Ended November with a Women's retreat. Almost every year the women of St. Saviour's Anglican Church in Penticton, BC, have a retreat. This year, it was at Seton House of Prayer, near Kelowna. Nearer to home than our previous few retreats at Sorrento at Salmon Arm.
This year, instead of two people taking on the task all by themselves, they invited a few of us to help out. I was privileged to be assigned from 10am to 10:45 and 11am to noon, for a program of my own design. I chose the theme of colours (the others confirmed that and added Light, so the weekend was "Colours and Light". I claim to have squished a Curisllo weekend into an hour and 45 minutes. Actually, we had a short get-acquainted game followed by Bible study based on colours mentioned in the Bible. We sang De Colores. Then after coffee break, we made "Palanca" bags for our fellow retreatants. Little bags of "love notes" to be taken home at the end of the retreat. In the afternoon, another member of the team taught us how to make candles with coloured wax, thereby completing the theme of colours and light.
Our retreat ended back in Penticton at our church with the celebration of Christ the King, which we claim as our patronal festival, given that there is no saint called St. Saviour. At the church the following week, we sang Las Mananitas to our priest, Nicholas Pang, for his name day, St. Nicholas Day, December 6th.
Thus ended the Church Year. The first Sunday of Advent which falls on December 1st this year, is the Church's New Year. Not January 1st. So, Happy New Year!
Showing posts with label retreat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label retreat. Show all posts
Monday, December 16, 2019
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
Almost October
My own birthday kept me busy in September, but on top of that I had to prepare for a Franciscan Retreat.
My husband, Frank, and I are both third order Franciscans, and as such we are obliged to follow our Rule of Life. Chapter (i.e,. the governing body of the Order) have been working on a fresh way of looking at our Rule. So, Frank and I decided that we should put on a Franciscan Retreat with the focus on reviewing and refreshing our Rule. I called it "Living a Rule of Life" and invited our congregation of St. Saviour's Anglican Church and the Fellowship that we used to belong to in Vancouver, as well as our Brothers and Sisters in neighbouring fellowships in the state of Washington. I guess, not counting the local congregation, I invited by name about thirty people. Guess what? No one showed up. :(
Nevertheless, Frank and I feel that we had a successful retreat.
First of all, we began on Wednesday, October 3rd at 5pm with a beautiful eucharist in Ellis Chapel, adjacent to the church. Father Nick Pang, our new priest, set it up. Candlelight. A little Lady Chapel in the corner. Full vestments. All in white. We sang and prayed. It was lovely. The congregation had been invited, but no one was there except the priest and my husband and me. We were so grateful to Nick for this. His selections of readings and the service itself was 99% from our own Franciscan Devotional Companion. The little bit that was not, came from For All the Saints, a companion book to usual prayer book used in Anglican churches in Canada, known as the BAS.
Thursday morning, Frank and I were admitted into the church for our Quiet Day, to which I'd invited everyone plus the thirty Franciscans. No one came. We weren't surprised. Several had responded saying that if we do the same thing next year, they'll try to come. So of course, I hope we can do that. But, on our own, and because Frank can't see to read and make notes, the two of us worked on revising our Rules. His and mine are based on the same template, of course, but in the past we had not known exactly what the other's Rule required. This time, we have our individuality but I typed his up in large print so he can use his magnifier to amplify it enough to be able to read it for himself. Even though he participated in discussing each aspect of the 9 parts of the Rule, he needs to discuss it with his own spiritual director before we approach our regional chaplain to have it sanctified.
Friday morning, Nick came again for the Eucharist that we'd asked for to conclude our Retreat. This time, we were joined by another couple, so it was not just us. We ended with Centering Prayer in the church with others who usually attend on Friday mornings.
We were not disappointed with the no-shows, in fact we really would have been surprised if anyone had come. After all, Wednesday and Thursday and Friday, the days just before Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, were not the best time for the Retreat. However, we didn't choose the date of St. Francis' Transitus and St. Francis Day. October 3rd is Transitus, and October 4th is St. Francis Day.
My husband, Frank, and I are both third order Franciscans, and as such we are obliged to follow our Rule of Life. Chapter (i.e,. the governing body of the Order) have been working on a fresh way of looking at our Rule. So, Frank and I decided that we should put on a Franciscan Retreat with the focus on reviewing and refreshing our Rule. I called it "Living a Rule of Life" and invited our congregation of St. Saviour's Anglican Church and the Fellowship that we used to belong to in Vancouver, as well as our Brothers and Sisters in neighbouring fellowships in the state of Washington. I guess, not counting the local congregation, I invited by name about thirty people. Guess what? No one showed up. :(
Nevertheless, Frank and I feel that we had a successful retreat.
