Community News - September 2008

(Please click HERE to download a copy)

 

Protection of Angels by Cheryl Nekvapil

Like the weather, our feelings can run warm and cool, our loyalties waver between certainty and uncertainty, love trembles with likes and dislike – how are we to live with our own and others such fickle souls and hold to commitments? Consider the following extract from an interview with Professor Manning Clarke who gives us direct advice on this:

“ Well, I'm not so pessimistic now . And also, like most people who are interested in the things I've been interested in, I wondered for a long time whether the forces of evil weren't stronger than the forces of good in the world. In that sense I was a Manichean: I thought that no matter how I tried, or how much humanity tried, these forces of evil were just overwhelming and that they would win out in the end. I'm not so sure now. And I think by ‘the dark cavern of the human heart' I meant recognition of the strength of human evil and what we're all like. You see, I think people of my temperament are people who are part-innocents – innocent child—and also devil. How the Devil can be subdued and used for creative and useful purposes it takes a long while to discover. I suppose I have to get back to this again: that one of my great regrets is that I didn't discover earlier exactly who I was, in this way. But I think it's very, very important for you to ask yourself, ‘Who really am I? What sort of person am I? Why am I behaving in this way?' and so on”?*

Observing that we are contrary in our souls, even to the point of being both innocent and evil, is a start. From that point we're in a position to entertain the idea that our souls are the place of struggle between these fundamental forces. What then? What can we marshal to strengthen the forces for the good, not to avoid the stormy conditions but to withstand them and keep on course in our destiny?

Rudolf Steiner writes about ‘faithfulness' in relationships, and it can be adapted to goals that we have, in a way that shows that it is an exercise that develops in us just that capacity we need to stay on course whatever our soul weather. This is living, active faith which is a striving, and a struggle;

“ Faithfulness”

Create for yourself a new indomitable perception of faithfulness. What is usually called faithfulness passes so quickly. Let this be your faithfulness:

You will experience moments – fleeting moments – with the other person, the human being will appear to you as is filled, irradiated with the archetype of his spirit.

And then there may be – indeed will be – moments, long periods of time when human beings are darkened. But you will learn to say to yourself at such times:

“The Spirit makes me strong. I remember the archetype, I saw it once. No illusion, no deception, shall rob me of it”

Always struggle for the image that you saw. This struggle is faithfulness.

Striving thus for faithfulness, we shall be close to one another, as if endowed with the protection of angels”

*Quoted from: The Search For Meaning—Conversations with Caroline Jones

 

Thoughts on our altar painting by Melinda Turner  

I was privileged to participate in the community altar-painting workshop at The Christian Community in Adelaide 5 years ago. Some of you may have seen a photo of it on our notice board. The requirements of a Christian Community altar painting, we were told, are a countenance (a face) and a cross.

Over the 3 days of the workshop we went through a process of different drawing and painting exercises. One of the most challenging was to be with a partner, one was blind folded and invited to feel their partner's face then draw it. Another was to look at another face and draw it without looking at the page.

Rev  Norbert Schaaf, priest from the Pforzheim Christian Community in Germany had come to Australia with his family partly for a holiday and partly to run this workshop for the Adelaide Community. It has become a passion of his to run these workshops in Europe . He did not know any of us personally except for Martin. Three words came to my mind for the gesture of the countenance he chose: naïve and sorrowing compassion. This image was drawn by a person with a deep connection with the Christian Community but not a visual arts background.

The cross came from someone else and was metamorphosed by the group so that in the end it looked like rain falling on the long flat horizon of our parched Australian continent.

The finishing touch involved dropping red earth from the centre of our continent over the painting. Norbert brought a bucket of it from his visit to Uluru and Alice Springs, prior to arriving in Adelaide .

One morning we experienced The Act of Consecration without any altar painting. It was quite a revelation. What I learned was that the altar painting is more like a window, something I look through rather than at ; like a doorway to the heavenly world. When it wasn't there I would come out of my meditative space opening my eyes, look beyond the altar to the curtain, and literally feel pushed back into the chapel, into the harshness of this reality. My window wasn't there.  It was a very uncomfortable experience but also very instructive. 

Our Canberra altar painting was painted by Rev. Johannes Rath, a priest of The Christian Community. Rev Arie Boogert who lived and worked in Sydney , and visited the Canberra congregation from 1989 – 1991, arranged for the painting to be brought to Australia from Holland where is was in storage.

I like our altar painting for its futuristic vision (the cosmic Christ is there much more for me than the earthly Jesus); and for the fact that there are spaces in it. It stands as a veil between the worlds, inviting me to look beyond it and allowing the spiritual world to move closer to me. It allows a breathing space, a safe passage for us to commune with one another…….

Do I hear it whispering……

 ‘Don't worry whether I am beautiful or not. Take my hand and walk past me. I am simply the invitation, the messenger. Breathe through me. Come to the wedding feast. The groom awaits his bride.'

 

Dear Christian Community,

My heartfelt thanks to the community for holding Phillip's transition to spirit worlds so magnificently. I feel very blessed to have had the guidance, love and support from the moment of his death to Friday's funeral service and I know that this appreciation comes from many family members also. The time spent with Phillip during the week and at the Chapel on Friday were very special and it was so wonderful to share this experience with so many in the community.

Thanks for the very practical work of setting up the Chapel so that it was accessible and a beautiful space to receive Phillip and the community that so appreciated him. While not a member of the Christian community, Phillip loved the Chapel space, the "Christians" and the spirit that gently touched him.

The work of our priest guided us lovingly to prepare and assist Phillip for this journey and the broader community provided a solid foundation for the Sacrament to take place. It really was a community event that spread far and wide to include  family, friends from fellowship groups and disability organisations. This was truly a testament to Phillip's reach and contribution in life.

 My love and thanks to you all.

Prue

Wednesday, 23 July, 2008

Note: There will be a Memorial Service for Phillip Gleeson at 10.00am on Saturday 27 th September at the Chapel. The Service is a celebration of The Act of Consecration of Man with a special prayer included for the person who has died.

Where To From Here?

‘Introduction to the discussion on the location of the community and an appropriate space for community activities and the sacraments. But first of all, who are we as a community, what sort of place will house us to be who we are becoming??

Potential alternatives specifically for the permanent Chapel that have been identified by the Canberra Management Committee to consider and discuss at the community forum with Martin Samson and Wendy Pryor are:

 

Bring your inspirations and your thinking caps along, and create, elate, debate!

Konrad Knerr, Chairperson of The Managment Committee