Leslie Mallery played the Celtic harp, infusing the day with lilting music in keeping with a Celtic theme and St. Pat’s Day. Ron Joki counseled us, "Listen to the Spirit of God rising within and let that Spirit take you where you want to be".

Divided into three sessions, the day was eagerly awaited by 70 women and men. In the first session, we were offered poems and meditation to help us empty ourselves and to be open to the Whisperings of God. We heard about the sacred and symbolic essences of bread as spiritual conversion. We were treated to the actual kneading of the dough by picturesque and peasant-like Mary Eve Thomas, heartfully demonstrating her power and expertness.

While Mary Eve worked the dough, Dana White gave us an introduction to Celtic Spirituality and the Celtic Christian Church which existed from the 5th through the 12th Centuries. It was made up of many churches in the region of Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, Wales, Northern England, Cornwall, and the Isle of Man.

Here is a summary of the Seven Characteristics of Celtic Spirituality:

• Love of nature and the divine residing in everything
• Love of learning and scholarship
• Spirit of wanderlust, pilgrimage, and journeying
• Love of silence, solitude and prayer
• Appreciation of time as a gift and the fullness of now
• Appreciation and sacredness of ordinary time
• Value of kinship relationships and especially soul friends

Lou Hendricks shared the Celtic value of kinship relationships, especially "soul friends". Soul friends in the early Celtic church were both male and female and were selected as mentors for their wisdom, experience, and spiritual guidance. Lou also read two Celtic blessings and spoke about how our sacred journey takes place within us, leading us from darkness to light.

The second session began with a demonstration by Eileen Watson of the amazing power of yeast. Eileen later read her poetry "Thin Spaces & Within the Spirit-Within".

Thin spaces are a very thin divide between past, present, and future times. Mark Scannell gave an inspiring homily about yeast as metaphor for Grace. Mark also emphasized that Jesus did not cling to being God or to any thing, but was obedient to His calling. We then spent time in quiet reflection, considering what we are clinging to and what we are hearing as we listen to our inner whisperings and outer voices. In twelve small groups we shared our thoughts and stories.

At noon, two soups, various breads and an array of cheeses and fresh veggies were served in Hospitality Hall. There was a table of scrumptious desserts to sample and your choice of beverage. There were always treats available in the chapel entrance.

The third session began with a Movement Meditation cleverly designed by Ron Joki(right), accompanied by the beautiful music of Leslie Mallery and our own voices. This was an ideal follow up to lunch. Steve Walsh spoke on compassion, communion and the community. He told his story about the love (grace) flowing into his life that made him more compassionate and tolerant of others around him who were different from him. We followed this with quiet reflection and journaling on how love flows into our lives and what it has done for us. Then, how do we see love flowing out of us? Our twelve small groups were ideal for sharing our hearts.

By now, Mary Eve’s exquisitely beautiful Struan Bread, a symbol of transformation and of unity, was baked and ready to be shared. Two people from each group processed from the Hospitality Hall kitchen into a horseshoe circle in the chapel. The bread and wine was blessed and carried to the twelve small tables to transmit love and goodness to each of us in community with each other. Here is the Struan Bread recipe

and

Marlys Weber, a member of St. Joans for 37 years, has a passion for Justice and Peace actions. She is a member of WAMM and Veterans for Peace and has been arrested numerous times for non-violent civil disobedience. In 2003, she helped organize four anti-war buses from St. Joans to Washington DC. Marlys has been on delegations to El Salvador, Guatemala, South Africa and Haiti. She rides with Team Oz, is a dedicated member of the Justice Fund Committee, the Bible Study group and is Chair of the tenacious Memorial Garden Committee for creation remains.  Doing photo/journalism is her secret desire.

The day felt joyfully complete.

Paraphrases and Quotes Emptying oneself and being filled with grace is so paradoxical...but it leads to balance. - Larry Give oneself the gift of silence, quieting the mind and listening in that thin space. - Maura I need to have quiet time. I’ve been clinging to my radio. I walked around the block four times today and the first three times I heard only freeway noise. The fourth time I heard only the birds. - Elaine I feel like a special person. Grace helps me to make better decisions and choices in my life. I want to live a more discerning life. - Cathy I came to nurture and nourish my spirituality which definitely happened. I need to take the love and compassion given to me and share it with my family, St. Joan’s and the larger world community. - Jane I will use these wonderful and profound symbols in my everyday life. Because I am Irish the information on the Celtic religion was hopeful. - Deb Caitlin Matthews is one of my Gurus. The language and imaging of her book "Celtic Devotional" is heartstoppingly beautiful, so the chance to move deeply into Celtic spirituality brought me here. I’m not disappointed. - Ronnie Flour and water can become bread due to the yeast in the air, just as the Holy Spirit can be yeast in our lives. - Don (quote), Patty (scribe)