as if God does a bit of work then steps back, takes a good look at what he has just done, listens to what creation is speaking back to him, and then proceeds to further create and refine. All the while creation is coming The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
into being, with a very real life. On the seventh day, after seeing the goodness of creation, God rested from all his creative work to enjoy what had emerged. God’s delight is so great that for the first time God names something holy, something set apart, something to be savored. It is not a specific space that God names holy. It is a specific time that is named holy. And this specific time is inherent to the created order, not something extra added on. Even after sin and death enter the world, there is still Sabbath, and it is still holy. Sabbath is integral to a good and godly life, as much as honoring those who have given us life, as much as not
Light and shadows on a winter afternoon.
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Photo credit: Doug DeMark
Brs. Eldridge Pendleton and Kevin Hackett
taking life, as much as not taking what is not given, as much as not misusing others. Sabbath is essential to the full enjoyment of life. Sabbath, as a creature and gift of God, is concrete reality, not just as abstract idea. One can no more abstractly enjoy, be present to, or celebrate existence, life, and creation, than one can abstractly honor one’s parents, or abstractly not murder, or abstractly not steal. We deceive ourselves when we think we are keeping Sabbath merely by celebrating life with a generally positive attitude or by mentally assenting to the goodness of creation. God gives us an entire day, each
and every week, to lay aside our labors, no matter what they are, in order that we may remember and live into all the goodness of now. The Sabbath is contrary to greed, selfishness, self-preservation, and ingratitude. The Sabbath acknowledges we cannot pull ourselves up by our own boot straps. It reminds us that we are creatures, not the Creator. The Sabbath recognizes the pure grace, not of future redemption, but of our present life and being in time and space; it tells us that our very existence originates and is sustained by the grace of God’s ever resounding, Yes! The Sabbath calls us to shout our own yes in return.
Consider Becoming an SSJE Brother!
“Come and See” June 8-11, 2006
We welcome men interested in learning about a vocation in SSJE to join us for a “Come and See” weekend at the monastery, June 8-11, 2006. For more information, please visit our website www.ssje.org or contact our Novice Guardian, Br. Geoffrey Tristram, at the monastery or by email: noviceguardian@ssje.org 6
SSJE
SSJE Rule:
Chapter Forty-Five
Rest and Relaxation
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he hallowing of rest and the keeping of sabbath is an essential element in our covenant with God. The one who can find no happiness except in ceaseless work is afraid to be still and know that the Lord alone is God. If we find ourselves filling leisure time with tasks, we can be sure that we have begun to imagine that our worth consists in what we accomplish. When we regularly cease from our labor and enjoy rest as a holy gift, we can grow in trust that our worth in God’s sight lies simply in our very being, clothed with Christ. In the culture in which we live the pressures to be busy all the time are intense, and it is a true ascetic endeavor to resist them in obedience to God. The Church itself is in constant danger of adapting to a culture of hyperactivity and stress. We have a particular call to resist this conformity and to bear witness before the world to the graciousness and wisdom of the sabbath. Our faithfulness will show itself in our attention to the needs of the body and spirit for sleep and rest. Our life is demanding and we must recognize how much power goes out of us in our ministry. By taking rest we show that we accept our creaturely need for replenishment and restoration as Jesus did. Our ministries of hospitality, preaching, liturgy and retreat direction mean that Sunday usually makes many demands on our energies. Although the Lord’s day itself cannot be our actual day of rest, we should seek through our prayer on Sunday to lift up our hearts in the joy of the resurrection. Because our rest comes on another day of the week, it is all the more important to recall the sacredness of sabbath time. The ways each of us will enjoy our sabbath day will be many and varied, but each of us will need to distinguish between leisure that is genuinely recreative and the drifting which comes from sloth. Our day of rest gives us the opportunity to refresh and deepen our friendships. It enables us to play and exercise and enjoy the use of our senses. It opens a space for music, art, entertainment and particular pursuits and hobbies. The fruits of our leisure time will prove whether we have hallowed or profaned our sabbath. If we have kept it holy we will resume our daily life reinvigorated and restored to ourselves. If we have wasted our leisure, we may find our day off leaving us with a sense of dullness and a residue of fatigue. We can help one another use our leisure time well by taking care not to give one another needless tasks on our day of rest. Holy rest has its place in the rhythm of each day as well as the week. Those who reserve a time each day for some leisure that brings composure and refreshment set a good example for all the brothers to follow. The sabbath commandment is also a guide for our well-being in the longer view. We shall endeavor to provide opportunities for special times of renewal from time to time, especially when a brother has had some years of hard work in a particular ministry. In each house of the Society the brothers shall gather regularly to enjoy conversation in a relaxed atmosphere. All should participate so that the common life may be strengthened.
The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
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“Imagining a Day without Blackberrys” by Merrill Ware Carrington
Merrill Carrington
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hough I’m not one of the four million Americans who depend on a wireless e-mail device to get through the day, the newspaper headline caught my attention. I went on to read about the panic spreading through law offices, police departments, and high-tech firms over the possible shut-down of Blackberry service due to a court battle involving patent-infringement issues. While some users are now looking toward Blackberry alternatives, others apparently have been prompted to question their own enslavement to these and other handheld devices. Meanwhile, video-capable iPods and other portable hardware will soon permit “viewing on the move” – for now, recorded and downloaded, but soon to be broadcast in real time. The name for all this, I’m told, is “360 degree connectivity,” a reality that was barely a glimmer on the horizon when, in 1999, Cowley Publications first published Donna Schaper’s distilled and lively Sabbath Keeping. At that time, bemoaning “a culture permanently on fast-forward,” Schaper expressed her yearning “to hear more deeply God’s message to slow down,” despite the culture’s urging to do the opposite. Observing that American society “is not friendly to Sabbath keeping,” she nonetheless invited readers 8
into a wholehearted, playful embrace of holy Sabbath rest. It was in the late 1980’s, I think, that my husband, Tim, and I first began to give some serious thought to Sabbath observance. We were at the stage when getting our children out the door on time for Sunday morning worship felt a lot more like work than like play or rest. We began experimenting with activities, and more importantly, attitudes, that would foster a mood of authentic Sabbath in our household – no bills, no shopping, no laundry or other chores, lots of music, fiction and poetry, tranquil gazing (at flowers, at faces), long walks (and long games of Monopoly). Once our nest emptied we found it only slightly easier to honor the Sabbath; the stumbling block was the computer – the e-mails from the boss, the impulse to shop online, the sudden urge to Google a random piece of information. Here is where Schaper is most helpful: “Keeping Sabbath is a conscious choice to restrict input.” With a nod to the ancient Sabbath prohibition against the kindling of fires, Tim and I now aim to keep the computer silent and dark. We click on “shut down” and do what we can not to re-boot until Monday. In Schaper’s words, we “measure ourselves by a different yardstick; we try to see how SSJE
A view of the Charles River from the monastery tower.
