God in the Whirlwind Retreat

God in the Whirlwind Retreat
Barbara Harris Center
Greenfield NH
Oct 31-Nov 2, 2008

Friday night

I got here around 6:30 pm. Traffic was very heavy and it took me 2 ½ hrs from Newton. I depended on Lola to get me here and she did great – it was just at the very end when she said arriving at destination on right and it was really on the left. I drove down a very long driveway to get to the conference center and saw four deer. Our group is staying in St. John’s Lodge. I believe it has 12 bedrooms, plus a couple of meeting rooms and a kitchenette. It is very comfortable and reminds me a little of a ski lodge. There is another lodge and some cabins too. They left me a note on the door to join them at dinner. First I checked out my room – it’s huge! I have a double bed and a twin bed plus a table with two chairs, a large bureau and a large bathroom. Everyone had pretty much finished eating when I got to the dining hall and the food was not very warm but I was glad to have something to eat.

After dinner we gathered at 7:30 pm. While we were waiting for everyone I started talking to Susie Allen, one of the retreat leaders (the other one is Nancy Elder-Wilfrid, who ws the leader of the retreat I went to at Glastonbury Abbey). Turns out her son went to Marist and rowed for them too! He was a senior when Caitlin was a freshman. I think he must have been pretty good because he was captain of the men’s team that year. Susie told me he had rowed in high school and was recruited by Tom’s father. So that was interesting. Also, Susie graduated from Andover-Newton!

The evening gathering started with prayer then we introduced ourselves and since it was Halloween, shared what our favorite Halloween costume was. I said that Joan and I were Batman and Robin in college, and also how Caitlin and I liked that Jasmine costume I made for her when she was maybe 7 or 8. After that we did an exercise with sea glass. They had put many pieces of it on the table in the center of the room where they also had a pretty fall table runner, a pumpkin, and a sprig of bittersweet, and a candle. We chose a piece then shared why we chose it, what it reminded us of, etc.

After the sea glass, Nancy led us through a body prayer where we stood up, stretched in a prayerful way,etc. We closed with prayer which I wish I had a copy of – it was very nice. Got back to my room at 9:15 then texted Caitlin to tell her about the Will Allen connection, read a little, then went to bed. Slept till 6:15 and was very comfortable. I have a little coffee maker in my room, so I made coffee. It’s just starting to get light now and it’s almost 7:00. I’m glad I brought my red shawl that Marc and Carolina gave me. It’s nice around my shoulders when I’m reading.

We had morning prayer at 7:30. Susie led it, and it was wonderful. After that we walked down to the dining hall for breakfast. Scrambled eggs, hash browns, and fruit. My head is spinning because I sat next to Susie and we talked and talked. She told me that her son is still an avid rower. He works for a moving company, Gentle Giant, that employs rowers. He rows before and after work, at a place in Cambridge. After that I walked back with Kathleen, who teaches theology at Assumption College. She is very interesting too. We don’t meet till 9:30, so I may go outside and walk around a bit first.

I walked around a little, past the cabins and down to the lake. Saw a flock of wild turkeys and took their picture. It’s cool and sunny, maybe around 50. We’re meeting at 9:30. One more person is due to arrive, guess she couldn’t make it last night.

At the 930 gathering, Susie read from the Book of Job, then we wrote reflections on suffering that we shared with our small groups. My small group is Kathleen, Gereda, who is in my faith group at All Saints, and Arne, an 81 year old retired man who lives in Worcester. I think he got a graduate degree at Clark.

