Hard to believe, but after several years away in exile, it looks like I’m going back to the Cathedral!
At the end of May, I will be joining Bishop Tom (the bishop who ordained me) in a one-year interim at St. John’s here in Saskatoon (the great big tall redbrick gothic one, on the west side of the university bridge).
Now, some of you may be wondering … what is a nice ecofeminist greenpriest like me doing in a cathedral??? The truth is that I LOVE the Cathedral … I always have. The community is diverse and hospitable. The liturgy carries the best of the Anglican tradition. The music is great, and the building itself is simply beautiful. Florets, gargoyles, angels, and columns abound. There is even a small embedded stone from Glastonbury Cathedral, linking us with Arthur, Merlin, Joseph of Arimethea, and the Holy Grail!
So yeah, I’m excited to be going back. More than excited actually … it feels like full circle, like coming home after a long exile. My only regret is having to leave the church family which has become so important to us in the past few years, St. Thomas Wesley United. May the blessing of Christ and Sophia be upon them, to repay the kindness they have done for us.
Never a dull moment … the journey continues.
Back in the Big House…
April 20, 2011 by ecosophian
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I am glad for you. Blessed Be.
Thanks Vicki!
And how are things going for you these days? Hope all is well … have a blessed Triduum.
Peace,
Shawn
Congratulation, Shawn. You certainly deserve it.
I’m just in the process of finalizing my 114 final paper. I’m never truly satisfied and I’m always worried it’s going to crash and burn–but it is what it is!
Until next time,
Ryan
Hey Ryan, thanks!
By the way, I’d love to see your final paper when it is done (not to mark it, just to have a look). Might you be able to send it my way at some point?
And how are things going with the candidacy process? I can’t remember where you are in the whole thing … getting close to the end?
Later,
Shawn
Shawn,
I will indeed send it your way.
I only have to be interviewed by the AB/NWT conference and that’s pretty much it–bonafide ministry candidate!
Sent it a while back. Hope you got it and all is well!
Hi Ryan,Yes I did get it … great! A stellar paper … thanks for sending it my way.I love all that ancient Nicene and Chalcedonian stuff. It is like a long-forgotten gold mine. Whenever I contemplate the formula of the union of the two natures, I feel like I am doing mental/spiritual yoga, stretching my mind into utterly unfamiliar poses. A bit painful at times, but the benefits are endless!So, what’s up for you for the summer? Anything exciting?Peace,Shawn
Rev. Shawn Sanford Beck Ecumenical Companions of Sophia http://ecosophian.wordpress.com/about/ God is Love, and Her Body is all Creation. She is a Tree of Life, who gathers Her children in Love.
I am well Shawn. Thank you. I am just completing my Reiki Master/Teacher.
I am also busy with a lot of different online forums for Christian Witches and Christopagans, and have written some articles on creating sacred space, energy work and magical theory on my blog. I am working on a ritual format that I will post on my blog soon. Because of my background it will incorporate more energy work. I hope to have a balance of liturgy, action and stillness.
Blessings of the May.
Vicki
Hi Vicki … and blessings of the May to you as well!
I’d love to see your blog sometime … could you send me a link to it?
I’d be curious to know if and how your sense of magical theory has changed since coming back to church … have you noticed any shifts in thealogy?
Peace,
Shawn
Yes. More on that Later.
BTW, my Witch name is Ziva. That is what I go under on my Blog.
Shawn I am sooooooooo happy for your reunion with the church of your choice!! How will you be involved? How do they accept Sophia? Hope to be back with the ‘Rivendell Clan’ soon. peace Jacquee
Hey there Jacquee, thanks!
The Cathedral is great, and there are certainly some folks there who would be familiar and comfortable with Sophia … but it is quite an eclectic congregation, all over the theological and political spectrum. So my strategy is to go slow, and offer to people what is helpful for them at the time. That’s the hope, anyways!
It would be great to see some more of you with the Rivendell Clan … I’d really love to get another trip out to one of the labyrinths with you again. And also, our backyard is looking pretty lush and green … you could come for a backyard tea one night if you wanted … you are always welcome!
Peace,
Shawn
Hello.
You were interested in my blog address. I don’t post too often. Its pretty random. But I have posted the revised ritual, based on my own experience and style.
So here is the address;
http://zivasthoughts.blogspot.com/
I can’t seem to bring it up on a search engine, Blogspot has been having some issues, but the exact URL works in the address bar.
I also have a little growing Facebook Forum called
Pagan/Christian Forum. Mostly Pagans, some Christopagans, lots of interesting posts. Its link is on my Blog, as is yours.
Blessings.
Vicki
Hi there Vicki!
Thanks so much for the link to your blog. Very interesting material on there … I’m enjoying it.
I particularly like the way you’ve adapted the Sophian full moon ceremony!
So how is your summer going? Anything interesting happening? Do you do the pagan festival / renaissance faire circuit at all?
Hope all is well for you and yours!
Peace,
Shawn
PS … would you like me to call you by your use-name, Ziva, around here?
When I was younger I went to some of the pagan festivals out of town. I do go to some here in T.O. at the Unitarian Church. But work and family keep me pretty grounded.
Hope your summer is awesome.
Vicki ( or Ziva, either is fine.)