November 2000 Newsletter

Table of Contents

A public response to a note that came in the mail recently
One Can Learn a Lot Reading in the Bathroom!
ARC NEEDS LIST
Community News
VOLUNTEER OPENING
2001 Pilgrimage to Grandchamp Convent, Switzerland
Upcoming ARC Retreats
Private Retreats
ARC Benefit Concert and Silent Auction
2001 Pilgrimage to the Mountain
Fall Recipe - Roasted Vegetables
NEW RELEASE!! Swinging on the Garden Gate:  A Spiritual Memoir

This newsletter article is a public response to a note that came in the mail recently following our telephone fund-raising campaign. It addresses concerns that the ARC community and board regularly struggle with and that we thought might be significant to you, our newsletter readers, as well. The note said, "Sorry, I can't put money into buildings. I always support people programs for the poor. ARC needs to think about having people who cannot come because of costs."

Dear Ruby,
I confess my immediate reaction to your note was defensive ...we are not just a building! We are a ministry; we are a place apart for people seeking rest and spiritual renewal. Upon more thoughtful reflection, however, I realize that you are raising a very important justice issue. It is my hope that by sharing with you some things about ARC and its mission that you may not know that I might speak to your concerns.

We don't want ARC to seem like a place only for affluent people; nevertheless, our guests do tend to be predominantly well-educated, upper-middle class whites. This is a situation we have tried to address in a number of ways and need to continue to work on.

We try to keep our retreat fees as low as possible. They cover roughly half of our annual budget and the rest is made up of contributions. We do offer scholarship assistance whenever it's requested. Some of the groups which come also offer financial assistance for their participants. We also give discounted rates to groups who would otherwise not be able to come such as Friends for Non-Violence and Catholic Volunteer Services.

We're planning a retreat this spring for long-term caregivers. We know some Catholic sisters who have a neighborhood ministry in an inner-city area of Minneapolis who are hoping to bring a group of single mothers here for a day away. This week we will be hosting the staff from The Center for Victims of Torture in Minneapolis, and we have offered them retreat time for any of their clients whom they think would benefit by it, and some have come.

Many of the mid-week groups which use ARC are people in service professions, work which can often be very emotionally draining. Last week, for example, we had a group from a local nursing home who came for a time of team-building. Individual guests often come because they're dealing with difficult things in their lives--the death of a loved one, illness, major transitions, and the like.

Do we further the cause of justice by our ministry? I raised this question with a friend some years ago who said, "Well, you can't just leave people bleeding on the rocks." It is our hope that people who come on retreat at ARC have an experience of feeling accepted, cared for, encouraged and empowered so that they may return to their daily lives feeling strengthened to live out their callings in the world.

The community at ARC seeks to live and witness to a justice oriented lifestyle. We are committed to living simply and in harmony with the earth. We have an organic garden and eat low on the food chain. We re-use and recycle with a passion and compost every last bit of food. We buy staples from a co-op and much of our produce from a local organic farmer. We buy coffee from an organization where the profits go back to the people who grew it. We use primarily earth friendly cleaning and paper products. We anguish over making purchases at discount stores to keep our costs down or supporting small independent businesses.

We depend greatly on volunteer help, those who come for a weekend or a few days to help with general needs (dishwashing!) and those who come to help with special projects--mailings, wood splitting, etc. We also consider our resident community to be volunteers, since they commit to working at ARC in exchange for room, board, health insurance and a modest monthly stipend. The co-directors are the only salaried employees and those salaries, too, are modest.
I hope I don't sound like I'm touting my own horn (or ARC's horn). I believe in what we're doing. I believe our world needs places like ARC, but I could not be a part of ARC (nor could the rest of our community and board, I suspect) if I did not also feel we are about justice. I'm sure there are ways we could do better, and we would value any suggestions.

Over a decade ago, Loren Halvorson wrote in an ARC newsletter article, "God's people have learned to live from a few signs of God's grace in the wilderness. Not many...just enough. ARC seeks to be one of those signs." May it be so.

Sincerely, Katherine Dutton

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One Can Learn a Lot Reading in the Bathroom!
Did you know: if every household in the U.S. replaced just one roll of 1000 sheet virgin fiber bathroom tissues with 100% recycled ones, we could save 348,000 trees, 1.38 million cubic feet of landfill space (equal to 1,600 full garbage trucks), 144 million gallons of water (a year's supply for 4,100 families of four), and we could avoid 57,000 pounds of pollution?

Wow! ARC orders Seventh Generation toilet paper (and kleenex, paper towels, laundry detergent, etc.) from a company called Harmony at 1-800-869-3446.

