Saturday, December 12, 2009

The Act of Consecration for the Dead for Owen Lange



     Kara, Marilyn and Rosie at the Act of Consecration for the Dead
Owen Lange
April 5, 1946 to August 4, 2009

The Church was full last Saturday Dec.5th as we celebrated our memories of Owen. After the Service
and refreshments we formed ourselves into a large circle. Marilyn spoke about Owen's final days battling lymphoma and that he was lucid many times. At one point he told her that "they " had recorded all that he
had accomplished in his life and apparently he could see it as some kind of vast panorama. She spoke of
the "Three Mysteries" at the time of his death.

The first was felt by his son, Peter, at the moment he died. Peter was standing outside and felt a strong
wind blow in one direction. Then it was very calm and then the wind blew just as strongly in another
direction. Suddenly a door slammed very loudly. The next mystery was that the house lost power. When
BC Hydro arrived the next day to deal with it, Marilyn was told that such a thing can happen by "even a
door slamming hard"! The third mystery was that Marilyn started receiving the Victoria newspaper,
Times Colonist, soon after Owen's death. Apparently it was ordered  by Owen on August 5th, the day
after he died!

Philip Thatcher reported that many in the community were attending the Conference of the North in
early August and that at the time of Owen's death the light from the aurora borealis was particularly
strong for this time of the year. Usually the lights are seen in September and October (around the fall
equinox).

These stories of wind and strong light are not so unusual as we all knew of Owen's love for the weather.
For many years he worked as a meteorologist for Environment Canada and wrote 4 books on the weather
of the Georgian basin.



Fiona, Constance and Candace during the refreshment break


Guenther and Marianne (and Patricia)


Gloria finds time to help with cleaning up

Sisters
Rosie says, "This is the way it usually is between us!"

(Original content from e-mail by Susan Koppersmith)

Monday, December 7, 2009

I am the Way, the Truth, the Light

Standing in the eye
of the hurricane,
Beauty and peace
surround me.

Now that I have kept you all on tenterhooks, I will try to finish my story to date.

It turned out that at the time that I fell into depression and sought the Way, my husband had also fallen into depression. Instead of searching for the Light, however, he was lured into the shadows, deeper and deeper into the darkness. We know that what is hidden will be revealed, and what is done in secret, good or bad, the Light will shine upon. His activities were finally revealed, and he is now in such suffering as I would never have imagined or wished for him. I could never have made it through those first awful weeks without the unflagging support of Rev. Locey. In true repentance there can be salvation, and in redemption, there can be transformation.
But, the Truth will set you free, and I am free to set my own course, and I shall dwell in the House of the Lord forever. The suffering of all the children, though, is the cross I must now take up.

The year after my first delegates' conference, I was able to attend the next one, down in California. This one was even more special, because it allowed us to meet most of the priests in North America. The people I had formed a connection with the previous year, were greeted like old friends. How is it that such a strong connection can be made in a couple of days? This is one of the miracles that happens when people of one spirit come together.

To hear of the beginning of the work of our church in North America, struck a chord with me, as my family was also descended from early pioneers. I knew of the sacrifices that were made: of giving up everything they had known or possessed, in order to start a new life for themselves and their children, sometimes even their very lives.

The best vision happened during the Sunday Service. In walked 4 silver-haired priests in vestments, who quietly sat down. I knew they had dedicated their entire lives to our movement, and some of the sacrifices they had made in their personal lives, and my heart swelled with pride. Then in walked our Lenker, the leader of our church in North America, to celebrate the Service. He is slightly younger, with the grey only starting to show, but already he has led our church for around 15 years, and he has 20 more years to go, God willing. I knew of some of the sacrifices he and his own family had made, and I also had a good sense of the task he had willingly taken on. It was truly awe-inspiring, and my heart was filled to overflowing with love and pride for all the men and women who had set such an unbelievable example of faith and dedication.

So what has been the overall purpose of my story? I hope there are other members of our church who have also been inspired in some way, and would like to tell their story. Even though we experience life as individuals, there are common threads. In telling our stories, we can see how these threads are woven together, stretching back into the past, the present and beyond into the future, creating a beautiful, intricate tapestry, describing the evolution of our Selves, and of humanity.

What message would I like to leave with you? You have Value, no matter what you can do, even if it is just washing dishes or sweeping the sidewalk. God needs You to be his hands and feet, or, as Rudolf Steiner said, "to be the self-conscious instrument of the deeds of the spirits."
We do not tell people what they must or must not believe, or do, or say. You are provided the space and freedom to come to know God in your own heart, and in your own way. You will be helped and guided in finding your own path.

So, GET INVOLVED! BE INSPIRED! WHY?

WHY NOT? Everyone is born into this life with a purpose, and with limitless possibilities.

BE the CAUSE! Be the change you wish to see in the world (Gandhi), and see you in church. :)

In memory of Owen Lange

A stiff ocean breeze
Blows through my soul,
Leaving the taste
of salt on my lips.

The clouds are swept away
By the beating of angels' wings,
And my eyes are dazzled
By the rising of the Sun.

A new day is dawning!

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

We are Family!

Petals have fallen
from the rose,
Revealing the seed
of the Spirit.

Well, my friends, here is where my tale starts to get interesting. This is why for now I am using a pseudonym. I am not looking for pity or sympathy, as this is now all in the past.
We left off with us as bright young teenagers, yearning to make a difference. We got married, got jobs, I got my bachelor's degree, and we started raising our family. Our church attendance fell away, with all the demands of daily life.
An interesting thing happened, though, when we started looking for a house for our growing family. We looked all over the Lower Mainland, and offers on two houses fell through. The house we finally bought was close to a nice elementary school. So our daughter entered grade 3 there, and wonder of wonders, the music teacher was an old friend from church! Coincidence? Some say there is no such thing. So I kept this small miracle in my heart. Someone still had plans for me.
All was not well in paradise, however. Something was happening to my spouse and to our marriage. The worst part was, I could not see just how bad it was getting.
Then my father died. It was a great blow, because he had never been able to overcome his alcoholism, and his life had seemed so empty.
Two days after he died, I found out I was pregnant with my 3rd child. There was a ray of hope for the future. But my husband did not want this baby - he wanted me to have an abortion. I refused, and he left us for a few months, returning when the baby was born. He still wasn't happy, and I fell into post-partum depression. It finally got so bad I knew I had to do something and get help. I had lost all sense of self-worth and self respect. I had lost my "joy" even in living, or in my children.
Fortunately, I was able to get some great counselling. I started doing some volunteer work, which really helped me start to put myself back together. However, I knew that I also had to get back to church.
We had a new priest, so I decided to check him out. Our second child was turning 7, which was the perfect time to come back. I started serving again, and found that a regular server was needed for the weekday service. This, I could do. I had found a purpose. I was needed and appreciated. My joy started to return. Rev. Kientzler knew that I was getting itchy feet just being a housewife, and when the post of secretary came up on the Board, he asked if I would be interested.
I had been on the Board for about a year when we suddenly found ourselves without an active priest. The Delegates' Conference was coming up, and it was suggested I go. Me?? I had never even visited another congregation up to this point. And my husband said I could only go if I took the boys and the dog with me...(now that I've actually done that, he's upset, but we'll save that for next time).
I, however, was on a mission. I knew there had to be an answer to our prayers for another priest. Perhaps going to the conference would help.
Well, there I was. All alone and far from home, I did actually get homesick, but that was okay.
After awhile, though, I started to get the hang of things, and everyone was very friendly. Then it hit me: this wasn't just a conference, it was like a big family reunion! That was when I knew for sure I had found my spiritual home. I came back home all fired up, bursting with everything that I had heard, and felt and thought. I felt like I was tingling all the way home on the airplane.
There was hope and purpose and vision. There was something to work towards, and someone to work with. Most of all there was great joy.
Anyone familiar with eastern philosophy knows, however, that where there is joy there is also sorrow, yin and yang, good and bad, darkness and light. And it was all going to hit like a bomb blast...

Friday, November 20, 2009

A dedication to Gaia / Mother Earth

       Mighty River
You start in mountains,
high, small, clear and fresh;
of heavens born,
collected by leaves and grass,
trickle down in streamlets,
sunburst in the morn.


Miles you go, vast places
of trees unknown, mountains,
hills hardly climbed.
Wildlife greets you, livestock too;
fields and orchards on your banks,
fruits there grow, grapes envined.


Weeks later many waters mixed,
darkening as you go,
heavy, slowly, toiled
at city shores, banks
confined, stories told,
not far to go, dusty, soiled.


But at the Sea
you breathe anew!
Fresh winds, cold waters flow,
sweet and salt do blend.
To the open Oceans, a World
to meet, vast skies, no end!!


Blue and Sun,
night and stars,
fog and cloud do greet you.
Slowly rising, air and wind,
roiling, salt to sweet,
steamy vapours flew.


Rising high, vast banks
and thunder castles
move now over desert sand.
Days go by, hills and
mountains you may meet
in mist and rain you may land.


To start again
a morning bright as dew;
a deer eye's twinkle;
quiet marshland cattails, warmed by Sun they grew.
Placid streams trickle slow;
a long hot day.
Eons travelled, far to go!


       Felix Scharnberg

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Searching for a Spiritual Home

I was lucky enough to find The Christian Community in its early days as a teenager. We began in Vancouver in a small house, where Werner and Alsten Hegg lived. Because it was also their home, we always felt welcome. In those days, there was actually a group of young people who had been drawn to it. You have to remember, it was the early 70's. Young people were actively seeking new ideas and answers. They weren't happy with the world they were inheriting, nor with the narrow religious beliefs they had grown up with. They knew things weren't working, and there were tremendous wrongs that needed to be addressed.