much delight we can take in the world, not how much we can get done.” Increasingly, Sabbath time is, for us, about spaciousness, about disconnecting, from machines and even from people, in order to re-connect with the ultimate source of all life. As for many others, I suspect, disconnetion sometimes plunges us into initial feelings of boredom, restlessness, and isolation. But in time, these give way to a new sense of being anchored, and with that, a deeper receptivity. Perhaps it is precisely because of being untethered, floating, “going offline,” that we are able to expand our availability to the Spirit’s promptings. We become more sponge-like so that we can more easily soak up Divine Presence, thereby regaining lost perspective about work, about relationships, hopes and fears. Sabbath keeping is also about timelessness and, in the same way that worship itself can shift us out of clock time and into God’s time, Sabbath offers us an The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
opportunity to experience the Eternal Now. A day without Blackberrys, indeed. Merrill Ware Carrington, a graduate of Union Theological Seminary, is a writer, retreat leader and lay spiritual director. She lives in Washington, D.C. and is a parishioner at Christ Church, Georgetown. A member of the Fellowship of Saint John, she finds that time spent at the monastery is the very essence of Sabbath rest. Sabbath Keeping, by Donna Shaper, is available from Cowley Publications. To order, call 1-800-225-1534, or visit our website at www.cowley.org.
SSJE brothers’ Sunday and Feast Day sermons are now available on the web. Visit the site at www.ssje.org. 9
Sabbath-Keeping on Iona
James Koester, SSJE
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or most overly-busy North Americans, Sabbath-keeping is something relegated to history books or family memories. I remember as a child being dumbfounded at stories my mother told about her experience of Sunday when she was young. She was not allowed to go swimming on Sunday, unless it was over 100 degrees. The Sunday roast was cooked on Saturday and either eaten cold the next day or kept warm overnight until after church on Sunday. Dishes were left unwashed until Monday morning (a custom still observed by some of my brothers, but not for reasons of Sabbath-keeping!) and playing cards and board games left untouched for the day. As a child this all sounded intolerably boring and even silly, but as an adult, I now see the wisdom of a complete change of pace, and even a time of apparent idleness, in order to find rest, restoration, and a sense of balance. At the beginning of Advent I had the opportunity for just such a period of rest and restoration when I spent a week on the island of Iona, off the west coast of Scotland. I had been to Iona before, many years ago on my own, and again more recently with the whole community in the summer of 1991. But I had never been there in the winter. In the summer, Iona is a bustling community of about 100 permanent 10
residents who welcome literally hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and tourists in a four or five month period. In the winter, visitors are few, and even some of the residents head off for warmer regions. The winter is a time for the island and its inhabitants to rest. During the week I was on Iona for my annual retreat, I entered into that rest which had descended upon the island like a blanket of invigorating Scottish mist that slows or stops all activity but which renews the earth with water. During this week of almost enforced inactivity I went for long walks, when the weather permitted it, and when it didn’t I sat staring out the window watching the sea. It was wonderful neither doing anything, nor having anything expected of me. In our Rule of Life we talk about the importance of those occasions: “[when we] cease from our labor and enjoy rest as a holy gift we can grow in trust that our worth in God’s sight lies simply in our very being, clothed with Christ”. In a culture where most of us, on meeting new people, begin conversations by asking “What do you do?” or “What is your work?”, the notion that we are loved by God for simply being is almost impossible to comprehend. Yet the lesson of Sabbath, and especially of my time on Iona, is that I am perhaps most beloved by God, not when I am at my most productive, but when I am simply sitting and watching the surf crash upon the shore of a tiny island off the coast of Scotland. SSJE
A Writing Sabbatical for Br. Eldridge from The Rule of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist, Chapter 45, “Rest and Recreation”: Eldridge Pendleton, SSJE
“The hallowing of rest and the keeping of sabbath is an essential element of our covenant with God. . . . .[Sabbath time] enables us to play and exercise and enjoy the use of our senses. It opens a space for music, art, entertainment and particular pursuits and hobbies. . . .The sabbath commandment is also a guide for our well-being in the longer view. We shall endeavor to provide opportunities for special times of renewal from time to time, especially when a brother has had some years of hard work in a particular ministry.”
