The Community of Reconciliation Update
November 24, 2009
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“Benedict does not promise that we will be
perfect for having lived it. What Benedict does promise is that we will
be disposed to the will of God, attuned to the presence of God,
committed to the search for God, and just beginning to understand the
power of God in our lives.” Sing Gloria. Sing Gloria. Sing Gloria! 
A flickering constellation of candles led the way to the great choir of Washington National Cathedral as families, friends, colleagues—and a few unsuspecting tourists—gathered to bless and honor intentions of the Community of Reconciliation. I was stunned as wave after wave of music, ancient yet newly alive, washed over the space. And at each turn of the service the soaring phrase Sing Gloria! united us in the rhythm of the evening. High above the lights of Washington, during the following reception, person after person spoke about their personal renewal throughout the year, the weekend, and the service, Companion and guest alike. And everyone asked, “Who were those beautiful voices?” One individual said that there was a moment in the singing when “time stopped” and they moved “beyond this place.” Another said, “When you said it was going to be a beautiful service, I really never comprehended what you meant. I want to spend some time talking through my experience. It WAS so beautiful and I never really understood how beautiful something could be.” Sunday morning, companions gathered in the Cathedral Center for Prayer and Pilgrimage for a time of blessing and release before we attended the Sunday Forum and Worship Service. Some were traveling home to Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, and the Eastern shore while some members of the Cathedral Congregation were “robing up” to serve Communion. Around the circle, each person took time to speak of the impact of the past year, the weekend, and the service of blessing and intention. A physician said the service was “the most profoundly joyous event of my entire life.” An engineer said the weekend had re-started him on a path he had wanted to follow for years. Another individual said this was the pattern they had been waiting for in their life. Many spoke of the power and gentle spirit that wakened something in them throughout the weekend. The following excerpt from an email received this week illuminates what The Community of Reconciliation is all about. Read with me and see if this resonates in your life. Being and sharing among the community this weekend was an absolute balm to my spirit. I woke up this morning not just ready to live my life in this gentle and balanced Benedictine way, but living my life in this gentle and balanced Benedictine way. I got up early, my body rested and I read. Then I spent some time in cleaning up and preparing for my day. I listened to music on the bus ride to work. All in a lush, unhurried kind of way. Here I am at work, calmer and less frantic. It’s my rule in action! Each person adds a blessing to this community… This weekend was a wonderful celebration of life in all its various shapes, sized and configurations. All welcomed. All supported. All accepted, if not always understood. All valued not for what they have but because "they are." What a wonderful way to live! Throughout the weekend we helped invite people to hear and claim the rhythms of contemplative life, clarifying for all what radical balance in life and reconciliation in the world actually looks, feels, and sounds like. Sing Gloria! Peace on the Journey, New Audio Links 
Throughout the weekend, more than 100 companions, candidates, learners, and guests experienced renewal, learning, community-building, intention setting, and blessing at the second annual Community of Reconciliation Weekend of Blessing and Intention. Check your calendars now for mid-November 2010 as we anticipate the next weekend of Blessing and Intention with the Community of Reconciliation. For those who were on travel or at distance and not able to attend, the links below provide access to the stunning music of Armonia Nova, the entire service, and the spoken Companion Prayer composed by Eugene Sutton for the Community of Reconciliation, along with a PDF program of the Saturday Evening Service of Blessing and Intention. I have found myself using the music links to provide a few minutes of reflection and renewal each day. Waiting on the Lord: As we enter this season of holy waiting, prepare your heart for the coming of the Light with a quiet morning of contemplative practices. Learn more » Advent Benedictine Experience 
Experience the rhythms of Advent at a special Benedictine experience December 10–13. Margaret Guenther, Barbara Henry, Milo Coerper will lead our days on the grounds and facilities of Bishop Claggett Center in Buckeystown Maryland. This is a wonderful opportunity to experience profoundly the rhythms and practice of Benedictine life and spirituality in community (either residential or as a commuter) with a number of folks from the Community of Reconciliation. Special discounts are being offered for participants in the Community who wish to attend. For registration and more information about the Benedictine Experience at Bishop Claggett Center click here » “Life is a way of walking through the
universe whole and holy.” |
Please consider the environment before printing this email. Learn More To learn more about The Community, gatherings and events, constellation gatherings, dates, times, and to find audio and video resources for your spiritual growth. Special Note This is the first edition of our new Online Update for The Community of Reconciliation. Now you will be able click directly to a web-based update that eliminates email overload, honors our commitment to ecological stewardship, and provides you an archive of materials and resources for your use. Please let us know if there are other ways to improve communication with all who consider themselves part of The Community of Reconciliation. About Us Wherever you find yourself along your spiritual journey, balance in life and reconciliation in the world can be an increasing part of your life. For details about the Community of Reconciliation events this fall, to register, to find out about joining a new Companion Candidate cohort, or to learn about the Community, visit www.nationalcathedral.org. Or better yet, stop by for a gathering or contact us at (202) 537-6217 or companions@cathedral.org for a personal invitation! |