Sunday, August 31, 2008

Further on the Way to Community

The Lord is making connections.

At David's Celtic Monastic Community in Wales, a novitiate would knock on the door of the monastery but be required to remain, outside for a full ten days - rain or shine. The Monk-to-be stayed "as if rejected and also silenced by words of rebuke. If he put his patience to good use and stood there until the tenth day, he might be admitted..." (Celtic Daily Prayers, Finan Readings, October 15, p. 776-777.)

There were no words of abuse, but apparently August was my time to stand and wait. I made numerous attempts to establish connections in various ways but...nada.

Then suddenly with the dawn of September, things began to click.

After a technical glitch was resolved, the on-line gate to the Northumbrian Community (NC) forum opened to me and acquaintances are forming.

A misdirected e-mail from a companion of NC living in Ontario finally made it to me and we have agreed to get together as the Lord leads.

Soon, I'll be given guidance on how to form a local NC group.
There are certainly far more important requirements but it seems wise to wait until God provides twelve Toronto enthusiasts before we officially form. God has given us four so far.

Crux book store, which inexplicably has a quantity of the Northumbrian Celtic Daily Prayer (CDP) books at a very, very decent price, was the site of a serendipitous meeting with another priest of the diocese buying some. We even talked about the possibility of doing the offices
sometime with the music.

We bought eight CDPs this week and I have now but one left - the rest being bought by or given as gifts to Toronto friends between Tuesday and today (Friday).

A Toronto member of a community in the UK similar to NC invited my wife and I over for a LONG coffee time today in his Sacred Space.

Who knows where this well lead?

Ah, the Father who created us.
The Son who bought us.
and the Spirit who walks with us.

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