August 2004 Newsletter
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Director's
Article
Community News
Reflections of a
Volunteer, by Mryna Kuehl
Sharing
Stories of Spiritual Companions
ARC Benefit
Concert and Silent Auction!
The New ARC Cookbook
Spinach and Strawberry
Salad
Forthcoming Retreats at
ARC
Retreat Costs
ARC Needs List
August 2004 VOL. XXIIll NO. 3
All the words we need
to know?
by Nancy Victorin-Vangerud
Three months ago I was in Taiwan as a guest of the Taiwan
Ecological Stewardship Association. Even though this was my
second trip as a 'teacher', I found that as usual, I came away
a 'learner' as well. This time, I learned something about
gratitude.
Let me tell you the story. One evening, I walked back to the
hotel ready to put my feet up. Along the way, I stopped and
savored the wonderful fresh food cooked along the street by
vendors of all ages. So my arms were full, not only with my
briefcase, but with all the small bags of rice, veggies, fruit
and dumplings that I had bought to eat.
I walked into the hotel lobby and hurried over to catch the
elevator, but the doors were just about to close. A woman
already in the elevator looked up and saw me rushing over with
my arms full. She pressed the button to make the doors re-open
from the inside. I was very appreciative, as I would have had
to wait awhile to catch the elevator up again to my floor in
this very elevated hotel. So I got on the elevator, turned to
her, smiled, and said in my best Mandarin, "Shey-shey",
meaning "Thank you very much." She smiled and
proceeded to speak to me in Mandarin, which I did not
understand, so I shook my head. She smiled again and said to
me in English, "You do not speak Mandarin?!" I was
not sure if she said this as a question or as an observation.
Either way, I said in response, "Well, I only know two
words: Shey-shey." She then looked me eye-to-eye and said
very seriously, "Those are all the words you need to
know!" Whoa! Suddenly I felt on the edge of something
profound, but we arrived at my floor. The doors opened and I
got off the elevator. Impulsively, I turned to her and said,
"Thank you." She responded, "Shey-shey."
Hmmm...Thank you. Such simple, joyful, merciful words. Are
they really all we need to know? In our globalized, supposedly
civilized times, could it really be this simple? Then why is
it so hard? Why is there so little gratitude around us these
days? Thank you. These words honor and respect the dignity of
the stranger, no longer strange any more. Words that bond a
relationship, a community. Words of appreciation. Words of
small decencies. Thank you. All we need to know?
Anne Lammott says in her book Traveling Mercies, that there
are really only two prayers in life. One is "Help me,
help me, help me." The other one is "Thank you,
thank you, thank you."
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I found myself that night
sitting in the dark on my hotel room bed, eating veggie
stir-fry with my fingers, the window curtains drawn completely
open so I could look out at the shimmering lights of the
Taipei city skyline. I pondered one simple question: What if
the whole point of the human journey is to come to the place
in our lives that from then on, no matter how long or short,
no matter where or when or what, we find within us those words
welling up, words that we whisper or shout to the night, to
the sunrise, to the mountain, to the city streets, to the
sleeping baby, to the hospital nurse, to the person in the
bathroom mirror. We finally understand, we finally know, we
finally have let go of enough that we can finally receive our
lives as the gifts they truly are. Thank you. Thank you God.
Thank you Sacred Mystery. Thank you Sophia-Spirit. Thank you
Jesus. Thank you stranger on an elevator. Thank you, thank
you, thank you. Shey-shey.
The ARC Retreat Community has been sustained in its mission
over the years thanks to many people, as well as thanks to the
trees, the creek, the garden, the columbines and the
red-headed woodpeckers. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Thanks to volunteers, retreatants, board members, resident
community members, friends near and far, electricians,
plumbers, bakers, many people, who for many reasons, give
time, energy, prayers, money and many other gifts. Join me in
thanking everyone who has enabled ARC-the elusive,
unpossessable ARC-to touch our lives. I am thankful to have
been invited into this community. My family is thankful. And I
assume that in reading these words, you are thankful too.
Thank you. After all, maybe these are all the words we need to
know in any language.
It is gratefulness which makes the soul great. --Abraham
Joshua Heschel
If the only prayer you say in your entire life is
"Thank you", that would suffice.
--Meister Eckhart
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COMMUNITY NEWS
Bree Lloyd is a new resident community member from Bryan,
Ohio. She recently graduated from Anderson University in
Indiana, with degrees in Business Admin. and Bible and
Religion, and minors in Spanish and Philosophy. She lived in
Bolivia for four months through the Word Made Flesh Program.
