20 people enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner in 'The Ark'.
Octavia and Aodh waiting for the yummy food to be served.
The Pilgrims and the Indians don't always get along......
6.12.11
At the end of November we celebrated American Thanksgiving with lots of food, festive hats and good friends. There was much to be thankful for after a year of growth and great experiences in the community. From new and old friendships, to holidays here and abroad, to new jobs, to God's faithfulness and plenty of food, we were one thankful bunch.
16.11.11
14.9.11
Root Soup
Root Soup has continued and prosper over the past year. Micah, the Root Soup coordinator, has put together quite a few videos that explain a lot better than me what happens. Check them out!
Check out the Root Soup Website for more information!
26.5.11
Beautiful Beautiful!
Beautiful Beautiful
Jesus is beautiful
And Jesus makes beautiful
Things of my life
Tenderly
Touching me
Making my eyes to see
That Jesus makes beautiful
Things of my life!
24.5.11
Maria's May Musings
“Cogar i leith chugam anois agus éist go fóill” - Whisper here to me now and listen for a while…
Just the other day, a friend and I drove around Belfast noticing the spaces in North, South, East and West where L’Arche has a connection or a presence. She was astonished how something so tiny could ever be so big. Passing ‘The Loom‘ on the Crumlin Road where Thomas, with his coloured ‘Bible Book’, faithfully weaves relationships with others through prayer at 7am every Monday morning, it struck me that what L’Arche is essentially about is listening for the whisper of what is powerful and not useful and being with what is worthy of being with.
Something is useless if you can’t use it or so it is said. We often apply the same principle to people. If they don’t fit on a production line or consume what comes off a production line they too are considered useless. We don’t understand how they can really matter and humans have a habit of invalidating that which we don’t understand. In our eyes people who seem useless become invalid people. In another era, invalid was the term used for disability.
After our Belfast L’Arche tour, my friend and I returned to the Ember and, there in his usual spot, Larry was standing at the gate waiting for us. I asked him to introduce himself to Ann. “Larry what shows up in our house because you are there?” – he answered – ‘Happy’. Yes indeed, ‘Happy’ surely shows up in the world because Larry is here, faithful friendship through Thomas, beauty through Jillian, kindness through Matthew and lovability through May! Through the filter of our utilitarian worldview I wonder how many of us could describe ourselves so humbly and so powerfully. How many of us would measure our value through what gets generated through our lives instead of what we produce.
I heard it said once “to commit our lives to a purpose bigger than our lives … is the context for ecstasy”. Larry lives that kind of ecstasy. His whole life is such a commitment. He is unstoppable in ‘Happy’ing the world. He has given his life to it. It is who he is. Most of us who know Larry would say that it is not related to his doing but rather through the quality of attention he gives and the relationships he creates. Larry ‘IS’ that we are happy.
In our world of recession talk of diminishing production and consumption, it is likely that many people experience themselves as useless and in their shame they become invalid and voiceless. If we have eyes to see, people like Larry, Jillian, Thomas, Christian, May, Matthew, Helen, Paul, David, Adam, Lisa…can be the unlikely leaders of our times. They know a truth and a purpose bigger than our capacity to do and they are an unshakeable force for the transformation of our world through love. Though they use few words they are not the voiceless ones. They do, however, have the authority to speak in the name of all the voiceless people and into the hearts of all of us, who in one way or another live in fear that any day we too could become useless, voiceless or …God forbid, invalid!
It’s good to be reminded that ‘Usefulness” is, in fact, only the booby prize. It is something altogether different that truly matters and makes all the difference.
Just the other day, a friend and I drove around Belfast noticing the spaces in North, South, East and West where L’Arche has a connection or a presence. She was astonished how something so tiny could ever be so big. Passing ‘The Loom‘ on the Crumlin Road where Thomas, with his coloured ‘Bible Book’, faithfully weaves relationships with others through prayer at 7am every Monday morning, it struck me that what L’Arche is essentially about is listening for the whisper of what is powerful and not useful and being with what is worthy of being with.