T
here are many ways of enjoying rest and seeking refreshment. We brothers have a weekly day of rest, scheduled periods of retreat and vacation throughout the year, and occasionally, longer breaks from our daily life and routine, usually for the purpose of pilgrimage, retreat, or study. In September, Br. Eldridge Pendleton will begin a three-month sabbatical. While this will be a special time of renewal for Eldridge, who will have begun his twenty-third year as a member of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist, its primary purpose is to provide time for him to finish his biography of Charles Chapman Grafton, one of the Society’s founders. This is a project Eldridge has been working on for the past ten years. Most of the first draft has been completed, but the remaining section will require concentrated attention. For most of his sabbatical Eldridge will continue to live at the monastery, writing during the day at the Boston Atheneum, the city’s oldest private library. He will also spend time The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
writing at the convent of the Society of Saint Margaret in Roxbury, and at Emery House, our retreat house in West Newbury. During his sabbatical he will be assisted by a four-member advisory committee, who will read the text and offer literary criticism. In order to provide the maximum working space, Eldridge’s duties and responsibilities will be scaled back during his sabbatical. He will temporarily lay aside the work of spiritual direction, retreat-leading, preaching, and other forms of ministry, and will be exempted from the monastery’s weekly duty rosters. Eldridge’s project examines the early history of our Society through the life of one of its principals, a young, idealistic priest from Boston. To understand the origins of the Society, its unique charism, and especially its history and development in North America, it is necessary to know the story of Charles Grafton, one of its three founders, who after sixteen years as rector of the Church of the Advent, 11
Boston, became Bishop of Fond du Lac and a leading voice in the AngloCatholic movement in the Episcopal Church. Grafton, whose dream it was to establish a company of mission priests, was the “trigger� for the establishment of our Society, the first permanent Anglican religious community for men since the Reformation. In addition to his work on the Grafton biography, Eldridge will spend two weeks of his sabbatical traveling in Italy with his sister Camille and niece Liz. Their itinerary includes Rome and Tuscany. Charles Chapman Grafton, SSJE ca 1895
The SSJE archives
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SSJE
Creativity Week:
A Time to Explore and Express Our Creativity Mark Brown, SSJE
from The Rule of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist, Chapter 44, “Maintaining Our Health and Creativity”:
“Each of us has been given the divine spark of creativity and imagination and as we grow in our conversion to Christ, so should our gratitude and reverence for these gifts…. Faith in the Giver of all good gifts will lead us to use the opportunities our life provides for developing our creativity and using our imagination. The community shall provide time and resources for hobbies and skillful pursuits so that every brother may find outlets for creativity beyond what his regular work offers. We shall seek to maintain a climate where music and other arts are valued and where the beauty of creation is loved and enjoyed.”
T
he week between Christmas and New Year’s Day was designated as the brothers’ annual “creativity week,” a time when ordinary responsibilities and work are scaled back and priority is given to arts and crafts and related interests. A number of brothers have ongoing creative activities as part of
Br. David Allen, who wrote prayer poetry from the writings of Julian of Norwich
Br. Alan Cooper, who painted.
The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
their usual routine, and we recognize the role of creativity in all we do, but we find it helpful and enjoyable to have a week set aside especially for these things. This year it provided a welcome relief to the busyness of the holiday season. 13
Br. Curtis Almquist, who photographed.
The variety of this year’s activities was extraordinary and included photography; painting; musical composition; pottery; knitting; making prayer beads and candles; singing; piano playing; writing of fiction, poetry, collects, translations and paraphrases; reading
Br. Eldridge Pendleton, who painted.
Brs. Gerald Beauchamp, who completed a novel, and James Knutsen, who drew with colored pencils and read.
Br. Mark Brown, at the keyboard, accompanying Br.Timothy Solverson in “The Call” by Ralph Vaughn Williams at a recital for the brothers at the close of our Creativity Week in January.
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in art history, photography, fiction and theology; listening to music; cooking; studying Spanish; learning new computer programs; and construction of an origami crèche. Some of the brothers spent the week at Emery House, some at the monastery. We all gathered at the monastery early on New Year’s Eve for a convivial tea and sharing of projects. SSJE
SSJE Rule:
Chapter Forty-Four
Maintaining our Health & Creativity
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esus came as our healer that we “may have life, and have it abundantly.” We show our lack of faith in him if we diminish that abundance through neglect, or the fear Jesus portrayed in the parable of the man who buried the talent his master had committed to him. Health of mind, body and spirit is a priceless gift of the Creator which we are to cherish in wonder and thankfulness: “I will thank you because I am marvelously made; your works are wonderful and I know it well.” So that we can better glorify God in our bodies, each of us shall take responsibility for maintaining his health through regular exercise, hygiene and prompt recourse to medical attention as soon as he becomes aware of any significant symptom. Hypochondria and obsessive self-concern, on the other hand, are distortions of this duty and it is our responsibility to call one another to maturity. If a brother shows signs of disorder in his relation to food, alcohol or any other substance, this becomes the concern of the whole community. The Superior has the responsibility of helping him to set his feet on the path of sobriety, moderation and health. Likewise the compulsion to over-work and other forms of obsessive behavior are signs that freedom is lacking and healing needed. Each of us has been given the divine spark of creativity and imagination, and as we grow in our conversion to Christ, so should our gratitude and reverence for these gifts. Fear and inertia quench the spirit. Faith in the Giver of all good gifts will lead us to use the opportunities our life provides for developing our creativity and using our imagination. The community shall provide time and resources for hobbies and skillful pursuits so that every brother may find outlets for creativity beyond what his regular work offers. We shall seek to maintain a climate where music and other arts are valued and where the beauty of creation is loved and enjoyed. We shall endeavor to order our stewardship so that vacations can provide not only the opportunity of visiting our families and friends but also of exposure to the beauties of nature, the stimulus of other cultures and enrichment by the arts. Our creativity will thrive on mutual encouragement. If our endeavor to develop our creativity were in response to a secular ideal of self-realization it would come to nothing. Our stretching toward fullness of life is an act of faith in Christ who is the living Word through whom all things have their being. He is the true light shining through all creation. It is not in religious activity and thought alone that we see his glory, but in all the world. We are called to realize his life-giving presence within our own selves and bodies and share in his ongoing creation.