Bree has two sisters, Amanda, and an identical twin sister,
Katie. Bree loves to read and recommends either The Cat in the
Hat by Dr. Seuss or Teaching to Trangress by bell hooks. Her
favorite musician is Rosie Thomas. Bree is blessed with lots
of energy and a love of laughter. She was drawn to ARC because
of the values of living simply and justly in our society. She
has found ARC's community to be very hospitable: "It is a
very sensitive place." Bree is looking forward to
learning more about herself as a Christian and how to cook
under Jerry's guidance. Welcome, Bree! Keep one eye open,
Jerry!
ARC also welcomes back Dave Tidball! Dave's connection to ARC
started in 1996 when he began working part-time in
maintenance, following in the shoes of Loren Halvorson. Dave
first heard about ARC from his spouse of 30 years, Cindy
Tidball (congratulations!). In 1998, both Dave and Cindy
joined the resident community. Cindy returned to work in
higher education in the summer of 2000. Dave continued at ARC
until 2002, when he left to work full-time with ACR Homes Inc.
Now Cindy is back at the University of Minnesota, full-time,
so Dave is able to work 5 days a week at ARC. Dave sees ARC as
a place offering "spiritual healing, so that people's
lives don't lose their steam."
Dave brings a musical richness to ARC. He was an undergraduate
organ major at Hamline, and he has two Masters--one from
Scarritt College in Church Music Education, and the other from
UTS (Twin Cities) in Religious Studies. Besides playing piano,
guitar and the recorder, Dave plays drums in the Jumpin'
Jehosafats. He too is a reader. His favorites are The Way of
the Wolf by Martin Bell, and The Origin of Consciousness in
the Breakdown of the Bi-cameral Mind, by Julian Jaynes.
Welcome back Dave!
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Reflections of a
Volunteer, by Mryna Kuehl
For a long time, I wondered what it is that draws me to ARC.
Finally, while driving home one Sunday, I realized that at ARC
I am cared for in a way that I am not anywhere else. Yes, I
have family (though not close by), many friends, and more
activities than one person should even attempt. At ARC, my
body is nourished with great food, my mind is stimulated by
interesting people, and my soul is nurtured by the love of the
community. It is a respite from my sometimes crazy life.
I thought about volunteering for quite a while before I said
"yes." Would working there be such a different
experience that it would take away from my retreat memories?
The answer was "no." I found out that the ARC
community cares for volunteers just as much as it cares for
guests. I've already made commitments for two book retreats
this fall, a private quilting retreat, and, another volunteer
weekend. ARC has become an important part of my life.
If you have thought about volunteering, please call now to
schedule a time. It is an experience that you will never
forget. As another volunteer told me this weekend, ARC
"hooks" you.
I am grateful that it has "hooked" me.
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Sharing
Stories of Spiritual Companions
What ways have you discovered to grow spiritually in
community? How do you share your journey with companions? When
has ARC been a place for "time apart, rest and spiritual
renewal" (ARC mission statement)? Nancy invited Janae
Bower to share the following story of her retreat experience
at ARC.
Friends Who Found IT: Words of Wisdom about Friendship
"Faithful friends are a sturdy shelter: whoever finds one
has found a treasure."
(Apocrypha: Sirach 6:14 NRSV)
If You Build IT, They Will Come
Eight years ago I had a vision to start a women's spirituality
group. Seven came, four continued and three remain - Sara,
Julie and myself. We believe that we were brought together for
a deeper purpose. The name for our group is WINGS: Women in
Nourishing Group for the Spirit. Our mission, or purpose, is
"a sacred women's group committed to growing our faith
and ourselves." Our vision, or long-term goal, is
"uplift and help each other soar."
Make IT Happen
Value One: Prioritize our Commitments
We prioritize our friendship by scheduling monthly
"conference" phone calls to check in (we used to see
each other in person each month until Sara moved to Green
Bay). We go on an annual weekend retreat to the ARC Retreat
Center each May. We cherish the time we spend at the ARC
because it's the only time that we all see each other in
person. It's our yearly opportunity to come together (like the
ARC's motto) in action, reflection and celebration. It's a
chance for us to rest, rewind and renew. It's a time to
journey inward and outward. Most importantly, it's girl time!
