A DEEPENED SELF IN A WIDENED WORLD--A JOURNEY OF THE HEART
IN MEMORY OF PAUL, SHEILA, AND MARCIA WELLSTONE
BOOK REVIEW: DANCING IN THE MARGINS
BENEFIT CONCERT AND SILENT AUCTION
JOTTINGS IN THE HERMITAGE JOURNAL
RECIPE CORNER
ARC COMMUNITY NEWS
ARRANGING A RETREAT, COSTS, GIFTED RETREAT, RESPONSE FORM
ARC NEEDS LIST


A DEEPENED SELF IN A WIDENED WORLD -- A Journey of the Heart
by Ruth Halvorson*
We have just returned from a two-week Pilgrimage to Switzerland. This
journey was one of the ways to commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of
ARC. This journey brought us back to the ecumenical Community of Grandchamp,
where in 1972 I was first inspired and prompted with the vision of ARC. But
a pilgrimage is more than a journey of miles. It is, primarily, a journey
inward to explore the deepest aspects of one’s own heart and soul. Dag
Hammarskjold once said that the “longest journey is the journey inward;” and
perhaps it is the most difficult journey we make in life as well.

The group of thirteen people, several unknown to each other to begin with,
began a beautiful, challenging and awesome journey together. This was a time
of transformation, of change and of enlarging horizons. We traveled to the
center and to the edge, to the altar and to the street.

Our encounters with the widened world began in Geneva and brought us to
international church agencies, the international Red Cross, The World
Health Organization, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
We were provided with many facts and figures, much of which was difficult to
hear or even comprehend. We were brought to the depths and the heights, to
the pain, to the consequences of war, to disease and the growing lack of
resources to meet the challenges, to the plight of refugees, to the
resilience of the wounded, and to many stories of good and noble people.
Geneva, as a microcosm of the world, is a reminder that we are all global
citizens, that what we do in our small corner of this globe does matter.
None of us is powerless, even though we might easily come to that conclusion
upon seeing the enormity of the problems and the seeming inability to make a
difference. I believe that the destruction, devastation, and the ravages of
war demonstrate that wars do not accomplish the stated goals for which they
are fought. Are we willing to create alternatives?

Another high point for us in Geneva was worshiping at the English-speaking
Lutheran church which was perhaps the most ecumenically and inter-nationally
diverse mix of people any of us had ever experienced.

Before we began our retreat at Grandchamp we made a day excursion to
Grandchamp's Sister Community called Sonnenhof, located in the German
speaking part of Switzerland. These Communities of women observe and live
the Rule of Taizé which is a life of prayer, meditation, hospitality, and
seeking the unity of the church with a commitment to justice, peace and the
integrity of creation.

Each morning of the retreat I made presentations on the theme of a "Deepened
Self": "The Listening and Attentive Self," "The Nurturing and Resting Self,"
"The Compassionate Self," and "The Simple Self." One of the great needs we
have in our modern world is for quiet spaces. Persistent assault on our
senses can become so much a part of life that we become unable to recognize
how far afield we have gone from listening to God, from listening to the
deeper self within, or from listening to others. We need to become silent in
order to listen. The practiced observance of silence by the Sisters was
inspiring and challenging. The flow of the day was set by the four prayer
times, morning, noon, late afternoon and compline. These prayer times were
carefully planned with much of the service sung in three- and four-part
harmony with always a period of time for silence. In addition, the authentic
hospitality, the simple beauty of flower and vine arrangements, the
wholesome food, the ordered structure of the day and the gentle environment
all helped us to listen at a very deep level.

The afternoon presentations given by my husband, Loren, focused on the
"Widened World": "The Endangered Self," "The Rooted and Widened Self," "The
Communal Self," and "The Self in History". We do not lose our spiritual
life because of our action in the world. And we do not lose connection with
the world when we pray and meditate. But we do lose the connection with God
when we separate prayer from action, piety from politics, attentive
listening from compassionate living. The deeper we move into the life of
prayer the more we become aware of the world and its needs. So also the
deeper we move into the life and death issues of the world the more we will
be drawn into the central spiritual issues. This is the mystery and the
power of the Gospel of God's love.