First of all, we began on Wednesday, October 3rd at 5pm with a beautiful eucharist in Ellis Chapel, adjacent to the church. Father Nick Pang, our new priest, set it up. Candlelight. A little Lady Chapel in the corner. Full vestments. All in white. We sang and prayed. It was lovely. The congregation had been invited, but no one was there except the priest and my husband and me. We were so grateful to Nick for this. His selections of readings and the service itself was 99% from our own Franciscan Devotional Companion. The little bit that was not, came from For All the Saints, a companion book to usual prayer book used in Anglican churches in Canada, known as the BAS.
Thursday morning, Frank and I were admitted into the church for our Quiet Day, to which I'd invited everyone plus the thirty Franciscans. No one came. We weren't surprised. Several had responded saying that if we do the same thing next year, they'll try to come. So of course, I hope we can do that. But, on our own, and because Frank can't see to read and make notes, the two of us worked on revising our Rules. His and mine are based on the same template, of course, but in the past we had not known exactly what the other's Rule required. This time, we have our individuality but I typed his up in large print so he can use his magnifier to amplify it enough to be able to read it for himself. Even though he participated in discussing each aspect of the 9 parts of the Rule, he needs to discuss it with his own spiritual director before we approach our regional chaplain to have it sanctified.
Friday morning, Nick came again for the Eucharist that we'd asked for to conclude our Retreat. This time, we were joined by another couple, so it was not just us. We ended with Centering Prayer in the church with others who usually attend on Friday mornings.
We were not disappointed with the no-shows, in fact we really would have been surprised if anyone had come. After all, Wednesday and Thursday and Friday, the days just before Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, were not the best time for the Retreat. However, we didn't choose the date of St. Francis' Transitus and St. Francis Day. October 3rd is Transitus, and October 4th is St. Francis Day.
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
Franciscan Retreat 2016
It isn't easy to go on a real Franciscan retreat. First you have to find other Franciscans who are available all at the same time. Then, well, there are the usual arrangements to make of where and when and doing exactly what and for how long. And, of course, you can please all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time. (Who said that? Lincoln? I don't know.)
So, to make it simple, my husband and I usually just do the retreat in our own way together, just the two of us. We try to make it mostly in silence, but that isn't easy either. But we're getting better, I think.
This time, we're taking a few days before the Surrey writers' conference to spend time with friends and take care of a few Franciscan obligations while we're at it.
The best way to do a retreat is to go to a retreat centre, but we can't always do that. Maybe next time we'll go to the Benedictine monastery in Mission, BC, but this time we're just in a hotel.
We arrived in Vancouver on Saturday afternoon, after a 7 hour ride on a Greyhound bus from Penticton (leaving the house at 5:45 am, bus leaving at 6:20 am). We had time to book into the Accent Inn and then have a light lunch at our favourite restaurant. This was our home base for everything during our 5 night stay--including our retreat.
So, here's the retreat schedule you've been waiting for:
We began on Monday night with Compline.
Then in the morning, we were in silence except for private morning prayer, then a reading from a book called Reconciliation by Martin L. Smith SSJE, followed by silent meditation on the readings recommended there. At about 11:30 we went for "brunch" at the above restaurant, and hung out until the maids had done our room. We allowed ourselves to use this time to assess our retreat choices and schedule, and make adjustments. The rest of the day was spent in a similar pattern. At about 5:30 pm we said Evensong. Then, more readings from the book and more silent meditations. Supper at 7:30 at the restaurant, followed by more readings and silent meditations. Ending the day with Compline, again. More silence until the next day. It's not perfect, but we try.
So, to make it simple, my husband and I usually just do the retreat in our own way together, just the two of us. We try to make it mostly in silence, but that isn't easy either. But we're getting better, I think.
This time, we're taking a few days before the Surrey writers' conference to spend time with friends and take care of a few Franciscan obligations while we're at it.
The best way to do a retreat is to go to a retreat centre, but we can't always do that. Maybe next time we'll go to the Benedictine monastery in Mission, BC, but this time we're just in a hotel.
We arrived in Vancouver on Saturday afternoon, after a 7 hour ride on a Greyhound bus from Penticton (leaving the house at 5:45 am, bus leaving at 6:20 am). We had time to book into the Accent Inn and then have a light lunch at our favourite restaurant. This was our home base for everything during our 5 night stay--including our retreat.
So, here's the retreat schedule you've been waiting for:
We began on Monday night with Compline.
Then in the morning, we were in silence except for private morning prayer, then a reading from a book called Reconciliation by Martin L. Smith SSJE, followed by silent meditation on the readings recommended there. At about 11:30 we went for "brunch" at the above restaurant, and hung out until the maids had done our room. We allowed ourselves to use this time to assess our retreat choices and schedule, and make adjustments. The rest of the day was spent in a similar pattern. At about 5:30 pm we said Evensong. Then, more readings from the book and more silent meditations. Supper at 7:30 at the restaurant, followed by more readings and silent meditations. Ending the day with Compline, again. More silence until the next day. It's not perfect, but we try.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
October and November
November swept by so fast this year that I hardly remember any of it. I recall that the weather was generally nice here in Vancouver.
