Before I turn to Findhorn and Iona, a reference to the UNESCO World Heritage site Petra, Jordan [photo], where the ancient Nabateans built a canyon city right on the Silk trade Route, with ancient water courses carved along the canyon walls.
Susan and I rode camels! and Michael, Susan and I enjoyed the whole-day walk. We visited an ancient church that is being carefully cleaned (beautiful mosaics in the floor)

The 1st century baptismal pool in this ancient church in the Petra valley was the site of our brief noonday service on the 39th anniversary of my ordination. [photo below]

A note on the Holy Land that I think is important to mention: a moving and informative document is the 2009 Kairos Palestinian document, written by major Christian groups: "A Moment of Truth: A Word of Faith, Hope and Love from the Heart of Palestinian Suffering" (a PDF file is available on line)

We left the Middle East and flew to Scotland, taking the train to the sustainable community Findhorn, (now I am with my sister and friend Eileen) where we met with Michael Shaw, who created the Living Water machine there (much like the living water sewage treatment plant on the I-89 exit). He and his organization Biomatrix are dedicated to treating sewage water to create healthy communities and cities around the world. [photo] Michael lived and worked in Burlington, along with John Todd of UVM (Sandy Short actually worked for them). Mr. Shaw helped to start the Charlotte Ten Stones co-housing community, but now he lives full-time at Findhorn.

I appreciated that he asked about Simon Awad, the director of the Environmental Education Center in Beit Jala, with whom we had met, because I encouraged him to try to help them with their school sewage. I hope he is able to do so! Being in the living water "machine" is like being in a greenhouse; it purifies all the Findhorn sewage; out comes water pure enough to irrigate with (not yet pure enough to drink).

After several days, we traveled by train, two ferries, and bus to Iona: "For centuries pilgrims have travelled to the isle of Iona in search of the sacred, inspired by the example of St Columba, a 6th century Irish monk who founded a monastery there, and whose influence is felt to the present day. Many modern-day pilgrims and seekers are also drawn to the island through the work of the Iona Community, an ecumenical Christian community acting for justice and peace, the rebuilding of the common life and the renewal of worship." (from Around a Thin Place: An Iona Pilgrimage Guide).

On an all-day pilgrimage, on the beach where St. Columba landed, we were asked to take one stone and throw it in the sea, representing what we wanted to give up this year; another stone to take home with us representing what we wanted to keep. [photo]

We learned that the monks of St. Colomba would set off in their hide boats, called coracles, and wherever the tide took them, they would minister for the rest of their lives! This became a problem for the monastery (how did you know whom you could count on to be there?). Hmmm.... Freedom in Christ!

On the pilgrimage around the island, at the ancient marble quarry, the guide said that it takes much pressure to produce marble, the Abbey altar is marble; ages ago worshipers took chunks of marble from the altar to protect themselves against drowning. Are we aware that under pressure we produce beauty? Also, the green veins are irregularities; God can use our irregular parts!

I was very moved by the pilgrimage; prayers and prayerful realizations came to me.

In the dining room of our Argyll hotel these moving notices were posted: “To reach the heart of Iona is to find something eternal—fresh visions and new courage for every place where love or duty or pain may call us.”

And, "The Argyll Hotel is situated on an island in one of the last great refuges of nature in Western Europe. Therefore, we are stewards…”

We took a half-day excursion by boat to the island of Staffa and Fingel’s cave; people went on their knees as soon as they saw the puffins, which were cautious but not afraid of humans. [photo]

To conclude, a few quotes from books I have been reading:

Duane Elgin, The Living Universe: “Our supreme test is to grow consciously into this new world [of planetary destruction and global communications] and learn to live in balance with the Earth, in peace with one another, and in gratitude with the living universe.”

The Jesus Manifesto, “What is Christ doing through me…through us? And how is he doing it? We live by God’s indwelling life through the power of the Spirit.”

Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom, John O’Donohue: “You can search far and in hungry places for love. It is a great consolation to know that there is a wellspring of love within you. If you trust that this wellspring is there, you will then be able to invite it to awaken. The following exercise could help develop awareness of this capacity. When you have moments of your own or spaces in your time, just focus on the well at the root of your soul. Imagine that nourishing stream of belonging, ease, peace, and delight. Feel, with your visual imagination, the refreshing waters of that well gradually flowing up through the arid earth of the neglected side of your heart. It is helpful to imagine this particularly before you sleep. Then during the night you will be in a constant flow of enrichment and belonging. You will find that when you awake at dawn, there will be a lovely, quiet happiness in your spirit.”

Blessings to you all, Pr. Nancy