As we took leave of our special days at Grandchamp we moved again into the
widened world by traveling to the Alpine village of Wengen, which is the
gateway to the famous Jungfrau mountain and closed to automobiles. Here we
hiked in the magnificent beauty of God's creation literally seeing a widened
world. We also journaled and reflected on the significance of the pilgrimage
thus far.

We never return from a journey unchanged. But to what are we being summoned?
Perhaps we do not yet know to what new ventures we are being called, but we
do know we are called to listen and wait.

Every day at mid-day prayers at Grandchamp, the Beatitudes were prayed
concluding with the words, Joyful, Simple, Merciful. These words are also
engraved on the cornerstone at ARC and remind us of our close relationship
to this community in Switzerland. They also serve as an apt summary of our
pilgrimage. Loren and I are grateful to the ARC Community and Board for the
invitation to participate in this historic and memorable pilgrimage.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

*Ruth and Loren Halvorson are ARC’s founders, and Ruth was the director at
ARC for almost twenty years. Although they are “officially” retired, they
continue
to be active here in many ways volunteering, mentoring, and leading
occasional retreats. We’re glad they (and the other 11 pilgrims) had this
opportunity to return to ARC’s roots as part of our 25th Anniversary
celebration, and to remind us of much that is intrinsic to ARC‘s mission and
ministry.

"Lord God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see
the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us
faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that
your hand is leading us and your love supporting us."

-- Lutheran Book of Worship, Vespers Service

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IN MEMORY OF PAUL, SHIELA, AND MARCIA (MARKUSON) WELLSTONE:

As we think of the tragedy of the Wellstones’ plane crashing and the great
loss to Minnesota and the country, we offer these thoughts:

Every aspect of our lives is, in a sense, a vote for the kind of world we
want to live in.
-- Frances Moore Lappé

Remember us,
you who are living.
Restore us, renew us.
Speak for our silence.
Continue our work.
Bless the breath of life.
Sing of the hidden patterns.
Weave the web of peace.
-- Judith Anderson

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BOOK REVIEW
Dancing in the Margins: Meditations for People Who Struggle with Their
Churches by Kathy Coffey

Over the years I’ve listened to countless stories of people who have found
themselves on the margin of the church. Many of these people have been hurt
by the church—belittled, betrayed, unheard, forgotten, judged and crucified.
I’ve been there myself, wounded and profaned by the very people I’ve
served. Other people have moved to the margin finding the church irrelevant
to their lives, stuck in the muck of medieval thinking, or silent in full
view of social and economic injustice. For many reasons people wrestle with
this institution that seems at times more akin to an “axis of evil” than the
loving Body of Christ.

Coffey writes this book for those who struggle with the church. It is a
series of meditations written to invite reflection on one’s own experience
in the church either on the margin or more in the center. She recalls
biblical characters who were on the margins of religious institutions (Jesus
was one). A basic familiarity with their stories will be helpful to the
reader. She also tells of historical figures (Vincent van Gogh, Mechthild
of Magdeburg) who were on the margins of the church. And she tells of
people in our time—ordinary people easy to identify with—who find themselves
on the church’s fringe. These stories are heartwarming in their courage,
creativity, and diligence in the struggle. And, yes, sometimes they are
heart-wrenching in their exposure of a church that often willfully refuses
to practice the message it is called to preach.