The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
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Photo credit: Peter Paradise
Ministry Report: A Visit to Kenya
David Vryhof, SSJE
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t has not rained in much of Kenya for some time now. The “rainy season” has passed with no rain, and crops and animals are suffering. The land appears dry, hot and barren as we fly west from Nairobi towards Kisumu, located on the edge of Lake Victoria near the border with Uganda. At the airport we are met by the principal of the St. Philip’s Theological College, Dr. Nancy Hardison. Nancy and her husband Gerry, a physician who puts in long hours at the Maseno hospital and at clinics throughout the region, are Episcopal missionaries who have chosen to spend their retirement years working in Kenya. Br. Tom Shaw and I are here as guests of this small Anglican seminary, to lead the students and faculty in a week-long period of retreat. The students and their tutors are very excited about this great opportunity, the principal tells us. They are certain that we will be of much help to them. We are perhaps a bit less certain of this, but we too are excited at the prospect of our working together over the next few days. From the airport we drive north to the village of Maseno, passing young men talking together in groups on the side of the road, women carrying water or food carefully balanced on their 16
heads, children in worn clothing watching our car pass by. We are told that a large portion of used clothing from prosperous countries like the U.S. and Canada makes its way here, and there is evidence of it all around. One boy wears a t-shirt bearing the logo of the University of Arkansas. Occasionally one sees what might be called a toy, a ball of rags used to play soccer or an old bicycle tire rim pushed along with a stick. But evidence of poverty is all around. The college has electricity and some indoor plumbing; most of the neighborhood does not. The homes are simple, made of clay bricks and tin roofs. Cooking is done over fires. The students are indeed happy to see us. Again and again, they express thanks to God for bringing us from so far away to instruct them. It is a great SSJE
Ministry Report: A Visit to Kenya
Br.Tom Shaw with two of the college tutors, Elphas Wambani (left) and Ayub Osinde (right)
blessing, they tell us, evidence of God’s goodness and care. Over the next few days, we see that gratitude is a way of life for these Christians. In spite of real hardship, they are constantly praising and thanking God for God’s goodness; for them, every day brings new blessings. They expect much from God, and receive much. We meet each morning with all the students and their tutors, to teach them the ancient forms of meditative prayer that have been used by Christians throughout the centuries. They are seated on benches at wooden tables, and there is a simple chalkboard on the wall. They listen eagerly; “lectio divina” and Ignatian meditation are new concepts, but they are open to these new forms of prayer. In the afternoon we meet with small groups, to listen to their experience of God in prayer and to share whatever further reflections we can. It is the longest, most silent retreat they have experienced, but they adapt well and are faithful and diligent in carrying out the assignments we give them. We also meet with them indiThe Society of Saint John the Evangelist
vidually, to hear their stories and to offer spiritual direction. Every person here has made tremendous sacrifices to attend this school. Most have left their families to the care of relatives and friends. Some have made financial sacrifices, like selling a cow, in order to come. Everyone is concerned about school fees and about how they will pay them. The tuition, room and board for a year at St. Philip’s is $650.00, but this is an extraordinary amount for them to raise each year. One student has left her husband and six children at home to begin her theological studies. Three of the children are hers; three are AIDS orphans she has taken in, of which
Brs. David and Tom with Hellen Ngatho, a seminarian
there are so many in this country. She feels called to ministry and her husband has supported her in this call, in spite of opposition from relatives and friends, and church people, who think it is not right for a woman to do this. Of the thirteen students in the class, two are women. Another student tells us he is one of eleven children. His four brothers and three of his sisters have died of AIDS. For these students, 17
Ministry Report: A Visit to Kenya
Br. David, speaking on the spirituality of the Fourth Gospel
ordination will bring neither prosperity nor financial security; priests have to earn their own living while taking care of several churches. The Diocese of Massachusetts sponsors feeding programs in the churches of this diocese that touch the lives of 3,500 AIDS orphans, about half of whom are infected with HIV/AIDS themselves. The children are welcomed to the churches on Saturdays, where members of the Mothers’ Union and other volunteers sing, play and read with them. They receive a hot, proteinrich meal, and a medical clinic is available for them and for other local residents. Dr. Hardison tells us that already 18
he can see a difference in their health, with just this one solid meal each week. We visit two of the programs on Saturday morning and are greeted with shouts and with singing. It is a great blessing that we are here, we are told; a great honor that God has brought us from the United States to visit them. We have brought some shoes for the children, a gift from our diocese, but there are too many children and not enough shoes. Still, these shoes are a great blessing and reason enough to thank God. They give thanks with singing and clapping. The week comes to its end. We have spent hours teaching and listening and are ready for a rest. We join in a final Eucharist and festive meal, and the next morning we are on our way to the airport. Five students have been chosen to ride along to the airport with us. None of them have ever been to an airport before, and even though the Kisumu airport is small and by most
Children from the orphans’ program crowd around the camera
SSJE
Ministry Report: A Visit to Kenya
Brs. David and Tom pose with the students and faculty on the final day of the visit
standards, primitive, it is a new experience for them. They ask us questions about checking in, passing through the security machine, and the experience of
flying. At last we say our goodbyes. It is a great blessing from God that you have come, they tell us, and we agree. The blessing is ours as well as theirs.
Dickson Osundwa, Paul Ombete and Javan Chitechi relax on the seminary grounds.
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Awareness and Reconciliation by Roy Nolen Roy Nolen, at the Monastery Guesthouse.
D
uring autumn of 2000, my anxieties focused on a personal dread: January 1, 2001, my retirement date. I wanted to retire. I had reached the age. The time was right. Thirty-three years of practice in a large law firm in the company of hundreds of brilliant, charming, and competitive men and women were sufficient. But still I was pre-occupied with predictable questions. After January 1, what would I do? How would my life be arranged? Where would I go at 8:30 a.m., Monday through Friday? What would replace the intensity? An immediate break with routine, away from home in Houston, seemed to be a good idea. I thought a foreign language immersion course would work, or a bridge camp, or a wilderness trip. A friend suggested that time alone in a new environment without a goal might help – a retreat from the familiar world. A guide book on retreat houses described Emery House in detail and mentioned the guesthouse at 980 Memorial Drive in passing. I am an active Episcopalian and a participant in church affairs, but I was not looking for a religious experience. Nevertheless, the secluded environment at Emery House sounded right. No luck. Emery House was closed for repairs. By default, I reserved a room at the monastery 20
guesthouse for a few days in early January. I was reluctant, because Cambridge did not meet my requirement for a new environment – three years of law school had made those streets very familiar. Those four days in the company of the brothers of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist in January, 2001, did not change my life in a visible or quantifiable way. However, I know I am different because of them. That brief visit in that wonderful community became my unexpected first step toward awareness of the nature and depth of my faith and toward reconciliation of buried resentments from years spent in a competitive work environment. A clergy friend had told me he thought the best retreats were those without an agenda. I had none that January, 2001, and I explored the library in the guesthouse for ideas and stimulation. In one book I read about preparation for initial confessions, a step I had not heard of in the Episcopal Church. As an exercise, I pursued that preparation. I then decided I could make the confession. The memories of that process of self-examination and of the confession itself together remain as significant touchstones. The questions that were so important five years ago were never answered directly. They fell away in the process of SSJE
looking forward, rather than backward. I recently made my sixth January visit to the guesthouse. The experience is always restorative, though I can never predict exactly how. Each year is different, although I try to follow two rules: never miss an opportunity to worship with the community, and never miss the chance to sit with the brothers
The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
at mealtime. Otherwise, within the familiarity of the monastery routine, the freedom to let my mind and memory roam is a gift I would relinquish most reluctantly. Roy Nolen is a retired lawyer living in Houston, Texas, where he is a member of Christ Church Cathedral.
