This morning is cool, though the day anticipates 90+ degrees. The air is moist on the banks of the Rappahannock. Lush green greets me everywhere as my eyes sweep over the landscape around my cottage: trees, leaf heavy, vines twining around things though I wish they wouldn’t among the little plantings that I want to thrive. The corn stalks in the fields on the road leading to my home have grown at least a foot or two while I was in New Mexico and so too the weeds in my little strip of garden snuggled against the walls of my home. Somehow this morning I don’t mind everything growing and seem to be at peace with it.
New Mexico: my eyes turn inward, reflecting on the week before spent in an “Intensive” with Richard Rohr and the Living School of the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque with a small group of thirty eight out of the 189 folks in my 2020 cohort group from all over the world. A very different landscape there. It’s desert. No moisture in the air. Rocks and sand are the primary ground cover. A river runs through that landscape too, the Rio Grande, a short hike from the Retreat Center of the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande where our small group met for a week. Impressions from my time there. I remember and share a few with you.
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- The Koi pond where the lotus/water lily blossom eventually unfolded as brightly colored fish glided silently around it.
- Vespers each evening as words of the poets Rumi or Mary Oliver wove through our gathering space, soft drumbeats mirrored our heart beats, exquisite music (Hauser’s cello deeply resonating “Benedictus”, for example), gems of scripture opening the eyes of our hearts, Taize like chanting almost lullaby like soothing our souls – all of it over the unfolding days and evenings filling the spaces around and in us as we prayed into the gathering evenings.
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- Conversations fueled by heart and mind passions leaning into desires for transformation, however minute or grand, for self, others and the whole world.
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- Taste bursting, colorful, belly filling wonderful meals in the Southwestern style as we sat around outdoor striped umbrella shaded tables, nourished not only by food, but each other’s presence.
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- The tiny hummingbird nest I passed on my way to and from our living space and the main building for meals and lectures. Two tiny baby hummingbird mouths open wide, waiting, just waiting to be filled. No sound, but open, just waiting, certain that nurture was sure to come. And it did as a parent returned spilling nectar into waiting mouths.
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- Opie, Father Richard’s little dog sitting under the table spread out with his master’s papers and books, during the approximate 4-5 hours per day of lecture and discussion. Opie circulating among those of us hanging on Father Richard’s every word of wisdom just making sure we were attentive but also pausing from time to time for pats and strokes or a back or belly scratch. Opie, dancing on his two back legs from time to time, just like Sir Winston, our parish house mascot at St. John’s.
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The Spirit was powerfully present in that desert landscape. In the desert the Spirit has so much space in which to roam. My little “s” spirit roamed and found special space there too on this pilgrimage of sorts. I reflect: no matter what age we are, it’s never too late to roam a bit and explore new landscapes. Yet, this morning my soul drinks in the moisture of the place I call home, my
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eyes roam over the greening around me and my spirit delights in the motion of the Virginia river that has been a part of my life since I was a child. I know this place of my heart and soul again, as if for the first time, deeper, broader, alive, in awe of its certain currents that flow through me wherever I wander and wait for me whenever I return home.
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May you, too, be blessed with summertime wanderings and wonderings wherever they take you,
Torrence
photos except corn (Pinterest, no copyright infringement intended) courtesy of Torrence Harman, including background desert foliage
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Queen Anne Sunday
June 30
th
QA Lace photos courtesy of Anne Neuman & Lucy Baker
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July 4
th
Cople Parish and the Northern Neck Historical Society invite you to gather for an
Independence Day
Celebration at
Burnt House Field
(Mt Pleasant Road -Rt. 675, Hague
map
), burial site of Richard Henry Lee, signer of the Declaration of Independence at 8:15 a.m. Following that brief commemoration, we drive to Yeocomico Church. for a 9 a.m. service of thanksgiving for our liberties, prayers, and singing of patriotic hymns.
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Combined parish Sunday Services
at 10 a.m.
summer casual
attire
if you'd like.
1
st
& 3
rd
Sundays at
St. John's
with
Communion
;
2
nd
& 4
th
Sundays at
Farnham
with
Morning Prayer
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The summer
E-pistle
schedule is twice a month: the
next
one will be
July 16
th
or
17
th.
Lesson pages
for
June 23
rd
& 30
th
services are linked, below.
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Last year’s picnic was a success so we have plans to do it again
at belle isle state park at 5:00 p.m. on
saturday, july 20
th
with
the park's summer "music by the river" concert beginning at 6:00 with bluegrass band
"Rappahannock Crossing"
.
Invite friends, bring family and neighbors and a side dish to share. The parishes will provide the main dish of fried chicken, rolls and drinks. We have reserved the “Humphrey’s” shelter which has some picnic tables but please also
bring a lawn chair
for your seating. Note: There is a
$5/car parking fee.
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Summer Speaker Series events
at St. John's Wellford Hall- 6 p.m. social,
6:30 covered dish supper, 7 p.m. speaker
Tuesday,
July 23
rd
don't miss James Beckwith's "All in the Family" talk about three generations of
race horses that made a great impact on America from the close of the American Revolution to an omen of the civil war. There is a family connection with the Northern Neck as Sir Archie was owned by the Tayloes of Mt Airy.
Tuesday,
July 30
th Charles Lawton will talk about preservation and conservation of photographs.
Tuesday,
August 20
th Michelle Brumfield's topic is research on the lower Lunenburg parish.
There is also a July 16th event at the Steamboat Museum.
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Celtic Services
Sunday, July 21
st
Holy Communion at StJ
Sunday, August 11
th
Morning Prayer at Farnham
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September 27
th
- 29
th
Parish Shrine Mont Retreat
“Caring for God’s Creation in a Celtic Way.”
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October 29
th
,
30
th
and
31
st
John Philip Newell's
School of Celtic Consciousness
-
a three day event at Grace Episcopal Church, Kilmarnock
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the haven could use volunteer help
Saturday July 6th
at their booth at the Irvington Farmer's Market from 8:30 am to 1 pm.
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Sunday July 7
th
Holy Eucharist
Joint Congregation service
10:00
a.m.
at St. John's
no service at Farnham
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Sunday July 14
th
Morning Prayer
Joint Congregation service
10:00
a.m. at
Farnham
no service at St. John's
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Sunday July 21
st
Holy Eucharist
Celtic Service
Joint Congregation service
10:00
a.m. at St. John's
no service at Farnham
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Sunday July 28
th
Morning Prayer
Joint Congregation service
10:00
a.m.
at Farnham
no service at St. John's
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Come Worship With Us
Sunday Service this week
10:00 a.m. St. John's Church
Warsaw, VA
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