This book is not an invitation to “diss” the church, throw darts at a church
hierarchy, or grind one’s axe on the stories of people wounded by the
church. It is, rather, an invitation to engage in an imaginative and
constructive struggle with this institution that Dorothy Day called a
scandal and yet Christ made visible. Coffey lovingly guides the reader on a
journey deeper into the paradox of flawed holiness that is the church, a
paradox also of each person. Written by a Catholic, Catholics in a
love-hate tension with the church will find it particularly helpful, but so
will anyone who struggles in any way with their church. This is not a
“read-through” book, but a “ponder-through” book. With its reflection
questions it is a good resource for a personal retreat. Bring it with you
to ARC or get your copy here.
-- Dwayne Daehler

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BENEFIT CONTERT AND SILENT AUCTION

Please Join Us for ARC’s Annual Benefit Event
Saturday, Nov. 9th, 7:30 p.m.,
St. Joan of Arc Church, 4537 - 3rd Ave. S., Mpls.
Concert by Hope Rising -- vocals, hammer dulcimer, guitar, flute, African
drum
(former community members Suzanne Holtz and Jay Lyons are part of the vocal
group Hope Rising)
Silent Auction -- lots of Good Christmas Gifts!
Refreshments -- from the ARC Kitchen

Tickets: $15 at the door.

To get to St. Joan of Arc, take I-35W (north or south) to the 46th exit. Go
east one block; turn left (north). St. Joan of Arc is on the right.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Happy 25th Anniversary to ARC!
Please consider a special gift in honor of ARC’s 25th Anniversary. Any
amount is welcome and all contributions are tax-deductible.
We could still use significant help in financing ARC’s new roof and your
gift will help to sustain ARC’s ministry as we look to the next 25 years!
Thank you so much.

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JOTTINGS IN THE HERMITAGE JOURNAL

SILLINESS:
SO WHAT DO YOU DO
WHEN ONE SAYS TO YOU
“TAKE PAPER AND PEN
AND THEN
IN THIS TIME AND PLACE
COVER THIS SPACE
WITH WRITING AND STUFF
AND MAKE IT ENOUGH
SO OTHERS CAN SHARE
IF THEY CARE
IF THEY DARE
YOUR WALK
ABOUT THOUGHTS
AND ALL YOU’VE BEEN TAUGHT
WHILE YOU STAYED HERE ALONE
IN YOUR HERMITAGE HOME.
ADD THE MUSINGS YOU’VE HAD~
DEEP, JOYOUS OR SAD . . .”?

I WOULD
IF I COULD~
THERE’S SUCH AN ARRAY,
BUT THE INSIGHT I HAD~
IT JUST GOT AWAY.
SO WILL A RHYME DO
AS MY GIFT TO YOU?
.
DEAR DEER . . .
THE FIRST NIGHT I STAYED HERE THE OUTSIDE SENSOR LIGHT WENT ON ABOUT 10:30PM. IT WAS SNOWING AND A DOE WAS FEEDING ON THE LEAVES RIGHT OFF THE FRONT ENTRANCE~ PROBABLY NOT 20’ FROM MY NOSE. TOO BEAUTIFUL!

TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY, AND I HAVE NEVER CELEBRATED IT AS FULLY AS I HAVE TODAY~ SILLINESS AND ALL!!

BLESSINGS ON YOU AND YOUR STAY HERE AND THANKS FORM THE HEART TO THE HALVORSONS AND OTHERS FOR THIS WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL PLACE
~ All of the above were written by Mary, a hermitage guest, 10/22/02

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RECIPE CORNER: CHILEAN HARVEST STEW
This is a new favorite from the ARC kitchen!

Chilean Harvest Stew
from Extending the Table:
A World Community Cookbook
In large saucepan, sauté in 3T. oil:
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 t. chili powder
1 or 2 hot green chili peppers, finely shopped
1/2 t. salt, 1/4 t. pepper, 1/2 t. oregano (or to taste)

Add and cook until tender:
1 1/2 c. fresh or canned tomatoes, chopped
2 c. pumpkin or winter squash, peeled and cubed
(or canned pumpkin for a less chunky soup)
2 c. fresh, frozen, or canned corn

Add:
2 c. white beans, cooked (= 1 cup dried)

Simmer at least 30 minutes. The soup will be thick and
chunky, with a mild spicy flavor. Serves: 4-6

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

So sorry...ARC’s new cookbook won’t be out in time for Christmas. But we
really are making progress. Maybe for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day?
We’ll keep you posted!