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Please join us for our
Patronal Feast Day Celebration Saint John the Evangelist, the Beloved Disciple Saturday, May 6, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. Bishop Clark Grew
The brothers give a special invitation to members of the Fellowship of Saint John to join us for our patronal celebration May 6th in the monastery chapel. Our guest preacher is The Rt. Rev. Clark Grew, Bishop of Ohio (ret.) and member of the Fellowship of Saint John. The liturgy is followed by a festive luncheon in the cloister garden. Please mark your calendars.
The Fellowship of Saint John (FSJ) is comprised of men
and women throughout the world who desire to live their Christian life in special association with the Society of Saint John the Evangelist. They have a vital interest in the life and work of the brothers, and support our life and ministries with their prayers, encouragement, and financial gifts. The brothers of SSJE welcome members of the FSJ as partners in the gospel life, and pray for them by name in our daily prayers, following a regular cycle. With us the FSJ members form an extended family, a company of friends abiding in Christ and seeking to bear a united wit-
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The Ven.Thomas Corston, Archdeacon of the Diocese of Ontario in the Anglican Church of Canada, was welcomed into the Fellowship of Saint John by Br. Jonathan Maury, Director of the Fellowship.
ness to him as “the Way, the Truth, and the Life,� following the example of the Beloved Disciple. For more information, please contact Br. Jonathan Maury, the Director of the FSJ, at the monastery. SSJE
COMMUNITY NEWS Br. Kevin Hackett taught a one-week course on Spiritual Direction at the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia, January 9-13. In January, Brs. Kevin Hackett and Geoffrey Tristram led the annual retreat for Episcopal Interns and the Directors of their various programs. Twenty young adults and ten program directors gathered for a weekend of reflection focusing on “Silence and Sanctuary.”
Episcopal interns and Program Directors at the monastery January 27-29.
ciated with chaplaincies in the Diocese of Massachusetts, to Israel/Palestine in January. In addition to visiting the holy sites in and around Jerusalem, the students and chaplains spent several days living with Palestinian families while visiting the Aydua Refugee Camp in Bethlehem. Bishop Shaw also led the group in a time of retreat on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. From January 30 to February 2, Brs. Roy Cockrum, James Knutsen, Gerald Beauchamp, Alan Cooper and (then, postulant) Jeffrey Bruce Neal attended the 36th National Theological Conference at Trinity Institute, Trinity Church, Wall Street in New York City. The theme of the conference was “The Anatomy of Reconciliation: From Violence to Healing.”
Br. Tom Shaw led a group of thirty college students and seven chaplains, asso-
The Rt. Rev. Michael Curry, Bishop of North Carolina, the preacher at the Opening Eucharist, pictured with Brs. Roy Cockrum, Alan Cooper, James Knutsen, Bruce Neal, and Gerald Beauchamp. Br.Thomas Shaw, SSJE, Bishop of Massachusetts, attending the consecration of the new Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese of Jerusalem, the Rt. Rev. Suheil Dawani, on the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6th. The newly consecrated bishop will serve as Bishop Coadjutor for the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem.
The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
Jeffrey Bruce Neal was clothed with the habit of the Society on Sunday, February 19, taking the name Br. Bruce Neal. Br. Bruce was born in Kentucky, worked in Southern California and Seattle, Washington, and holds a degree in Religion and Performing Arts from 23
Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. He currently serves as sacristan at the monastery.
You will be seeing our new logo for COWLEY PUBLICATIONS on the spine of our books and in our promotional materials. The logo incorporates the SSJE arch, our publishing being an extension of our work of spiritual formation, “helping people to think and pray in new ways about spirituality, reconciliation, and the future.”
Brs. John Oyama and Bruce Neal, who succeeds Br. John as Sacristan at the monastery.
Among the SSJE brothers who work with Cowley Publications are Kevin Hackett (Publisher), Timothy Solverson (Marketing Assistant) and Gerald Beauchamp (Editorial Assistant) and Mark Brown (SSJE Treasurer). They join our professional staff of Don Follansbee (Chief Operations Officer), Michael Wilt (Editorial Director), Matthew Wright (Marketing Director), and Paula Welling (Director of Sales) and a superb team of other professionals to whom we outsource our work.
Brs. Kevin Hackett (far left) and Timothy Solverson and Gerald Beauchamp (far right) with our COWLEY PUBLICATIONS’ professional staff (center, left to right) Matthew Wright, Michael Wilt, Don Follansbee, and Paula Welling.
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Br. Roy Cockrum conducted a parish retreat and preached for St. Andrew’s, Buffalo, New York on the weekend of February 24-26. He offered a day-long program on Saturday focused on worship and prayer; and on Sunday, preached and spoke with members of the parish about the ministry of hospitality. The invitation came from the Rev. Sarah Buxton-Smith, a member of the Fellowship of St. John and frequent visitor to the monastery.