Something is useless if you can’t use it or so it is said. We often apply the same principle to people. If they don’t fit on a production line or consume what comes off a production line they too are considered useless. We don’t understand how they can really matter and humans have a habit of invalidating that which we don’t understand. In our eyes people who seem useless become invalid people. In another era, invalid was the term used for disability.
After our Belfast L’Arche tour, my friend and I returned to the Ember and, there in his usual spot, Larry was standing at the gate waiting for us. I asked him to introduce himself to Ann. “Larry what shows up in our house because you are there?” – he answered – ‘Happy’. Yes indeed, ‘Happy’ surely shows up in the world because Larry is here, faithful friendship through Thomas, beauty through Jillian, kindness through Matthew and lovability through May! Through the filter of our utilitarian worldview I wonder how many of us could describe ourselves so humbly and so powerfully. How many of us would measure our value through what gets generated through our lives instead of what we produce.
I heard it said once “to commit our lives to a purpose bigger than our lives … is the context for ecstasy”. Larry lives that kind of ecstasy. His whole life is such a commitment. He is unstoppable in ‘Happy’ing the world. He has given his life to it. It is who he is. Most of us who know Larry would say that it is not related to his doing but rather through the quality of attention he gives and the relationships he creates. Larry ‘IS’ that we are happy.
In our world of recession talk of diminishing production and consumption, it is likely that many people experience themselves as useless and in their shame they become invalid and voiceless. If we have eyes to see, people like Larry, Jillian, Thomas, Christian, May, Matthew, Helen, Paul, David, Adam, Lisa…can be the unlikely leaders of our times. They know a truth and a purpose bigger than our capacity to do and they are an unshakeable force for the transformation of our world through love. Though they use few words they are not the voiceless ones. They do, however, have the authority to speak in the name of all the voiceless people and into the hearts of all of us, who in one way or another live in fear that any day we too could become useless, voiceless or …God forbid, invalid!
It’s good to be reminded that ‘Usefulness” is, in fact, only the booby prize. It is something altogether different that truly matters and makes all the difference.
18.5.11
Prayers and Birthdays
16th of May
Today a group of people went to the Holy Cross Monastery in Rostrevor to discuss and pray about the future of the Loom, our prayer space in north Belfast. The monastery we visited is a Benedictine community and they came to Northern Ireland 1998 as a response to a call addressed by the Church to monasteries of contemplative life to engage themselves in the mission of spiritual ecumenism, rooted in prayer, conversion of heart and charity, in those corners of the world where Christians are divided.
When we arrived we were welcomed by brother Thierry who showed us to a room where we were about to spend our day, pray and talk to each other.
We started out with looking back at the history of the Loom: how it started and why it started. Then we all got a chance to say what we thought the Loom meant to each one of us and also any vision that we had for its future.
Through the day we also took part in the daily prayers in the chapel. I haven't been to that many monasteries and neither am I used to the catholic tradition. I liked trying something new, and there is something very peaceful about a group of brothers sharing their lives with God and each other.
Later brother Thierry came to our "conference room" and shared about their own journey about how they started the monastery. It was an amazing story. We also talked about living in the presence of God.
I think that at the end of the day we were all very inspired and convinced that God wants us to keep praying in the Loom.
We send thanks to the brothers of the Holy Cross Monastery that welcomed us, and we will keep praying and believing that God will provide.
My best memory of the day that I will bring with me is that even when I don't know how, or even want to make an effort, God is already there waiting for me. He is just as real then as when I can feel his breath on my face. Loving me more and more.
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Birthdays!!!
This month (May) we are celebrating a lot of birthdays. That means a lot of breakfasts in bed and a lot of parties! Last weak it was May's 20th birthday. And next is Thomas and Matthew in the same week! I think we can look forward to a lot of fries and burgers. Happy birthday guys!!!
By Julia (a volunteer from Sweden who has been in the community about 6 months)
The whole gang out to celebrate May's 20th birthday!
The birthday girl herself!
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