Go For IT
Value Two: Respect our Rituals
Monthly rituals include emailing each other our "gratitudes"
and keeping them in a journal. We also discuss and document
our book club insights in a binder for each book. At ARC, we
read letters that we wrote to ourselves the prior year, and
then we write
new ones for the year ahead. We plan our goals and pamper
ourselves by doing fun things such as painting our nails and
watching a movie. We cook and share meals together. We take
lots of pictures and capture our year's events in a scrapbook.
Let IT All Hang Out
Value Three: Share Our Whole Selves
We support and encourage each other to bring all of who we are
to our friendship - the good along with the bad. We celebrate
the "highs" and pick each other up during the
"lows." We share laughter, tears and an occasional
teasing of one another. We challenge and question each other.
We encourage and pray for each other. We share with one
another things we've learned along life's journey. But most
importantly, no matter what is going on in our lives we know
that we can count on each other to help us get through it all.
You Can Do IT All - With a Little Help from Your Friends
Value Four: Inspire Each Other
We are devoted to inspiring each other. In the latest book we
read, The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, he discusses the
importance of connecting with an intimate group to share your
spiritual journey: "It is a genuine heart-to-heart,
sometimes gut-level sharing." ARC offers spiritual
companioning - an opportunity to have someone else walk on our
spiritual journey who will listen to us and hold us sacred. We
are spiritual companions to each other. We are each other's
WINGS. We've found IT!
"I believe that friends are the quiet angels
who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble
remembering how to fly." - Anonymous
Janae Bower is an award-winning author of the book The
Little Girl Who Found IT: A Story of Heart and Hope. She works
with organizations and individuals to get to the heart of IT.
You can contact Janae at janae@innerconnections.biz,
612-554-1367 or www.innerconnections.biz to find out more
about the book and her work.
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ARC
Benefit Concert and Silent Auction!
Friday, November 12th, 7:30pm
Peace United Methodist Church
5050 Hodgson Rd., Shoreview
Tickets: $12.50, $15 at the door
Featuring: The Jumpin' Jehosafats!
With special musical guests: Trish Bruxvoort Colligan of The
River's Voice...and Tim Quarberg!
Please consider donating a skill, item, craft, certificate or
opportunity for the silent auction. Contact Nancy at
763-689-3540 or arcretreat@hotmail.com.
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The New ARC Cookbook
The new ARC cookbook is HERE! You can have your very own copy!
Favorites from the ARC Kitchen is a combination of new and old
favorites from ARC. If you wish to order one now, please mail
your name and address along with a check for $14.95 per copy +
$4.94 per book for shipping and handling to ARC or you can
pick up a copy the next time you're at ARC.
ARC RECIPE for Spinach
and Strawberry Salad
Salad:
l lb. fresh spinach 2 Tbsp. sesame seed
2 cups fresh strawberries 1 Tbsp. poppy seed
6 green onions, chopped
Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup wine vinegar 1/2 tsp. paprika
Wash spinach and pat dry. In a large salad bowl, toss
together the spinach, berries, onions and seeds. Mix dressing
ingredients in bowl and sprinkle over the greens. (Crumbled
feta cheese is a nice option.) Serves 8 - 10.
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Forthcoming
Retreats at ARC
A Heart as Big as the World: Hope in a Time of Global Despair
7 pm Friday--2 pm Sunday, August 20-22 $165
The journey inward and the journey outward may lead us through
difficult terrain in a world of great suffering and despair.
The more we realize our connections with each other, the
earth, and God, the more we may hunger and thirst for hope.
How may our hearts experience the wellspring of hope? Nancy
has traveled with Eleazar, as part of his education trips to
the Philippines, Eleazar's homeland.
Led by Nancy Victorin-Vangerud, previous ARC Director, and Eleazar
Fernandez, UTS of the Twin Cities
Labor Day Weekend!
Ora et labora: Pray and Work
7 pm Friday--2 pm Mon. Sept. 3-6 $125
An opportunity to balance work and prayer, being and doing,
reflective listening and active engagement. There will be time
to pray and listen, share good food and work together on
indoor and outdoor ARC projects. Experience how rest renews,
deepens and equips one for work and service.
Led by ARC Community Members and Ruth and Loren Halvorson, ARC
Founders
Baking Bread: Old and New Traditions
4 pm Saturday--4 pm Sunday
Sept 18-19 $90 adult, $80-youth ages 13-18 (includes
ingredients)
We will work with sourdough breads and other traditions. We
will begin with the basics by grinding our own flour on a
stone ground mill. Bring a scarf or cap and apron. You will
get to take home a loaf!
