În urmă cu patru ani, o colegă mi-a povestit despre o excursie de revelion la care voia să participe, un fel de pelerinaj cu un traseu incitant, al cărui ţel final era… Milano! Dorindu-mi să văd Italia, am hotărât să mă alătur grupului…

Şi aşa a început aventura mea cu Taize-ul. Milano a fost prima oprire. A urmat Zagrebul, Geneva şi Bruxelles. După experienţa primului an, am început să adun tot mai mulţi oameni în jurul meu – prietenii dragi care-mi sunt alături peste an şi pe care-i voiam lângă mine şi de revelion.

Îmi amintesc cum le povesteam despre întâlnirile Taize, ca să-i conving să participe. Le vorbeam de aventură, de oraşele pe care urma să le vizităm pe traseu, de bucuria de a cunoaşte tineri din toate colţurile Europei. Uneori le spuneam şi despre faptul că, în anumite momente, îţi promiţi că e ultima oara când faci nebunia asta… Că eşti prea bătrân să mai străbaţi Europa. Însă ajungi, imediat ce se termină pelerinajul, să îţi dai seama că vei număra lunile până la următoarea întâlnire.

Taize-ul nu este ceva ce se uită. Îmbinarea de pelerinaj şi excursie, şansa de a cunoaşte locuri şi oameni noi, de a cutreiera Europa rămâne un dar ce nu ar trebui ratat. Revelionul în alte ţări, cu alte tradiţii, rămâne mereu o provocare şi o bucurie, înmănunchiată în dorinţa şi mândria de a-ţi (re)prezenta şi tu ţara cu succes, stârnind interes şi, poate, tentând pe viitorii turişti, pe care vara îi vedem cu rucsacele în spate pe străzile Burgului nostru.

Anul acest, aventura continuă: Polonia. Sunt sigură că va rămâne o întâlnire memorabilă, mai ales că Polonia – o spun în cunoştinţă de cauză! – este o ţară fascinantă şi nespus de frumoasă. Renăscută glorios din propria cenuşă…

Marea diferenţă faţă de excursiile din anii precedenţi (exceptând pe cea din Belgia) este că acum avem un autocar ce pleacă din Sibiu şi organizare locală (înainte, trebuia să ne „lipim” de grupurile din Braşov, pentru că nimeni nu se ocupa de asta la noi). Prin efortul Ilenei Zepa, Sibiul are acum propriul autocar şi propriul traseu, cu opriri în Praga, Berlin, Poznan, Varşovia şi Budapesta.

Vă provoc, deci, dragi sibieni la o aventură pe care garantez că nu o veţi uita uşor!

În urmă cu patru ani, o colegă mi-a povestit despre o excursie de revelion la care voia să participe, un fel de pelerinaj cu un traseu incitant, al cărui ţel final era… Milano! Dorindu-mi să văd Italia, am hotărât să mă alătur grupului…

Şi aşa a început aventura mea cu Taize-ul. Milano a fost prima oprire. A urmat Zagrebul, Geneva şi Bruxelles. După experienţa primului an, am început să adun tot mai mulţi oameni în jurul meu – prietenii dragi care-mi sunt alături peste an şi pe care-i voiam lângă mine şi de revelion.

Îmi amintesc cum le povesteam despre întâlnirile Taize, ca să-i conving să participe. Le vorbeam de aventură, de oraşele pe care urma să le vizităm pe traseu, de bucuria de a cunoaşte tineri din toate colţurile Europei. Uneori le spuneam şi despre faptul că, în anumite momente, îţi promiţi că e ultima oara când faci nebunia asta… Că eşti prea bătrân să mai străbaţi Europa. Însă ajungi, imediat ce se termină pelerinajul, să îţi dai seama că vei număra lunile până la următoarea întâlnire.

Taize-ul nu este ceva ce se uită. Îmbinarea de pelerinaj şi excursie, şansa de a cunoaşte locuri şi oameni noi, de a cutreiera Europa rămâne un dar ce nu ar trebui ratat. Revelionul în alte ţări, cu alte tradiţii, rămâne mereu o provocare şi o bucurie, înmănunchiată în dorinţa şi mândria de a-ţi (re)prezenta şi tu ţara cu succes, stârnind interes şi, poate, tentând pe viitorii turişti, pe care vara îi vedem cu rucsacele în spate pe străzile Burgului nostru.

Anul acest, aventura continuă: Polonia. Sunt sigură că va rămâne o întâlnire memorabilă, mai ales că Polonia – o spun în cunoştinţă de cauză! – este o ţară fascinantă şi nespus de frumoasă. Renăscută glorios din propria cenuşă…

Marea diferenţă faţă de excursiile din anii precedenţi (exceptând pe cea din Belgia) este că acum avem un autocar ce pleacă din Sibiu şi organizare locală (înainte, trebuia să ne „lipim” de grupurile din Braşov, pentru că nimeni nu se ocupa de asta la noi). Prin efortul Ilenei Zepa, Sibiul are acum propriul autocar şi propriul traseu, cu opriri în Praga, Berlin, Poznan, Varşovia şi Budapesta.

Vă provoc, deci, dragi sibieni la o aventură pe care garantez că nu o veţi uita uşor!

Raluca Toderel

„Nici o iarnă
fără Taize…”

Raluca, buna mea prietenă, îmi povestea despre întâlnirile Taize din iernile trecute, la care ea participase,
şi îmi plăcea cum sună… încercam să îmi imaginez un amalgam de pelerinaj, aventură, necunoscut, prieteni noi, familii călduroase.
Astfel, nu am pierdut ocazia ca în 2007 să mă înscriu şi eu pe lista grupului de la Braşov  (căci grup din Sibiu nu s-a mai format de ani buni), iar destinaţia noastră era Geneva. Am trăit o experienţă incredibilă, despre care o să scriu într-o altă postare, pentru a relata mai în detaliu şi a face înţeles de ce afirm „numai de bine”.
Era clar că nici următoarea întâlnire de iarnă, respectiv cea de la Bruxelles, nu aveam cum să o ratez; dimpotrivă, prietenii din grupul cu care am mers la Geneva m-au „votat” să organizez eu un autocar, pentru a ne face traseul urmat cât mai convenabil nouă şi cât mai accesibil ca preţ; ceea ce am şi făcut. A fost la fel de interesant, dar şi stresant: de data aceasta am avut mai multe responsabilităţi şi nu mi-am mai permis să stau pe ultima banchetă a autocarului, bând vin cu prietenii. Detalii într-o postare viitoare, bineînţeles.
Şi cum din lucrurile plăcute se nasc obiceiuri bune, sau, pe româneşte, „nici o iarnă fără Taize”, iată-mă pregătindu-mă pentru întâlnirea de la Poznan, Polonia. Sunt sigură că va ieşi şi mai frumos, cu toate că am auzit şi păreri sceptice în privinţa organizării într-o ţară fost-comunistă. Să vă dau câteva argumente: tinerii polonezi vin în număr mare la Taize (aproximativ o treime din participanţi), deci ştiu foarte bine „cu ce se mănâncă”, în sensul că au experienţa anilor precedenţi şi pot îmbunătăţi. Apoi, polonezii, catolici majoritatea, sunt buni creştini şi ne vor primi cu multă căldură, având şanse mari să fim cazaţi chiar la familiile organizatorilor. Am înţeles că de trei ani îl roagă pe fratele Alois să aleagă Polonia ca loc de desfăşurare a întâlnirii şi, după cum vedem, au reuşit să îl înduplece. Experienţa mea de viaţa (nu multă, dar atât cât este) îmi dă certitudinea că atunci când cineva insistă să fii oaspetele lui, te va primi cum nu se poate mai bine.
Să dea Domnul să ne vedem cu bine la Poznan şi să ne întoarcem acasă plini de amintiri plăcute.
Dacă aveţi întrebări, nelămuriri sau sunteţi pur şi simplu curioşi, aştept „provocările” voastre şi vă voi răspunde negreşit.
Cu drag,

Ileana.

Unplugged from what?

From politics, dogma, ambition, and money. From announcements and sermons. From exclusiveness. From self-righteousness. From squabbles about which denomination of Christianity is doing Christianity right. From chatter and argument. From anything, in short, that interferes with prayer.

Around here, Taizé (pronounced THAI-zay) services are offered one evening a month at Christ United Methodist Church. The service is not very Methodist. Taizé is itself. It is a way of worship, rather than a movement or a new denomination.

The local Taizé service is beautiful, mainly composed of candlelight and quiet. Prayers are sung round and round like mantras, and it is a fine place to sing. A small group of singers and acoustic musicians lead us. I can hear my own straggly voice as it blends with other straggly voices and a few fine ones.

The quiet of the service alone is restorative. Quiet is not in itself spiritual, but it invites spirituality. We who could be elsewhere—eating dinner, watching TV, texting—sing prayers and keep silent together.

“A very simple reality”

The  Taizé Community was founded in the town of Taizé, Saône-et-Loire, Burgundy, France, in 1940. It is an ecumenical (ie, unity-promoting) Christian monastic order of about 100 brothers. Tiny as this community is, it attracts tens of thousands of visitors from around the world every year.

Music recorded at the Taizé Community is available here.

Taizé’s founder, Brother Roger, said this: “Christ did not come to earth to create a new religion, but to offer to every human being a communion in God.”

A person who thinks Christianity is about nothing but sin and self-righteousness would be surprised how it looks when it burns a pure flame.

Aktuella tider (förträffar):

Lokalträff 2 dec kl 19.00Domkyrkans ungdomslokaler

Storträff 17 jan kl 19.00 Nordingrå

Lokalträff 17 feb kl 19.00 Domkyrkans ungdomslokaler

Storträff 29 mars kl 19.00 Gudmundrå

 3 april 23.30 Högsjö börjar vi med midnattsmässa

———————————————-

Lite info om resan

Välkommen ombord på resan till Taizé!!!

För sjätte året i rad anordnar Härnösands & Kramfors

Kontrakt en resa till Taizé som ligger i Bourgogne i

sydöstra Frankrike.

Taizé är ett ekumeniskt kloster (d.v.s. öppet för alla kristna kyrkotraditioner) som året runt tar emot ungdomar från hela världen som vill spendera en vecka på denna internationella mötesplats. Under de dryga 40 år som kommuniteten funnits (grundad av Broder Roger), har besökarantalet ökat stadigt till att nu omfatta ca 100 000 (!) per år.

Vad gör man när man är där?

Enkelt formulerat kan man säga att då tar en inre resa vid på ett tydligare sätt och vi välkomnas att vara en del av det som är de ca 80 brödernas vardag – de dagliga bönerna i kyrkan, s.k. Bible introductions, samtalsgrupper, praktiskt arbete (hur skulle annars toaletterna se ut!!), matköer och gemenskap. En vanlig dag i Taizé för oss:

08.15 Morgonbön i kyrkan varefter…

… Frukost serveras

10.00 Storsamling (åldersvis) med en av bröderna

11.00 Samtalsgrupper, oftast med blandade nationaliteter

12.20 Middagsbön i kyrkan varefter…

… Lunch inmundigas, följt av fritid

15.30 Smågruppsträffar

17.15 Eftermiddagste och fritid
17.45 Frivilliga workshops

19.00 Kvällsmat

20.30 Kvällsbön i kyrkan varefter…
…Oyak öppnar (fram till 23.00)

23.30 Tyssstnad och zZzov gott

Den geografiska förflyttningen…

… äger rum under påsklovet (v.14). Vi åker buss

hela vägen, vilket i runda svängar tar 36 timmar

(matpauser inräknade), eftersom det är ca 250 mil

dit. Mycket tid för gemenskap blir det!

Avfärd

: … börjar med påsknattsmässa kl.23.30 i Högsjö kyrka natten mellan 3-4/4. Efter mässan bär det iväg och vi beräknar komma fram till Taizé kring lunch på måndagen den 5:e.

Hemkomst

…beräknas till em på måndagen den 12/4 2010, så återresan börjar på lördagsnatten efter kvällsbönen.

Priset:

Om du åker för första gången blir kostnaden 800:-.

Har du åkt med förut kostar det 1 600:-.

I priset ingår bussresan dit och åter, samt mat och logi under vistelsen i Taizé.

I priset ingår inte maten under bussresan dit och tillbaka, utan betalas av varje enskild resenär. Fickpengar tillkommer samt kostnader för pass, varm sovsäck och liggunderlag osv om man inte redan har.

Anmälan:

… sker i två steg:

Sätt in 200:- som anmälningsavgift på pg 12 55 44-7
(vilket också är en delbetalning av totalkostnaden).
“Nordingrå församling” är betalningsmottagare.
Skriv att det gäller Taizé och vem betalningen gäller.

Gå in på

www.nordingraforsamling.se/taizè och fyll där i talongen

med dina personuppgifter.

- När din anmälan (personuppgifter & betalning) registrerats, får du ett brev hem som bekräftar att din anmälan är mottagen.

I samma brev medföljer en utrustningslista för resan.

Vad händer fram tills vi far?

Då har vi förberedande träffar och gudstjänster

för alla som är intresserade av att åka.

Det innebär typ en träff per månad.

- På “storträffarna”, då alla blivande resenärer träffas, firar vi mässa i Taizéstil, fikar och satsar på att börja lära känna varandra.

- På de lokala träffarna ligger fokus på info om allt nödvändigt för att resan ska fungera och du få ut så mycket som möjligt av den. Andakt och plats för frågor är också naturliga delar av dessa träffar.

- För att mer synliggöra resan för alla andra församlingsbor, kommer vi under våren att delta i lite olika gudstjänster i våra respektive församlingar, inklusive ett tillfälle när vi kommit tillbaka då vi berättar om vår upplevelse.

Att man kommer på förträffar och gudstjänster (se ovan) är en förutsättning för att få åka med på resan.

Boka därför redan nu in datumen nedan!

1/3 2010 är sista dagen för slutbetalning 

I have been reminiscing this Sabbath day about wonderful worship experiences that I have had during this 3 month sabbatical… Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Iona Community, Taize, Anglican, Church of Wales, Roman Catholic, Episcopal, and even in nature.

The first Sunday of sabbatical, Harvey and I worshipped at my dear friend Rev. Carol Petty’s church, Holy Comforter Episcopal Church in Angleton, Texas. What a perfect name for this very special congregation. We loved worshipping with this hospitable congregation and enjoyed the delicious lunch afterwards.

The following two Sundays, I worshipped  and had communion in the ancient stone Iona Abbey in Scotland with Christians and seekers from around the world. What a blessing to realize that in this location, Christians and seekers have worshipped the living God for over 1400 years!

Iona Abbey, September 2009

When I came home after Iona for a week to check on my Dad in Dallas after his two surgeries, we worshipped at East Dallas Christian Church where the Rev. Deborah Morgan pastors. It was a joyous service of magnificent music, communion, and a masterful sermon.

While Harvey and I were in northeastern France, at a noonday service, we sat on the floor of the huge tent-like sanctuary  of Taize, filled with hundreds of twinkling candles and even more young people from all walks of life and from many cultures. What a sacred place! Harvey said that this was one of the most meaningful experiences of our travels.

Inside of Taize Sanctuary, September 2009

While touring through Wales, Harvey and I attended a short noonday mass at St. Winefride’s well in Holywell where each person was offered the blessing to kiss the relic of a finger  of St. Winifred’s that is encased in a jeweled monstrance. She and St. David are the patron saints of Wales and she was an abbess in the 600’s. Now, that was a first for us Protestants!

St. Winefride's Holywell, Wales, September 2009

During my three week stay at St. Deiniol’s Library, I had communion often early in the morning during the weekdays in the beautiful new chapel and then worshipped on Sundays in the beautiful ancient St. Deiniol’s Church (Church of Wales).

What a treat it was to participate in an early morning communion service at Chester Cathedral in the St. Werburga Chapel. She is the patron saint of Chester and was  an abbess in the 7th century.

St. Werburga Shrine in the chapel of Chester Cathedral

Two Sundays ago, we worshipped at Kingwood Christian Church where my friend and colleague, Rev. Renee Hoke pastors. It was a celebratory service with another wonderful sermon with a great powerpoint from this very special person who preached my ordination sermon.

While in beautiful British Columbia this week, being surrounded by God’s magnificent creation caused me to daily worship and praise our living God amongst nature.

Brenda appreciating God's creation on McKenzie Beach, Tofino

Today, Harvey and I worshipped with St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Beaumont that is just down the street from our home. Rev. Nancy DeForest has a wonderful congregation of filled with members of all ages including many young families.

While I was in Europe, Harvey also took a sabbatical and attended several different churches. He enjoyed worshipping with a variety of churches and denominations. He also loved attending their Sunday Schools and seeing what they are doing during this weekly Bible study time.

It will be a joy to return to worship with my congregation, First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Beaumont on November 22nd.

What a blessing to see that the Spirit of God is alive and working through all kinds of denominations. We can worship God wherever we are, but what a joy it is to gather with believers and seekers to worship, grow in our faith, and serve in the name of Christ. May the unity of the Spirit continue to bring people to faith in Christ and to allow us as disciples to be the hands, heart, ears, and feet of Christ to people in need of the good news of the gospel of Christ’s all inclusive love, forgiveness, peace, and acceptance.

Bread and cup to nourish and transform us to to be Christ's disciples-Iona Abbey

Blessings!

Pastor Brenda

Pastor Pilgrim Brenda

Après une bonne nuit de sommeil, j’étais enfin apte à ranger mes affaires après ce séjour à Taizé… petit inventaire de tout ce qui se trouvait alors dans mon petit sac…  

Je vous mets des légendes, ce sera plus clair…

1 : C’est le petit ticket repas de Taizé que vous présentez à chaque repas et qu’on vous coche avec des cœurs, smileys, soleils ou autres… même pas déchiré !!!

2 : Mes chaussures bateau qui sont les seules à avoir bronzé

3 : Le sac en question qui a transporté tout ce bazar d’un lieu à l’autre de Taizé… il est revenu plein de miettes à cause d’un BN oublié au fond  =S

4 : Trousse, l’indispensable.

5 : Haha, ça c’est le petit gel pour éviter la grippe A

6 : L’ingénu de Voltaire que j’étais sensée lire pendant la voiture… hum, je dis bien sensée.

7 : Lampe de poche, indispensable également pour tout bon campeur.

8 : euh… brosse à cheveux

9 : J’avais une fois de plus trop à manger dans mon pique-nique de jeudi midi.

10 : Ca c’est un de mes préférés : le carnet de chants de Taizé (orange bien sûr) couvert de mots de tout le petit groupe dont il y a une photo un peu plus loin.

11 : Nouveau Testament qui date de la dernière marche pascale.

12 : Des Petits Ecoliers de Lu !!! mouahaha !

13 : Paperasse, paperasse, paperasse… pratique quand vous cherchez seulement une feuille (Zabou et Anne-Claire pourront confirmer)

14 : Une chaussette en perdition

15 : Indispensable également pour tout Normand peu habitué au froid de la Bourgogne (si, si, il fait chaud en Normandie!)

16 : Un casse-tête chinois qui fait cling cling

17 : Des petits morceaux de papier ayant servi pour jouer au loup-garou dans la voiture

18 : Une carte très chouette !

19 : Une autre carte très chouette !

 20: Encore une autre carte très chouette!

Bon, et puis, surtout, je reviens avec plein de fabuleux souvenirs et rencontres plein la tête, et une bonne dose de joie et de bonheur!!! Un énorme merci à tous et en particulier à notre équipe de Manchois/Manchots (je ne sais toujours pas lequel est correct):

Et à la prochaine Taizé!!!

Bless the Lord my soul, and bless God’s Holy Name. Bless the Lord my soul, who leads me into life…

In de herfstvakantie ben ik, voor de derde keer, een week naar Taizé geweest. Het was echt super! Heftig, leuk, mooi, inspirerend, gezellig… Om even kort uit te leggen wat ik er gedaan heb zal ik ons dagprogramma (Als je ander werk hebt, heb je vaak ook een ander dagprogramma) even vertellen:

8.15 Ochtendgebed, daarna ontbijt
10.00 Werken bij Point 5
12.20 Middaggebed
13.00 Lunch
15.15 Bijbelinleiding en gespreksgroep
17.15 Thee
19.00 Avondeten
20.30 Avondgebed, daarna nog naar Oyak of meteen naar bed