It began with my visit to the Okanagan to see my kids and their families. I had only a few days, beginning on October 28th and returning home on November 2nd, but that would be the last full week with no "optional" meetings that could be cancelled. The next time I'll have a full week free will be in April or May of 2014.
Monday mornings are spent at Christ Church Cathedral, making sandwiches for the street people. After sandwiches, I walk to the library for a brief browse and then back to the cathedral for the noon Mass. The afternoon is supposed to be for writing, but I usually find myself too drowsy to focus. Then on alternate Monday evenings, my husband and I attend Welsh language lessons!
Tuesday mornings are spent at an elementary school, reading with the children (grade 2/3 split) or helping the teacher with marking, etc. Again, afternoons are not well used, unless napping is considered a virtue.
Wednesdays are generally free. I call it my writing day, but ... my heart isn't in it as much as it should be. Tell the truth, I'm still grieving for my sons and grandson. "Getting over it" isn't as easy as it seems to other people who haven't walked in my moccassins. But I do try.
Thursdays and Fridays seem to fill up with appointments or chores, and Saturdays generally have some sort of meetings or workshops that need to be attended.
Sundays, of course, begin with church, and end with visiting and social interaction of some sort.
October and November had some evening activity: I think it was four Tuesday evenings we went to the cathedral for lectures on St. Paul. The first was the most interesting because it was presented by a rabbi!!!! He was extraordinarily well-versed in the New Testament.
And on Thursday evenings, 6 of them, I think, my husband and I decided to confuse our Welsh language studies by taking on New Testament Greek! This was taught by a professor whose first language was modern Greek, but studied Koine Greek (not ancient Greek, spoken by Socrates and the boys, but about 500 years newer, Koine--which is already 2000 years old now and not the same at all as the modern version currently used in Greece--any more than the languages of Shakespeare or Chaucer or as found in Beowulf is used now by us).
It began with my visit to the Okanagan to see my kids and their families. I had only a few days, beginning on October 28th and returning home on November 2nd, but that would be the last full week with no "optional" meetings that could be cancelled. The next time I'll have a full week free will be in April or May of 2014.
Monday mornings are spent at Christ Church Cathedral, making sandwiches for the street people. After sandwiches, I walk to the library for a brief browse and then back to the cathedral for the noon Mass. The afternoon is supposed to be for writing, but I usually find myself too drowsy to focus. Then on alternate Monday evenings, my husband and I attend Welsh language lessons!
Tuesday mornings are spent at an elementary school, reading with the children (grade 2/3 split) or helping the teacher with marking, etc. Again, afternoons are not well used, unless napping is considered a virtue.
Wednesdays are generally free. I call it my writing day, but ... my heart isn't in it as much as it should be. Tell the truth, I'm still grieving for my sons and grandson. "Getting over it" isn't as easy as it seems to other people who haven't walked in my moccassins. But I do try.
Thursdays and Fridays seem to fill up with appointments or chores, and Saturdays generally have some sort of meetings or workshops that need to be attended.
Sundays, of course, begin with church, and end with visiting and social interaction of some sort.
October and November had some evening activity: I think it was four Tuesday evenings we went to the cathedral for lectures on St. Paul. The first was the most interesting because it was presented by a rabbi!!!! He was extraordinarily well-versed in the New Testament.
And on Thursday evenings, 6 of them, I think, my husband and I decided to confuse our Welsh language studies by taking on New Testament Greek! This was taught by a professor whose first language was modern Greek, but studied Koine Greek (not ancient Greek, spoken by Socrates and the boys, but about 500 years newer, Koine--which is already 2000 years old now and not the same at all as the modern version currently used in Greece--any more than the languages of Shakespeare or Chaucer or as found in Beowulf is used now by us).
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
retreat
Each year in May, my husband and I go on retreat to Rivendell Christian Retreat Centre on Bowen Island, a one hour journey from our home, by car and ferry. It is a Franciscan duty to go on retreat at least once a year. We choose this time of year because it honours the memory of our grandson who drowned on May 22, 2005. Part of the time,we spend in silence, but it is usually not a "silent retreat". Rivendell is a lovely place, on an island with mountains and tall evergreen trees. The building has several places to sit and be quiet. No TV. No phones (although I confess to bringing my iPhone and checking email once a day). However, I also use my iPhone to take pictures, and I have them here now. They are of Hawthorne Room, which houses the tiny library. Guests are invited to light a fire and read in the room or take a book to another room to read. I found Hawthorne a comfortable place to write my journal, or read or knit in the peaceful hours of the early morning.
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