Emery House

Have you ever kept silence?

I am not talking about the “Quiet Game”- you know, the one, the one your parents (or you as a parent) have instigated out of a desire of a quieter space with less bickering, I am talking about, as the psalm says, “Be Still and Know”

Being still and being quiet are HARD in this day and age.

We live in a world where ever statement expects an answer, people ramble on just to work out their own thoughts or just to fill the space. There is always a radio, TV, podcast, pandora station, or youtube video to listen to. 

To find quiet we have to literally unplug and disconnect. Intentionally remove the stimuli and even then often we find ourselves still looking to the next thing to do. being still is not what we are good at, or perhaps not what I am good at doing naturally.

Most of us are still when we are asleep. Deep and restful sleep freshens us.  Deep stillness in the same way also refreshes us, allows us to regain our center and focus.

I arrived this afternoon at the Emery House for my retreat.

At the Emery House we do everything in silence except prayers at 7:30am, 12noon, 6pm and 8pm. All else is in silence (well except when you arrive, they do greet you and welcome you). I sat in my room awaiting prayers this afternoon and listened to how quiet the house was and how still it was. The stillness brought the reminder to me all that I am thankful for, the gifts of stillness, of time, of people as they flitted in and out of my mind.

Emery House was originally a working farm that was donated to the Society of St John the Evangelist for hospitality and retreat. The Emery Family were hard workers and felt strongly about caring for the poor and hospitality to their neighbors, they inherited land and when the final family member died, they gave this house to the brothers to allow others to come and be fed in mind, body and spirit.

How do you keep silence?

How do you help others find and keep silence in their lives? (Perhaps “The Quiet Game” isn’t such a bad idea after all)

A Taste of Boston

On the first Sunday of Sabbatical my true love gave me a 5:30am flight to Boston!

Early but we arrived in time to go straight to a Red Sox game in 37 degree weather. The ballpark frank was DELICIOUS and the FREE hot chocolate just as good! After a day of Traveling we were toast and headed to bed early.

Monday, April 16, was Patriots’ Day and, of course, the boston marathon. Rob and I grabbed breakfast and then hopped on the T. We entered into McGreevey’s to watch the race - the weather was RIDICULOUSly gross. COLD and DOWNPOURING, we were delighted to be inside and quickly made friends with folks at the bar who were cheering on a young man from Nebraska who was doing really well! Sam Adams even brews a special brew for the marathon called: “26.2” It was amazing to watch the finishes and cheer folks on.

Amazing the professionals and all the runners as they accomplished such a race, the joy of those who have run it before and those we saw the next day in Boston hobbling as they walked- Boston was full of joy and passion despite such dismal weather.

We ate oysters at the Oyster House and Cannolis at Mike’s and then took my sodden self home (Rob wins best dressed for weather that day).

Our Final day in Boston was spent in Plymouth, Milton, Brookline, Cambridge, and Salem. We had a car, what can I say?! It is astounding how many of the 102 pilgrims did not last the first year in Plymouth. Also noteworthy was the burial ground (originally they hid their dead so the natives could not see that they were weak) and the memorial to the native chief are not too far apart on top of the hill looking towards the sea. Between the two is a plaque stating the “Day of mourning” that is celebrated on Thanksgiving Day. A hearty reminder that the pilgrims survival also meant natives were killed and died due to colonies.

In Milton, Rob found the house he lived in for a year while his father was on sabbatical, we saw the birthplace of George W Bush (who knew!) and then headed to Cambridge where we saw JFK’s birthplace and the Julia Childs’ home. We ended up at JFK’s library and walked through history- a Great Wall for the peace corps and another glimpse into the civil rights movement from JFK’s perspective.

We ended with dinner in Salem, chasing the witches and sunset. Also noteworthy was a memorial in Salem for the women who were killed for “being witches” and the unfairness to them.....a beautiful grove of trees planted for each of the women named.

A Wedding in Mississippi

So MOST people begin their sabbatical with retreat time.

The first weekend of my sabbatical was filled with officiating and celebrating a wedding.

A wonderful opportunity to SEE a family I had not seen in nearly 10 years hear of their joy and help them celebrate their new chapter in their life.

To get to the wedding, I flew into Memphis, TN and took the time to visit the Loraine Hotel, the place where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assasinated 50 years ago this month. The museum they have created in this space in comprehensive and awe-filling. The story telling was moving and reminds us that the story isn’t over. The entire second museum is about the continuing legacy of MLK and the voices yet to be heard and who are helping to make these stories be heard.

I continued south to Mississippi to rehearse the service and then eat dinner with the wedding party and family at the bride’s grandfather’s home, a big house filled to the brim with family and friends and lots of BBQ.

The next morning we got up and went to Oxford, MS and ate at the Big Bad Breakfast restaurant and then toured the square, I caught up with friends and we dodged raindrops. We were not able to go to the Ajax Diner which employed every member of the bride’s family at one time or another, adopting them in as family.

The wedding was beautiful and joyfilled. A 19th century methodist church was a fun liturgical space for an episcopal wedding complete with Eucharist :). The reception was again at the Bride’s grandfather’s home catered by a restaurant in town whose tradition is to feed the entire staff after closing. All invited to the table to make sure there is at least one good meal in their bellies. It was a kind and wonderful gathering from meal to meal, table to table as we blessed this new couple and refreshed old friendships.