"In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations."
from The Great Law of the Iroquois Confederacy
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VOLUNTEER OPENING
ARC is currently seeking an individual or couple to join the resident community in our ministry of hospitality. Tasks include cooking, housekeeping, office work, indoor and outdoor maintenance, and gardening. Contact ARC by phone, mail, or e-mail for more information.
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2001 Pilgrimage to Grandchamp Convent, Switzerland
In celebration of ARC's 25th anniversary, Ruth and Loren Halvorson will lead a pilgrimage to Grandchamp Convent in Switzerland where Ruth was inspired to begin ARC Retreat Center. The pilgrimage will be October 3-17 (15 days), 2001. These dates were chosen because they fit Grandchamp's schedule when the convent had sufficient openings for our group. The group will depart from Mpls./St Paul on Weds. and arrive in Geneva on Thurs. The first two nights the group will stay at John Knox Center in Geneva. This will give the group an opportunity to visit the headquarters of the World Council of Churches and other sights in this lovely old French-speaking city.

On Saturday, the pilgrimage will continue to Grandchamp Convent and remain there through the following Weds. On Thurs., Oct. 11, the group will transfer to Sonnenhof Retreat Center near Basel, Switzerland. En route, the group will detour to Ronchamp, France, to see Notre Dame du Haut church which was destroyed during World War II and rebuilt by noted architect LeCorbusier.
On Sat., Oct. 13, the journey continues to Wengen, Switzerland, an utterly picturesque Swiss village that is closed to cars and buses. Here the group will take a cog railroad up to the Jungfraujoch Mountain to be in and view the Swiss Alps. On Tues., Oct. 16, the group proceeds to Zurich for departure the next day.

Space on this pilgrimage is limited to 20 participants; therefore, reservations should be made early. Preliminary estimated cost is $2700 based on 20 participants. A deposit of $400 is required with the reservation. Write, mail, or telephone ARC for full information and/or to indicate interest. This marvelous trip will give you exceptional opportunities to see Switzerland's renowned scenery and to experience the country's classic hospitality.
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Upcoming ARC Retreats
To register for an upcoming retreat, make a donation, volunteer or change your mailing address, print and mail our Response Form.

Attentive Listening, Compassionate Living
7 pm Fri - Sun afternoon, Nov 3-5
An opportunity to recover the sacred rhythms of rest from the world and service in the world. Private time, group sharing, worship, music, and stories help us to renew the vital connection between personal solitude and public service.
Led by Ruth and Loren Halvorson, ARC founders
Cost: $135

"Stories in the Autumn of Our Lives"
5 pm Mon - Wed afternoon, Nov 6- 8
Elders are rich with stories. Often though, these stories are unheard and unappreciated except by a small circle of family and friends. In this retreat for seniors we will tell and reflect on our personal stories of joys and sorrows, of dreams fulfilled and unfulfilled, or satisfactions and regrets. We will discover the richness of our stories and God's presence in them.
Led by Dwayne Daehler, ARC co-director
Cost: $140

Nurturing Body and Soul: Seasonal Times of Reflection and Baking
"A bread for all seasons--and soup!" 4 pm Sun, Jan 14 - 4 pm Mon, Jan 15 (Martin Luther King Day)
It's soul-satisfying to mix, knead, and bake your own bread. We'll make whole wheat bread and vegetable chowder. Join us for a time of creative nurturance through baking, praying, reflecting, and walking in the woods. Registration is limited to the first six registrants - our kitchen is only so big! Bring an apron.
Led by Jerry Belanger, ARC community
Cost (includes ingredients): $85 each

Reconnecting with the Deep Well of Life          7 pm Fri-Sun aft, Dec 1-3
Advent is a time of beginnings-- the start of the new church year, the winter solstice, the time when we again await the birth of hope among us. Like seeds resting deep in the earth, so are we nurtured and renewed in the fertile dark of these days. This silent retreat will offer an opportunity to experience solitude, quiet and introspection while being in community.
Led by Ann Bergstrom, chaplain and spiritual director and Katherine Dutton, ARC co-director                                                        Cost: $135

Annual New Year's Eve Retreat              7 pm Sun-Mon aft, Dec 31-Jan 1
Some say this year is the true millennium. It seems significant enough to celebrate twice!  This retreat will provide an alternative celebration in a quiet contemplative atmosphere. Traditions include an evening snack buffet extravaganza, a midnight worship, and a blessing of clocks, watches, calendars and date books.
Led by the ARC Community                                                    Cost: $75

LOOKING AHEAD
February 8-11, "The Practice of Prayer"
This retreat will focus on the practice of prayer in Christian spirituality. It will explore a variety of commonly used prayer styles and will give guidance for participants in their prayer life.

March 16-18, "Desert Spirituality - Blessedness in the Void"
This popular retreat repeats during Lent for people's Lenten journey. In it we explore the blessings God brings in those barren places of our lives where God seems absent and blessing seems far removed.

