Some Updates!

There has been so much going on recently! I'd like to catch everyone up a bit:

We hosted a gathering of the Ohio Dominican University Theology Department this past Saturday. They were treated to a multi-lingual mass at St. James the Less immediately before our party and spoke very highly of the service. We had a pot luck dinner, played a rockin' game of Killer Bunnies, talked a lot and even had time for a song or two.

We had our first "Quasi-Taizé" Prayer Service on Friday. Dale did an excellent job leading us in compline chants, songs and other hymns. He also decorated our chapel in a Taizé style (see photo). Jonathan read a wonderful passage from Jean Vanier (founder of the L'arche communities). Stay tuned for dates/times as we plan to offer this again soon.

Last weekend, we helped Mary Ellen and Amy move to a new apartment (closer to the CW house, I might add!) Mary Ellen was allergic to the new carpeting in her last place, so that prompted her to move to a new place which she likes much more than the last one. Sometimes being forced to change is the best thing that can happen to us. This is an important thing to remember during these stressful days of lay-off's and economic problems--there is opportunity in everything that happens, even if it sometimes brings with it pain and uncertainty.

Later that same evening, we were invited for an evening at "Aunt Ginger's" house. She treated us to a marvelous Christmas dinner (the Vatican leaves Christmas decorations up until February 2nd, so she does, too!) She gave us a wonderful array of statues that will brighten our already happy home. Thanks, Ginger! Your support has been a real beacon of light to us.

The previous weekend we attended a service at St. Peter's Church in celebration of the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity." The event was hosted in part by the Focolare. They are an intentional Christian community whose charism is Christian unity and love. There is a community right here in Columbus! We hope to connect with them in the future, as our two communities no doubt have a lot in common and there is much that we can do together.

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We have been blessed by the wonderful people we have met. It is good that our home has been a place where others can gather to pray and just find good fellowship. We are a movement of hospitality, after all. As we participate in the works of mercy in the future, we hope these connections we are making keep us strong and help to spread the word about what we are doing.