Led by Emily Hughes and Jerome Belanger, ARC's Bread Baker.
Being Mindful in a Noisy World
5pm Sun.--2pm Mon. Nov. 7-8 $80
Is there time for contemplative spiritual practices in a life
fully engaged in the demands of our world? We will explore
this question through two modern-day peace activists. Our
resources will be The Miracle of Mindfulness by Vietnamese
Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh, and Noisy Contemplation by Bill
Callahan, Roman Catholic co-founder of the Quixote Center.
Read them ahead of time, or pick them up in the ARC booknook.
Led by Dave Tidball, ARC Comm. Member
Earthchild: Coming Home to Earth
9 am Sat.--2pm Sun. Nov. 27-28 $125
After feasting on Thursday, and leftovers on Friday, come to
ARC on Saturday to explore a humble, earthy spirituality. What
happens when we read scripture through the perspective of
justice for Earth? Can we hear the groanings and joys of
Earth? Can we learn to sing the songs of creation?
Led by Dr. Norm Habel, Professorial Fellow at Flinders
University of South Australia. Dr. Habel is editor of the
5-volume Earth Bible Project and Songs of Creation worship
resource.
Advent Contemplative Retreat
7 pm Fri -2 pm Sun Dec 10-12 $155
New Year's Retreat December 31-January 1, 2005 $85
Fall Day Retreats
9am-4pm, $40 includes lunch (or make it a 24hr time, +$50)
Faith and Politics: Deepening Connections
Monday, Sept. 27th
In this election year, join us for a timely day of reflection
around the values and deep stories that form our faith and
give rise to our choices, including our political decisions.
Using today's issues, we will examine who we are in our faith
identities and what we do in our role as citizens. We will
draw on prayer, scripture, story, discussion and quiet time to
deepen the connections.
Led by Margaret Boatz, M.A., Spiritual Director and Retreat
Facilitator, St. Joseph
Faith Journey: Reflective Being, Active Doing
Thursday, Oct. 7th
Explore together the connection between belief and practice,
the journey inward and journey outward. Join us for a day
apart reflecting on the challenges of personal faith and
responsible care for our neighbours near and far. Led by Loren
and Ruth Halvorson, ARC Founders
Drawing on Faith: How Art Can Help Us "See"
the Spiritual
Thursday, Oct. 14th
We will explore how the process of art (no expertise
necessary!) and the art of others can open our eyes to
holiness in unique ways. Materials provided--a fun and
illuminating time!
Led by Cara B. Hochhalter, artist/writer/educator, MA student
in Theology and the Arts, UTS
Centering Our Lives Through Prayer
Thursday, Nov. 4th
How do we begin the way to deep peace and interior silence in
our lives? Join us for an exploration of centering prayer, as
well as an experience of several basic practices in
meditation.
Led by Michelle Hargrave, Pastor, Hope United Methodist
Church, Duluth
Bringing Spirituality Down to Earth
Thursday, Nov. 18th
The contemplative tradition speaks of seeing "all things
in God" and "God in all things." In a time of
ecological sensitivity, when we seek to recover a "sense
of place" in our world, how do we learn to see "all
things in nature in God" and "God in nature in all
things"? The retreat will be resourced by the writings of
Sallie McFague, Annie Dillard, Teilhard de Chardin, Mary
Oliver and Tim Winton.
Led by Nancy Victorin-Vangerud, previous ARC Director
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RETREATS
To arrange a private or group retreat, call 763/689-3540.
Office hours: 9 am to 5 pm
e-mail: arcretreat@hotmail.com Web-site: www.arcretreat.org
COSTS
24-Hr Retreat
(Sun-Thurs)...........................................$70
24-Hr Retreat
(Fri/Sat).................................................$75
Weekend Retreat (Fri eve-Sun
aft).............................$145
Day Retreat (9-4)................$20 Weekdays, $25 Weekends
ARC-Led Retreats
................................................add $10
Hermitage (24 hrs)..............$70 Weekdays, $75 Weekends
Cottage..............................................Call/e-mail
for rates
Spiritual Companioning...................sliding scale,
$35-$50
(Rates are slightly higher for profit-making
organizations.)
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ARC NEEDS LIST:
