Mendelssohn Hebrides Overture (Fingal's Cave)

http://youtu.be/yOZGl5UmkvQ

"The three principal endeavors of a Bard:One is to learn and collect sciences.

The second is to teach.And the third is to make peaceAnd to put an end to all injury;

For to do contrary to these thingsIs not usual or becoming to a Bard."

~THE TRIADS OF BRITAIN

My Druid is Christ, the Son of God

St. Columba

‘Mo drui, mac Dé'

Céad Míle Faíte!

for the 21st Century

Blessing for the Journey:

God, bless to me this day,God, bless to me this night;Bless, O bless. Thou God of grace,Each day and hour of my life ;Bless, O bless. Thou God of grace.Each day and hour of my life.

God, bless the pathway on which I go,God, bless the earth that is beneath my sole ;Bless, O God, and give to me Thy love,O God of gods, bless my rest and my repose ;Bless, O God, and give to me Thy love,

Opening Prayer (Carmina Gadelica)

Thanks to thee, 0 God, that I have risen to-day,To the rising of this life itself;May it be to thine own glory, 0 God of every gift,And to the glory of my soul likewise.

0 great God, aid Thou my soulWith the aiding of Thine own mercy ;Even as I clothe my body with wool,Cover Thou my soul with the shadow of thy wing.

Disclaimer – For the Worried Participant

You will not start playing the bag-pipes, wearing kilts, or drinking

Scotch. (if you don’t already) You won’t start practicing Harry Potter-like wizardry or learn druidic rituals like tree hugging in your backyard.

You will not learn to chant incantations like an Legolas from

the Lord of the Rings.

But you will engage culture!If you do, blame Ryan for inviting me here…

Disclaimer

To conclude that an egalitarian, pluralistic,

free-spirited, "green" Christianity not hung

up on sin thrived in the northwest corner of

the known world until Rome crushed it

does not necessarily fly in historical scholarship.

Such a romanticized view of Christianity never

likely never did, nor never will exist. 

What will we do?

We will lean in and talk, share, listen, discern

and learn together as pilgrims about: Christ Celts Culture Community and Self Creation Creation

Pilgrim? Sojourner? Wander? The Purpose of this time together…

To reveal the “thin places” of the sacred everyday life.

To connect anew in community To understand the how “engagement” is

a central tenet of the Christian faith To create culture together!

Weekly Schedule

Date and Topic

May 8 - The Spiritual Act of Welcoming and Inclusion

May 15 - The Celtic Vision of Justice and Mercy

May 29 - Embracing and Questioning Culture: The Arts and Empowerment

June 5 - The Art of Living as a Community

Culture Making – Andy Crouch http://www.culture-making.com/

“Those who have struggled with the sacred-secular dichotomy will find this book life-giving; every Christian interested in changing culture should read it.”

Publisher Weekly, 2008

Culture is what we make of the world, both in creating cultural artifacts as well as in making sense of the world around us. By making chairs and omelets, languages and laws, we participate in the good work of culture making.

A Celtic Knot – The Journey

Pick a spot on the Celtic Journey Knot and run your finger slowly along the line till it intersects another line. At the junction, stop and think of a time when an event in your life changed the course of your life. What do you think was the purpose of that event in shaping who you are today? When you have reflected, move your finger to the next junction and repeat. After we have a had a minute, grab a paint brush and decorate the artifact.

From the Stone Age

to the Digital Age

Celtic Historical Periods Date Significant Events

Pre- History Pre-800 BCE Migration from East to WestCommunities in Rhine, Danube, Po ValleyMonolithic Construction

Greek and Roman 800BC – 490AD Established commerce and trade routes between Europe and the Mediterranean

Conflict with Greek and Roman EmpiresRise of the DruidsPush of Celts to Brittan

Medieval Christian 490 AD-1500 AD Creation of Celtic Mission and Monasteries

Romanizing and Anglo-Saxon Influence

Golden Age of Celtic Church

Conflict with Rome

Post-Reformation and Modern Expression

Post -1500 AD English Reformation

Church of Scotland

Iona Community

http://resourcesforhistory.com/map.htm

Historical Artifacts “Culture is what we make of the world” What does

this mean? Examine through the lenses of the questions below:

What does this cultural artifact assume about the world?

What does this cultural artifact assume about the way the world should be?

What does this cultural artifact make possible or impossible (or at least very difficult)?

What new forms of culture are created in response to this artifact?

What is Spirituality?

It is the search for meaning, substance, and value of life.

Not abstract or detached from the everyday realities of life

Not psychology, escapism, romanticism and individualism.

What is Spirituality?

Must be realized in the “turning outward” to real

It is engagement with life It is experienced and

discovered in the complexities of human relationships

Spiritual Practice #1

Soul Friends

John 15:14-15 (The Message)

"I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature.

This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love.

Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning.

No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father.

“Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

Traveler of the Road to Emmaus

Luke 24:32

Anam Cara – Soul Friendship

The Cross of St. Brigit

As she sat down at the bedside of a dying Chieftain, the dirt floor was strewn with rushes both for warmth and cleanliness. She stooped down and started to weave them into a cross. The sick man asked what she was doing. She began to explain the cross, and as she talked, his delirium quieted and he questioned her with growing interest. Through her weaving he came to know Christ .

Hebrews 12

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such agreat cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everythingthat hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. Andlet us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning itsshame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners,so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Celtic Spiritual Tradition

A guide, mentor but most of all a companion

Honours the secrets of the heart and nudges dreams into being

The Anam Cara friendship awakens the fullness and mystery of life through hospitality, acceptance, and transcendence .

The Role of Community in the Early Celtic Church

Supportive Conversational

Purposeful Observant

Humble Missional

Hospitable Compassionate

Merciful Generosity

Reflection and Discussion What is Spirituality to you? Reflect on what a soul friend means to you. Spend time remembering the soul friends that appeared in your

life. What gifts have they given you? Remember a time when you felt without a soul friend. What was

happening at time in your life? Where did you go for companionship? What lessons did you learn about your self?

Soul friends transcend time, who is your soul friend from the Soul friends transcend time, who is your soul friend from the past? past?

Sometimes we are called to walk with people in need. Who do you believe is calling you to be soul friend to? What qualities could you offer? In which areas to you require growth?

Compassion WisdomHumility TruthfulnessPrayerfulness generosity

Practical Application

TASK - Engage a Friend by writing a letter to a Soul Friend

Consider thanking them for how they have walked beside you in times of difficulty and joy. Recount how their companionship, in life, work, or leisure has been a life giving gift. Make sure you give it to them.

Closing Prayer (Carmina Gadelica)

Bless to me, O God, The earth beneath my foot.Bless to me, O God, The path whereon I go ;Bless to me, O God, The thing of my desire ;Thou Evermore of evermore. Bless Thou to me my rest.

Bless to me the thing. Whereon is set my mind,Bless to me the thing. Whereon is set my love ;Bless to me the thing. Whereon is set my hope ;O Thou King of kings, Bless Thou to me mine eye !