Kathleen and I set up for lunch. We went down to the dining hall about 10 minutes before lunchtime to put out the plates, utensils, napkins and then we brought over the platters of food. We had tomato soup, salad bar, open faced sandwiches made with turkey, cheese and broccoli then baked in the oven. They were yummy! We also had potato salad and cookies and brownies. The kitchen staff doesn’t really encourage people to hang out after the food is gone but Kathleen and I were still drinking our tea so we stayed at the table and talked. She’s very articulate. We talked about our disillusionment with the RC church over the women’s ordination issue. Kathleen said she considered herself RC till about 6 months ago. We could have talked longer but it was almost time for our next group meeting at 1:30.
At that meeting we read two versions of Psalm 23 – the KJV and a contemporary version. Then we went with our small groups to reflect on that and to pray for each other. Then we entered into a time of extended silence at 2:30. We’ll be in silence till after breakfast tomorrow. I went back to my room and read for a while. Took a nap then went outside and walked along the trails for about an hour. It seemed cooler than this morning. I wore my wool sweater, vest, and gloves. I walked through the woods and made a short call home (oops!) then walked down to the lake. At 4:30 we had an optional time of worship. Actually, everything is optional this weekend. They told us to come to what we wanted and if we’d rather go walking or just sleep, that was ok too. The worship was Taize chants and two scripture readings – very nicely done by Susie and Nancy. Susie did the chanting. She has a nice voice. One chant was:
Bless the Lord, my soul
And bless God’s holy name.
Bless the Lord, my soul
Who leads me into life.
And…
Let me hear, let me hear
What you will say
When I turn to you
In my heart.

I went back to my room after that and read for a while. Susie and Nancy each brought some of their books to share with us, so I’ve been looking at those. At 6 pm I walked to the dining hall. We’re still in silence, so it as a little strange for the 10 of us to eat silently while everyone else in the dining hall was talking. But it was ok. We had salad, some brown bread that looked homemade, marinated beef, red potatoes, and a broccoli/onion/mushroom dish. For dessert we had individual strawberry shortcakes. I had tea too. We clear our own tables.
So now I’m back in my room. At 7:30 there’s another optional gathering for evening prayer and holy eucharist. I’d better brush and floss first because I’m sure I have onion breath!

8:00 pm: I just got back from the prayer and eucharist. It was lovely. The room was dimly lit and on the small table in the center of the circle of chairs there was a chalice of wine and a small loaf of bread, also 10 small votive candles that were lit. We began by praying St. Patrick’s Breastplate as a body prayer – Christ before me, etc. There was a chant – Be still and know that I am God and there is none beside me. We gave each other the bread and wine standing in a circle. Then we did a laying on of hands in the same way. It was really a lovely and intimate celebration of the Lord’s supper.

I went to bed pretty early, so that, coupled with the time change, caused me to wake up at 3:45! I stayed awake for a while but eventually went back to sleep till 5:15. Made coffee and used the little creamers I had snuck back from the dining hall last night, so I didn’t have to use that powdered creamer they provided. I’m going to shower now then go outside till our gathering at 7:30 for morning prayer.

Morning prayer was contemplative and holy. It lasted about 20 minutes. There were four of us there plus Nancy, who led the prayers. She shared a few very short readings with periods of silence interspersed. The candle was lit and the pumpkin and the bittersweet were on the quilted “altar cloth”.

Breakfast was delicious. The food here is not gourmet by any means but it’s hearty and filling, and I so appreciate not being involved with meal preparation. We had blueberry pancakes, bacon, and fruit, plus there are cereals and yogurt available too. We’re still in silence but that will end when we meet at 9:30. After breakfast I walked down to the lake. It’s warming up a bit but is still quite chilly. We had a frost last night, so I’m guessing it’s in the mid to upper 30’s now. It’s sunny though. I’ve started my packing =( Two nights are not enough! I’m very very grateful to have had this time but it goes by much too quickly.
We met at 9:30 and shared in our small groups any final reflections we’d had during the silence. Then we reconvened and people shared short readings by or about a saint, since it’s All Saints weekend. We had a liturgy in the chapel at 11 with Holy Eucharist. It was very very nicely done. I read Psalm 121. In a few minutes I’m setting the table for lunch with Susan. Lunch was great – beef stew, bread, and we had really good pumpkin pie for dessert. It was nice to be able to talk again. After lunch I finished my packing and had to say goodbye!