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ARC COMMUNITY NEWS

We bid Godspeed to two community members leaving ARC around the end of the
year-- Mark Faris and Dave Tidball.

Mark, who has been in the ARC community for 2 1/2 years, is “officially”
retiring (or re-firing as some say!). He’s thinking of relocating either in
the Chicago area where he has lots of friends or possibly in Grand Marais
where he could find community among the many artists there. We will miss
his gifts of artistic talent, washing hundreds of sheets and towels,
willingness to pitch in anywhere and everywhere, and especially his quiet
and thoughtful caring.

Dave, who has been at ARC for almost 6 years, will be moving back to the
Twin Cities to live with his wife, Cindy. Cindy was also part of the
community for 2 years and Dave has had a “commuter marriage” the rest of the
time. Now Cindy’s headed back to school and Dave needs to have a little
more income and proximity than ARC can provide. We will miss his musical
talent, maintenance skills, strong commitment to issues of peace and
justice, and general passion for this place and all who live and visit here.

We’re so grateful for all Mark and Dave have given to ARC and wish them well
in their next ventures. And, we will be looking for someone with
maintenance experience, either full or part-time so let us know if you or
someone you know might be interested!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The ARC Community pictured here on their annual fall community retreat, from
left to right: Dave Tidball, Mark Faris, Lisa Nilles, Chris Wolf, Becky
Potter, Katherine Dutton, Dwayne Daehler, and Jerry Belanger. This year we
went to the Episcopal House of Prayer in Collegeville for our retreat. Yes,
even if you live at a retreat center you still need to go away to go on
retreat!

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UPCOMING ARC RETREATS

Silence: The Language of the Heart; 7 pm Fri-Sun aft, Dec 13-15
At ARC’s annual silent Advent retreat, participants will reflect on these
questions: Is there enough silence to hear what the heart is saying?, to
hear the Word?, to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God?
Spiritual Direction/Companioning will also be available during the retreat.
Led by Ruth Halvorson, ARC founder (Note: this
retreat is almost full.) Cost: $145

New Year’s Eve Retreat: 7 pm Tues-Weds aft, Dec 31-Jan 1
An alternative celebration in a contemplative setting including an evening
snack buffet extravaganza, a midnight worship, and a blessing of clocks and
calendars for the year ahead. Guests can sleep in on New Year’s Day and the
retreat concludes with a late morning brunch. Participants are welcome to
stay to ski, snowshoe, or enjoy sitting by the fireplace into the afternoon.
Led by the ARC Community
Cost: $75

Nurturing Body and Soul: A Bread Baking Retreat; 7 pm Fri-Sun aft, Jan
17-19
It’s soul-satisfying to mix, knead, and bake your own bread. Join us for a
time of creative nurturance through baking, praying, reflecting, and walking
in the snowy
woods. Bring an apron!
Led by Jerome Belanger, ARC Bread Baker
Cost (includes ingredients): $160

Snow Motion: A Celebration of Winter; 7 pm Fri-Sun aft, Jan 24-26
A winter retreat for cross country skiers with time for skiing at nearby
Mora, home of the Vasaloppet. We will have group conversation about wonder
and the wintry gifts of God, as well as opportunity for silence. And, of
course, hot chocolate! Open to skiers of all abilities.
Led by Dwayne Daehler and Lisa Nilles, ARC Community Cost:
$155

Snow Motion: Skiing & Maturing Gracefully; Two offerings: 4pm Mon-2 pm
Thurs, Feb 10-13 or March 3-6
Cross-country skiing at its best is graceful. So is life. We will examine
the parallels between skiing gracefully and maturing gracefully. There will
be time for skiing at nearby Mora, group discussions, and personal
reflection. And, of course, hot chocolate. Open to even clumsy skiers!
Led by Lisa Nilles and Dwayne Daehler, graceful skiers only on their best
days Cost: $225