March 23-25, "Liberation Theology for the GLBT Community"
Reclaiming our rightful place in the faith community of our choice.
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Private Retreats
Individuals are always welcome at ARC for a time of personal retreat. This can be for any length of stay as space is available. Rooms are private. Guests may enjoy resting reading skiing, or sitting by the fireplace and looking out the huge A-frame window.

The hermitage, a single-person dwelling in the woods, lends itself to a more solitary retreat. Also called Poustinia, which means `desert space,' the hermitage is a bright, lofty room with a kitchenette and screened-in porch. The setting is ideal for those desiring more solitude.

The cottage is our newest space, a cozy but luxurious cabin available to individuals, couples, or small groups. It has a full kitchen, bedroom, bath, loft, and a living room with a gas fireplace and an A-frame window wall.

Call us at 763-689-3540 to make arrangements.
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WE HOPE TO SEE YOU ....
at the ARC Benefit Concert and Silent Auction, Saturday, Nov. 11th,
7:30 p.m. at St. Joan of Arc Church, 4537 - 3rd Ave. S., Minneapolis.

The concert will be performed by The Jumpin' Jehosafats, a dixieland, jazz and gospel group with our own community member, Dave Tidball, at the drums.

Tickets are $12.50 in advance and $15 at the door. You may purchase advance tickets by calling or writing ARC at 1680 - 373rd Ave. NE, Stanchfield, MN, 55080, 763/689-3540.

DO SOME EARLY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING AT THE SILENT AUCTION.  Items to date include the following:
A painting and three hand-made journals, tickets to the new Science Museum, two life coaching sessions, a weekend for two in the ARC cottage, a bike buddy (to pull children), two piano tunings, a cross stitch sampler, massages, voice lessons, a personal chef for your next dinner party and a musical duo, a basket of gourmet foods, a hand knit sweater and mittens, Christmas decorations, 3 hrs. of Spanish translation, original artwork, ARC pickled cucumbers and beets, a goose down comforter, and that's just the beginning!
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2001 Pilgrimage to the Mountain
In Jewish and Christian traditions mountains figure highly as sacred places. In the Jewish tradition Mt. Horeb (Sinai) is the sacred mountain. In the Christian tradition, Mt. Tabor is the sacred mount. This retreat will be a "pilgrimage to the mountain." It is not merely a mountain trip but a time to reflect on the "mountains" in our lives, to examine the mountain as a place of encounter with God, to review the place of the mountain in Christian spirituality and theology.

This pilgrimage will take place August 4-11, 2001. We will travel by van to Cloud Peak Wilderness Area in Wyoming (southwest of Sheridan). Participants will set up camp in a national forest campground. Each day will include worship, one session for discussing mountains in Christian spirituality, time for personal reflection and group sharing, and hiking in the mountains. For those who so desire, we may do a day hike up Cloud Peak, the highest mountain in the wilderness area. Participants should be in good physical condition and will need to prepare somewhat for the hiking. However, participants certainly need not be persons of monumental physical fitness. All hiking will be day hikes and will be at the participants' individual discretion.

The retreat will be led by Dwayne Daehler, ARC co-director and experienced mountain traveler (including mountains in the Holy Land). Cost of the pilgrimage is $550/person based on a minimum of six participants. This includes travel, food and camping costs. Write, telephone, or e-mail ARC for full information and/or to indicate interest. Pre-retreat mailings will be sent to participants with a suggested
reading list.
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Fall Recipe - Roasted Vegetables
This lush vegetable medley appears frequently on our table because it makes such a satisfying one-dish meal. No strict rules govern the recipe: just keep color variety in mind and use whatever combination appeals, allowing about 1 pound of mixed vegetables per person, if they are to be served as a main course. Choose from among the following: (All vegetables are peeled and sliced, unless otherwise noted.)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  Lightly grease a baking dish large enough to hold the prepared vegetables without crowding. Toss the vegetables with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar and season to taste (use about 2 teaspoons of oil and 1 teaspoon of vinegar for each pound of vegetables). Roast for about 45 minutes, turning the vegetables occasionally, until they are tender and browned. This recipe goes well with a Dijon mustard sauce.

--taken from The Vegetarian Hearth by Darra Goldstein
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NEW RELEASE!! Swinging on the Garden Gate: A Spiritual Memoir by former ARC community member, Elizabeth Andrew, was just published by Skinner House Books. Elizabeth wrote much of this memoir while she was living and working at ARC and says, "ARC is featured prominently in it." We are so pleased and excited for her. The book is available here and we will be hosting a reading sometime this winter. Elizabeth is currently living in Minneapolis where she teaches writing at the Loft does Spiritual direction.
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