Br. Roy Cockrum
SSJE
In late January the Rev. Charles LaFond decided to withdraw from the novitiate of our community after a period of over two years. We are grateful for the time he spent with us, and for his many talents and gifts; and we ask God’s blessing on his continuing ministry in the Church.
Diocese of Western New York, February 24-March 2. Kevin was the preacher on Ash Wednesday at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Buffalo. The brothers were hosted by the Rev. Ethan Cole, who was a frequent visitor to the monastery during his years at the Harvard Divinity School.
In February, we welcomed The Rev. Deacon Noah Njogovan, a third year M.Div. student at the College of Emmanuel and Saint Chad in Saskatoon. Noah is a 2005-06 recipient of the Canon Young Scholarship, through which we provide assistance to Canadian seminarians. Noah is also a former professional auctioneer!
Brs. Kevin Hackett and Alan Cooper
On February 28, the Very Rev. Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, preached at our Tuesday evening Eucharist. We were delighted to welcome Dean Willis back to the monastery. He has been a wonderful friend of the community.
Br. James Koester led programs for the Diocese of British Columbia (January 6-12) and for the Dioceses of Qu’Appelle and Saskatoon (February 13-16). He also led a Quiet Day and preached at St. Paul’s Cathedral, Regina (February 18-19). Brs. Kevin Hackett and Alan Cooper traveled to Buffalo to lead pre-Lenten quiet days for clergy and laity in the The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
Anglican World News Service
Br. Roy Cockrum, the monastery guest brother, and the Rev. Deacon Noah Njogovan
The Very Rev. Robert Willis
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In early March Brs. Tom Shaw and Curtis Almquist traveled to Tanzania to work with members of the clergy of the Diocese of Tanga and to investigate possible AIDS-related projects there. They were guests of the Rt. Rev. Philip Baji, who is bishop of the diocese.
Spirituality of Young Adults,” sponsored by the Trinity Grants program. The Grants program has chosen to focus on the young adult population, understanding its importance to the future of the Church. Br. Kevin served an internship with the Episcopal chaplaincy at Duke University from 1995 to 1997, and has played an important role in SSJE’s ministry to this population in recent years here in Cambridge and Boston.
Brs.Thomas Shaw and Curtis Almquist
On the weekend of March 3-5, Br. David Vryhof preached and taught at St. Philip’s Church in Durham, North Carolina, as the guest of the Rev. Scott Benhase. David served as an intern at St. Philip’s in 1993 and was ordained to the diaconate there.
Br. Kevin Hackett
Brs. Eldridge Pendleton and Roy Cockrum led a retreat for members of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Richmond, Virginia, March 17-19. The retreat was held at the Shalom Retreat Center in Hanover County, near Montpelier. The brothers were also available
Br. David Vryhof
Br. Kevin Hackett was the keynote speaker at Trinity Church, Wall Street in Manhattan March 8-10 on “The 26
Brs. Roy Cockrum and Eldridge Pendleton
SSJE
to meet individually with members of the church’s staff. The Rev. Gary Jones, a longtime member of our Fellowship and close friend of the Society, is the rector of the parish. On March 18 and 19, Brs. Geoffrey Tristram and Bruce Neal offered a oneday program called “Drinking from the Wells of Salvation” at Trinity Church, Newtown, Connecticut. They also preached and taught at the church on Sunday.
Brs. Geoffrey Tristram and Bruce Neal
Br. Mark Brown was a panelist for a program at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts, on Wednesday, March 22, entitled “Peace for Israelis and Palestinians: A Conversation Among Jews, Christians, and Muslims.” Br. Curtis Almquist joined the House of Bishops meeting at Kanuga Conference Center in Hendersonville, North Carolina, on March 22 to celebrate the ministry of our Presiding Bishop, the Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold, a member of the Fellowship of Saint John. Br. Curtis is a former chaplain to the House of Bishops. He and Br. Thomas Shaw, Bishop of Massachusetts, contributed The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
essays to the festschrift, I Have Called You Friends, presented by the bishops to Bishop Griswold. Brs. Geoffrey Tristram and Mark Brown will travel to Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, on two separate occasions this spring, to offer spiritual direction to seminarians at the Berkeley Divinity School. The National Cathedral retreat center will be the site of a workshop on discernment given by Br. Roy Cockrum for the Church of the Epiphany, Washington, D.C. The March 31 workshop offers practical guidance for praying about significant life choices, drawn from the wisdom of St. Ignatius of Loyola. On March 31-April 1, Br. Kevin Hackett will lead a retreat entitled “Praying Your Life” for students of the Province I Episcopal Campus Ministries in Hancock, New Hampshire. Brs. James Knutsen and Alan Cooper will share in the leadership of the “Pathways to Ministry” Weekend,
Brs. Alan Cooper and James Knutsen
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April 21-23, at St. Michael and All Angels Parish, Dallas. The program draws high school students from all across the United States who are interested in exploring vocations in ministry in the Church. Brs. Timothy Solverson and David Allen will serve as chaplains for the “Palestine of Jesus” course offered by St. George’s College in Jerusalem, May 2-15. This is the first of three courses for which SSJE brothers will be chaplains
Brs. David Allen and Timothy Solverson
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in 2006 (see the announcement on page 29). Please join us! The Society has also committed to leading three courses with St. George’s College in 2007 (dates and details to follow). Brs. Thomas Shaw, Curtis Almquist, Geoffrey Tristram, Kevin Hackett and Timothy Solverson will be attending the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Columbus, Ohio, June 11-22. SSJE brothers and Cowley Publications staff members will be on hand throughout the convention at our booth (#207-208) in the Exhibition Hall. Br. Thomas, Bishop of Massachusetts, will meet in session with the House of Bishops. The brothers will host a reception for Cowley Publications authors, members of the Fellowship of Saint John, and other friends on Thursday, June 15, from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.
SSJE
Join the SSJE Brothers on pilgrimage to
The Holy Land 2006 “Palestine of Jesus” May 2-15 ■
“Ways in the Wilderness” September 19-October 4 ■
“Pilgrimage and Spirituality” October 10-23 ■ hosted by
Saint George’s College, Jerusalem SSJE brothers serve as course chaplains. We lead in the daily prayer and worship, offer meditations and spiritual reflections, and give guidance to the pilgrims on how to “pray their own lives” amidst the sacred landscape where the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ unfolded. Outstanding faculty, gracious accommodations, and delicious meals are provided through Saint George’s College, a continuing education center for the entire Anglican Communion.
For more information and to register for a course, contact: Saint George’s College, Jerusalem
www.sgcjerusalem.org
email: registrar@stgeorges.org.il telephone: 011 972 2 626 4704 The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
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Retreat Programs and Workshops: The Society of Saint John the Evangelist Monastery Guesthouse, Cambridge, Massachusetts Emery House, West Newbury, Massachusetts
Spring 2006 The brothers of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist have for years offered hospitality to those seeking a place of quiet and renewal. At the monastery in Cambridge, Massachusetts and at Emery House in West Newbury, Massachusetts, we invite you to find space to pray and renew your spirit. We are pleased to welcome you to these sanctuaries of beauty and reflective stillness. Generous gifts of land and money from Isabella Stewart Gardner, Elbridge Gerry, and the family of then-SSJE member and later superior Spence Burton enabled the Society to begin developing the property along Memorial Drive. Today’s guesthouse, designed by the famous twentieth-century American architect, Ralph Adams Cram, and built in 1924-1928, was the original monastery building. In the mid-1930’s, Cram designed the chapel and monastery buildings. Built at the height of the Great Depression, the buildings, completed in 1936, are another legacy of the Burton family’s philanthropy. The renowned American landscape designer, Fletcher Steele, designed the guesthouse garden in 1934. The monastery is located along the Charles River, near Harvard University and the Episcopal Divinity School. Guesthouse facilities include large and small meeting rooms, chapels for private and corporate prayer, a library, garden, and single bedrooms, each with its own sink; showers and toilets are nearby. Linens and towels are provided. Guests join the brothers for three meals daily, eaten communally and normally taken in silence, accompanied either by a brother reading aloud or recorded music. Emery House and its 120 acres of undeveloped meadow and woodland were gifts to the Society from the Emery family, who homesteaded the property in 1641. Over the past two decades, we have been joined by generous benefactors and friends in our efforts to conserve the house, woodlands, and meadows as a beautiful sanctuary for retreat. Emery House is located in West Newbury, Massachusetts, about forty-five miles north of Boston and is adjacent to the 480-acre Maudsley State Park. Emery House features spacious and fully-equipped “hermitages,” period guest rooms in the 1745 main house, two rustic wood cabins, and three meals daily, taken communally in the main house. Guests are welcome to join the brothers in daily monastic worship. Emery House is easily accessible by public transportation. Out-of-town guests may board regularly-scheduled buses leaving from Logan Airport and South Station, Boston for Newburyport. 30
SSJE
If you would like to visit us or attend one of our retreats or workshops, please contact the appropriate guesthouse brother: The Guesthouse Brother Monastery Guesthouse 980 Memorial Drive Cambridge, MA 02138-5717 Email: guesthouse@ssje.org (617)876-3037 x10
The Guesthouse Brother Emery House 21 Emery Lane West Newbury, MA 01985-1333 Email: emeryhouse@ssje.org (978)462-7940 x10
The monastery guesthouse and Emery House are open to guests seven nights a week. Guests may arrive from Monday afternoon through Saturday morning. Resident guests may choose to stay in the Monastery guesthouse on Sunday night. Public worship is not offered, nor are any meals served from Sunday Evening Prayer until Monday Evening Prayer (the community’s Sabbath time).
Parking at the monastery:
Parking at the monastery is extremely limited; we encourage guests to use public transportation if at all possible. Space cannot be guaranteed, and guests requiring parking must call ahead to check availability. There is a $10 per day fee for parking at the Monastery.
Please note:
The Society reserves the right to decline applications for retreats or place applicants who have made a number of retreats with us in the past on a waiting list. Brothers may also exercise discretion over admissions based on other priorities. Deposit checks are returned to applicants in the event they are wait-listed or declined.
We depend on your help to make this ministry possible. The brothers of the SSJE offer hospitality to guests regardless of their ability to pay. We offer reduced fees to full-time students. But fees cover only about 50% of actual costs. We depend on guesthouse income to support our life and ministries. Published fees are suggested amounts. Individuals with limited resources are asked to give as they are able; those with ample resources help us continue to offer reduced rates to those who cannot afford to pay by increasing their giving beyond the suggested fee. Your additional gift may be wholly or partially tax deductible.
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Group Program Retreats Group program retreats are generally conducted from Thursday or Friday evening through Sunday midday. In addition to joining the brothers for worship and meals, guests attend a series of addresses or meditations offered by the retreat leader, which alternate with time for prayer, reflection, and recreation. It is customary for those on retreat to observe silence.
Suggested fees for group program retreats: Emery House: Monastery Guesthouse: $105.00 per person per night $90.00 per person per night $55.00 for full-time students $45.00 for full-time students Reservations are confirmed upon receipt of a non-transferable/non-refundable deposit equal to 50% of the total fee.
Companioned Five-day Retreats Companioned five-day directed retreats provide guests with more ample time to receive the gift of renewed intimacy with God in Christ through silence and sustained prayer. Guests meet individually, once each day, with a brother who offers them help in recognizing God’s will and touch in their lives and who gives suggestions for how they might respond to the invitations of the Spirit disclosed in prayer. Companioned retreats are suggested for persons with previous retreat experience. Companioned retreats focus on worship and spending time with God. With their registration, applicants should include a brief (one or two page) spiritual autobiography.
Suggested fees for companioned five-day retreats: Monastery Guesthouse: $85.00 per person per night $45.00 for full-time students
Emery House: $100.00 per person per night $55.00 for full-time students
Reservations are confirmed upon receipt of a non-transferable/non-refundable deposit equal to 50% of the total fee.
Nourishing Your Soul: Individual Retreats Individuals may not wish to attend a program retreat, yet desire a time of quiet and the opportunity to join the brothers in worship and silence. Most weekdays and some weekends are available for individual retreats. If you would like to meet with a brother during your individual retreat, please be certain to make that request when you book your reservation. 32
Continued
SSJE
For a detailed listing of Retreats and Workshops being offered in 2006, please visit our website at: www.ssje.org Suggested fees for Individual Self-directed Retreats: Monastery Guesthouse: $60.00 per person per night $30.00 for full-time student
Emery House: $75.00 per person per night $40.00 for full-time student
Suggested fees for Individual Directed Retreats: Monastery Guesthouse: $95.00 per person per night $40.00 for full-time student
Emery House: $100.00 per person per night $50.00 for full-time student
Reservations are confirmed upon receipt of a non-transferable/non-refundable deposit equal to 50% of the total fee.
GUEST House PROGRAMS Cambridge
Through June, 2006 For information about retreats at the monastery, visit our website at www.ssje.org or contact the guesthouse office at (617) 876-3037 or guesthouse@ssje.org.
NOURISHING THE SOUL - individual retreats at the monastery April 7-9, 2006 // May 26-28, 2006 and most weekends in the months of June and July, 2006. Enjoy the quiet, nourishing atmosphere of the monastery; join the brothers as they chant the Daily Office; walk along the Charles River – a time for rest, reflection and renewal. Suggested fee: $120 (half-price for full-time students) REDISCOVERING YOUR HUNGER FOR GOD – a week of renewal for clergy April 24-29, 2006 (Monday 5 pm – Saturday 2 pm) A spacious week of rest, refreshment, and reflection for clergy who are seeking an opportunity to step back from their busy lives and deepen their relationship with God. An excellent “continuing education” retreat. Led by Brs. GEOFFREY TRISTRAM and GERALD BEAUCHAMP Suggested fee: $450 (half price for full-time students) The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
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SAINT JOHN’S DAY CELEBRATION May 6, 2006 (Saturday, 11 am – 2 pm) Guests from out-of-town are welcomed to reserve a place in our guesthouse. Our speaker this year is the Rt. Rev. Clark Grew, retired Bishop of Ohio. COME AND SEE – a program for men interested in exploring religious life with SSJE June 8-11, 2006 (Thursday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm) Men between the ages of 21 and 45 who are interested in learning more about a vocation with SSJE are encouraged to join us for this weekend program. Participants join in the monastic rhythm of worship, work and meals; receive instruction on the history and mission of SSJE; and meet with brothers individually and in groups to talk about our life. There is no charge for the program beyond the costs of getting to the monastery. Led by Br. GEOFFREY TRISTRAM, Novice Guardian
saturday workshops At The Monastery
For information about Saturday workshops at the monastery, visit our website at www.ssje.org or contact the guesthouse office at (617) 876-3037 or guesthouse@ssje.org.
Workshops begin at 10:00 a.m. (registration begins at 9:30 a.m.) and end by 3:00 p.m. The fee for a Saturday workshop is $60 (half-price for full-time students), which includes lunch. To register, write or call the guesthouse office at: guesthouse@ssje.org Tel: (617) 876-3037 GROUP SPIRITUAL DIRECTION – a one-day workshop April 29, 2006 (Saturday, 10 am – 3 pm) An introduction to the art of spiritual direction in a group setting. Learn what group spiritual direction is and how it works. Led by Brs. DAVID VRYHOF and MARK BROWN Suggested fee: $60 per person (half-price for full-time students) LIVING PRAYERFULLY IN A BUSY WORLD May 13, 2006 (Saturday, 10 am – 3 pm) This workshop will explore the challenges of being a person of prayer in today’s hyperactive culture and offer practical ways of “staying connected” even when things seem to be coming apart. Led by Brs. MARK BROWN, ELDRIDGE PENDLETON and ALAN COOPER Suggested fee: $60 per person (half-price for full-time students) 34
SSJE
Retreats at EMERY HOUSE West Newbury
For more information about retreats and programs at Emery House, visit our website at www.ssje.org or contact Emery House at (978) 462-7940 or emeryhouse@ssje.org.
NOURISHING THE SOUL – individual retreats at Emery House March 24-26, 2006 // April 7-9, 2006 and most weekends in the months of June and July, 2006. Emery House offers its beautiful, spacious grounds to those seeking a quiet refuge in the countryside. Join the brothers for worship and meals; observe plants and animals; read, pray, write, reflect, draw or paint. Suggested fee: $150 (half-price for full-time students) HOLY WEEK AT EMERY HOUSE April 10-16, 2006 (Monday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm) Simple and beautiful liturgies in an atmosphere of prayer and silent reflection. A spacious week for meditation on the mysteries of Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection. Suggested fee: $90 per night (half-price for full-time students) THE WOMEN OF THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN April 21-23, 2006 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm) The Mother of Jesus, the Woman of Samaria, Martha and Mary of Bethany, and Mary Magdalene. Jesus, the One who has come forth from God, appears at his most human in his pivotal encounters with these women of the Fourth Gospel. Led by Br. JONATHAN MAURY Suggested fee: $210 (half-price for full-time students) PRAY, WORK, STUDY – an experience of monastic life June 12-18, 2006 (Monday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm) Participants in this monastic experience week will join the brothers for prayers, meals, work and study. Daily addresses will explore the virtues of monastic life, such as silence, hospitality, humility, balance, and the sanctity of work. Daily work assignments, communal conversations, and time for individual reflection will be a part of each day. Led by Brs. ELDRIDGE PENDLETON and ROBERT L’ESPERANCE Suggested fee: $500 (half-price for full-time students) Please note: Space is often available for individual retreatants on weekdays. For more information about retreats and programs at Emery House, visit our website at www.ssje.org or contact Emery House by calling (978) 462-7940 or emailing emeryhouse@ssje.org. The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
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