Fostering Relationships that Nurture: 5:30 pm Fri-Sat 4:30 pm, Feb 14-15
A Valentine’s retreat in an affirming environment for people in same
gendered relationships. Beginning with a candle-light dinner and an evening
before a roaring fire sharing our stories. On Saturday we will explore the
ways gay and lesbian partnerships are lived out, the obstacles that occur,
and the blessings. Cost: $85
Led by Jerome Belanger and Becky Potter, ARC Community, & Tracy Vicory, ARC
Volunteer


The Messages of Our Dreams: 7 pm Fri-Sun aft, Feb 28-March 2
Dreams are like going to the movies while we’re asleep. But is the director
Stanley Kubrick, Steven Spielberg, or Walt Disney? Or even God or our
“shadow side?” Imagine what a reviewer might have to say about these
strange films. At this retreat we’ll talk about the basics of dream
interpreta-tion and try to begin to make some sense of our night-time
adventures, comedies and dramas.
Led by Katherine Dutton, ARC co-director
Cost: $155

Desert Spirituality: Blessedness in the Void; 7 pm Fri-Sun aft, March 7-9
The desert is a fierce and desolate place. It is also, at times, a space in
our souls as much as a place in the land. In this retreat we will reflect
on our own desert experiences and the blessings God often bestows in the
harsh landscapes of life. A fitting beginning to the Lenten journey.
Led by Dwayne Daehler, ARC co-director and desert sojourner
Cost: $155

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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, walking, skiing or snow shoeing in the
woods, or sitting by the fireplace, perhaps watching the snow fall.

The hermitage, a single-person dwelling in the woods, lends itself to a more
solitary retreat. It is a bright, lofty room with a kitchenette and
screened-in porch. Also called Poustinia, which means ’desert space,’ it is
a place where one may enter into the emptiness of isolation and silence to
be encountered by God.

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

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ARRANGING A RETREAT

To arrange a group or private 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)...........................................$65
24-Hr Retreat (Fri/Sat).................................................$70
Weekend Retreat (Fri eve-Sun aft).............................$135
Day Retreat (9-4)................$20 Weekdays, $25 Weekends
ARC-Led Weekend....................................................$145
Hermitage (24 hrs)..............$65 Weekdays, $70 Weekends
Cottage..........................................................Call for
rates
(rate increase beginning 1/1/03-- $5/night)
Rates are slightly higher for profit-making organizations.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
GIFTED RETREATS
Remember the Gifted Retreat Program! For $70 you can give the gift of a
retreat to someone who really needs it but cannot afford to come on their
own.
Use the response form below.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
RESPONSE FORM
Print out and Mail to: ARC Retreat Center, 1680-373rd Ave. NE, Stanchfield,
MN 55080

Name(s): ______________________________________________Phone: (____)
_____________

Street Address:
__________________________________________________________________

City: ___________________________________ State: __________ Zip:
___________________

Special Needs (diet, accessibility, etc.):
_______________________________________________

Please Check Appropriate Items:
___ I am registering for the following retreat(s):
_______________________________________ __________________
___________________
Retreat Title Retreat Date Deposit Enclosed
($35 per person per night, nonrefundable)
___ I am contributing to the ARC retreat ministry with a gift of $______.
___ I am contributing a retreat to someone who really needs it (see p.6)
with a gift of $______ .
___ I am moving. My new address is above.
(All gifts are tax deductible.)
___ I would like to volunteer on a weekend ___ or weekday ____. Please call
me.

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ARC NEEDS LIST
portable CD/tape player
cassette Walkman
chain saws
fans (any size)
bat houses
window air conditioners
dehumidifiers
cat and dog food
colored copier paper
lamps, end tables
couches, chairs
flashlights
brooms
folding chairs
firewood
cordless electric drill
soaps for guest rooms
suet cakes

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