Our church was SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT! It was in a small, cozy room. There was the deep purple background, which seemed to draw you into something mysterious. There were clouds of incense - heavenly! The priest seemed very intent, and the things he talked about were DEEP! This was great!

The lure of the deep and mysterious is something we overlook as adults, but for young people, this is something they are instinctively seeking. Perhaps they are dimly aware that their spiritual guardians are drawing away, and it is now up to them to find their way back.

I was privileged to attend a parenting class last Fall, in the process of being developed by the Psychology Department at Simon Fraser University. It is based on all the theoretical work that has evolved over almost the past 100 years: Freud, Maslow, Jung, etc., only now it is focussed on developing practical applications. The whole exercise is based on attachment theory: independence and connection. Teenagers are at one and the same time striving for independence, but still want to feel connected. This is the same path humanity is following, too. We want to make our own decisions in freedom, but still need to find ways to stay connected with our spiritual home.

These days, there are so many electronic distractions for young people, it is hard to compete. We need to find ways of opening our doors and letting them know of the possibilities that exist within. We need to find ways of including them, in participating, exploring. If you take a few minutes to tune in to a popular teen music radio station, it will help you to begin to understand today's youth. Like the music in our generation, it may be loud, rebellious, rude, lewd. But there are some very good songs, too, of love, hope, friendship, sacrifice. Artists always have the pulse of the current generation: poets, songwriters, graffiti artists, playwrights.

It is up to us to LISTEN and LEARN. That is partly what parenting a teenager is all about, too. As toddlers, children are always asking, why? why? until sometimes we become so exasperated the answer is "because"! As teenagers, the question is: why not? Why can't we solve world hunger? Why can't there be world peace? We say, it is not that simple. But the answer becomes the question, Why Not?

Sparky
This Sunday we will be hearing the gospel reading from the 14th chapter of the Revelation to John. It opens with a vision of Mount Zion, the holy mountain that makes up part of the Temple foundation for Solomon's temple. Mount Moriah is the other part, and the tops of both mountains were cut off and placed in the crevice between the two so that a wider, flat plane was created for the building site. Mount Zion is also where Melchisadek cared for a holy place dedicated to the mysteries of the Son, and from his higher knowledge he knew to meet Abraham and bring the offerings of bread and wine. Truly a prophetic atmosphere around Mt. Zion, for this is also where much later Christ would celebrate the Last Supper, and instituted the uniting his soul with these same substances.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Each week a palette of inner pictures, together with certain phrases from the gospel reading, work on me to bring forth a particular aim for my address or sermon. At this point in the week (Wednesday), it is still pretty vague, but alive for me. I thought I would share some of these experiences in the form of questions.
In the Revelation to John there are seven letters to seven distinct communities. This coming Sunday we will hear the letter to the congregation in Sardes, the fifth letter. I'm caught by the first statement: "it is said you live and you are dead." This juxtaposition of living and dying is so startling, although it is also everywhere in nature right now... the tree is living but the leaves are dying, etc.
Or is it so startling because it is the appearance of being alive, but the reality is a state of being dead, like a fundamental hypocrisy.
Or is it another level of light shining in the darkness, and the darkness is totally incapable of taking up the light?
I'll have to see where this takes me...

Who are we?

My understanding of blogging, is to relate one's activities, similar to a diary. In other words, to witness or testify to something that has or is happening in your life that you want to share with others. This is why we have started this blog.

We feel we have something worth sharing. Not just sharing, but metaphorically putting up a huge signpost saying, we're here and we're worth shouting about!

When something gives you inspiration, causes your heart to sing with joy, you want to share it with everyone. Just like in a parade, or a wedding procession, you want to make a noise and invite everyone to join in. That is the feeling I have about this church.

It is small, and not easy to find, but worth looking for. The advantage of being a small church is that you really get to know people, and they get to know you. You have the feeling that someone is looking inside, at the real you. They see you for who you really are, and you are valued as that person. You KNOW that you are loved. You know someone is there who will support you, and encourage you to develop your full potential through asking the question, "What can YOU do?"

The best way to tell you about our church, I think, is to tell you about my own experience, interaction and ongoing relationship. So that is what I hope to do over the next little while.

Til next time.
Sparky

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Our Priests in Greater Vancouver

at the former location: 1534 Frances Street, East Vancouver, British Columbia (rented house)
Reverend Verner Hegg from 1971 until 1978
Reverend Werner Grimm from 1978 until 1985


at our current location: 5050 Hastings Street, Burnaby, British Columbia (purchased building)
Reverend Werner Grimm from 1985 until 1999
Reverend Michael Kientzler from 1999 until 2006
Reverend Susan Locey from 2007 until present

Reverend Werner Grimm officially retired in 1999 but he has still celebrated
the Act of Consecration of Man
as a second Priest alongside the current Priest since then
and was the only Priest in Vancouver for approximately one year between 2006 and 2007