Om 7.30 ging onze wekker en sprong Anne uit bed, pakte haar spullen en ging tanden poetsen. Daarna stond Joukje op en deed het licht aan. Langzaamaan kwamen we dan allemaal uit bed om klaar te maken voor de kerk. (Ja zo ging het serieus elke ochtend.) Rond 7.55-8.00 zat ik altijd wel in de kerk (op de grond!), dagboekje schrijven, zachtjes praten met mensen, soms bijbellezen of gewoon voor me uit staren. Om 8.15 begon dus het gebed. Dat bestond uit zingen, Bijbellezing, stilte, nog meer zingen en ’s ochtends communie-uitreiking. Over die communie heb ik aardig wat zitten denken, ik heb serieus géén idee of ik in die Werkelijke Tegenwoordigheid geloof en ik vroeg me af of “ik wil Christus ontmoeten” voldoende intentie is om het te mogen ontvangen. Maar ik denk dat het zo goed is, uiteindelijk boeit het ook niet zoveel wat andere mensen van jouw intenties vinden, het gaat tussen jou persoonlijk en God.
Na het gebed liepen we naar buiten en gingen we in de rij staan voor het ontbijt, dat bestond uit een keihard wit pistoletje, twee reepjes pure chocolade, een klein pakje boter en een kommetje thee of chocolademelk. De chocolademelk is super waterig en echt niet te doen, de thee is een fenomeen op zich, misschien nog het beste te omschrijven als verwarmde ijsthee.
Na het ontbijt liepen we naar Point 5, ongeveer zes meter verderop. Het werk bij Point 5 is wc’s schoonmaken en dat is minder vreselijk dan het klinkt. Je mag een liedje zingen voordat je begint (dit liedje!), je krijgt thee als je klaar bent en bij het dweilen moet je een emmer met water vullen, sop erbij en over de vloer smijten. Daarbij is het super gezellig! Om een uur of 11 waren we meestal klaar en gingen we thee drinken. Daarna was er tijd om bij te praten met iedereen (voorzover je dat bij het ontbijt nog niet had gedaan) of een spelletje te doen. Rond een uur of 12 ging ik, met nog een paar anderen, weer in de kerk zitten. Dan middaggebed, en daarna lunch. Zowel de lunch als het avondeten was warm eten en het eten is eenvoudig, voedzaam en soms zelfs lekker. (Het eten van de foto was het minst smakelijk van de hele week, schrik niet! En het smaakt beter dan het eruit ziet.)
Na de lunch had je aardig wat vrije tijd en kon je een wandeling maken, naar het winkeltje, wat zitten praten, een spelletje doen, in het Romaanse dorpskerkje gaan zitten (Dat is een heel klein kerkje, echt heel mooi en waanzinnig stil, echt zo stil dat je de stilte kunt horen. Echt heel bijzonder!) of iets anders. Om 15.15 hadden we bijbelinleiding door broeder Jean-Patrick. Ik vond hem soms wel moeilijk te volgen. Daarna gingen we in een gespreksgroepje verder praten over de bijbeltekst. Mijn gespreksgroepje bestond uit twee jongens uit Franstalig België, vier Duitse meisjes, een Australiër, en Stijn (die ik eerst niet kende), Simon, Marlies (uit mijn groep) en ik uit Nederland. Marlies was de enige die geen Engels sprak, maar Simon (haar vriendje by the way) heeft alles voor haar vertaald en dat ging heel goed. De eerste dag was iedereen echt heel stil, maar later ging het beter. Donderdag was heel heftig, we hadden het over je zwakheden tonen en kwetsbaar zijn, en toen kwamen alle dramaverhalen (niet negatief bedoeld). Echt iedereen zat te huilen, of bijna te huilen.
Daarna was er (weer) thee en had je vrije tijd tot 19.00, dan was het avondeten. Maandag heb ik geholpen met eten uitdelen en dat is echt heel tof! Iedereen komt langs en krijgt van de eerste een dienblad en een bord, van de tweede een kom en een lepel, van de volgende een stukje brood, van die daarna een stuk fruit enzovoort. In een halve minuut heb je dan je eten. Het uitdelen is heel gezellig, hoe lopende-band-werk het ook lijkt. Na het eten gingen we weer naar de kerk voor het avondgebed. Na het avondgebed gingen we vaak nog naar Oyak, dat is zegmaar het café. Daar gingen we dan nog wat drinken, kletsen en liedjes zingen.
Je dag is dus aardig volgepland, maar je hebt nog wel ruim genoeg vrije tijd over, om een spelletje te doen, te wandelen, in stilte in de kerk te zitten, in de zon een boek te lezen, een heftig gesprek te voeren… (: Vrijdagmiddag ging ik met een paar mensen in de crypte zingen. Dat waren we al langer van plan, omdat we van één lied de melodie erg mooi vonden. Ik vond het echt een heerlijk moment, ik merkte dat ik het echt miste om muziek te maken om de muziek zegmaar. Ik zing eigenlijk nooit, in ieder geval nooit als “instrument”, omdat ik het gewoon niet echt kan. Maar eigenlijk ging het best goed, en het was super leuk! Dus nu ben ik even helemaal gemotiveerd haha.

Ik merkte op gegeven moment dat ik nogal tegen mezelf aanliep. Ehm… okee wacht ik ga hier echt mensen mee kwetsen, maar ik wil het wel vertellen. Als ik je hiermee kwets, SORRY, ik voel me er echt oprecht schuldig over. En dan bedoel ik niet alleen dat het jou kwetst, maar ik voel me schuldig dat ik dit deed/doe. Ik kan me namelijk echt ergeren aan “orthodoxen” die oordelen (“als je niet alles gelooft wat de Bijbel en/of de Kerk zegt, ben je geen echte christen/katholiek”) maar ik merkte op gegeven moment dat ik zelf, in al mijn vrijzinnigheid, precies hetzelfde doe! Ik oordeel net zo hard over hen! Het was een vrij schokkende en confronterende conclusie. Ik maar denken en vinden dat zij niet goed bezig zijn, en ondertussen ben ik net zo erg! Of eigenlijk erger, want ik denk dat ik beter ben. Nu schrik ik iedere keer van mijn eigen gedachten, als in: “WAT? Oordeel ik zó hard? En ik dacht dat ik dat niet deed?” Ik heb zo’n idee dat dit gevoel “zondebesef” heet. Wát een kl*tegevoel!
Verder heb ik zaterdagavond een heel heftige ervaring gehad. In Taizé volgt een week een beetje de Paasweek, met vrijdag gebed rond het kruis, en zaterdagavond gebed met kaarsjes als symbool van het Paaslicht. De Paaswake thuis raakt me altijd wel, ik sta op een of andere manier altijd met tranen in mijn ogen. Deze “paaswake” raakte me echt heel erg, ik zat keihard te janken! Dat licht, dat is echt heel indrukwekkend, dat het Licht overwint. Het Alleluia (sinds vorig jaar weet ik dat dat “let us praise the Lord” betekent) na de lezing (over het lege graf, Johannes 20, vers 1-10) kwam echt van ergens heel diep van binnen, en daarna… echt heel heftig, heel indrukwekkend. Het was reactie op alles van de hele week, geen afscheid willen nemen, en vooral dankbaarheid tegenover God voor de mooie week, voor alle lieve mensen, voor Jezus ook, dankbaar dat het Licht nog steeds kan overwinnen. Het was serieus wel een moment waarop ik kon zeggen: “ik geloof in Jezus”. Echt… wow. Zó zó mooi!
Tenslotte mag ik opnieuw gaan twijfelen aan de Bijbel. Ik dacht dat ik aardig idee had wat het was, maar de manier waarop Luuk (een Nederlander die ik daar heb leren kennen) met de Bijbel omging, vond ik heel inspirerend. Heel relaxt, heel open. Hij was tijdens een kerkdienst begonnen met Openbaring lezen, en hij had er een mooi stukje in gevonden dat hij wilde laten lezen. Toen stond ik dus in de lunchrij samen met iemand anders dat te lezen. Die momenten “Openbaring bij de lunch” zijn me erg bijgebleven. Mede dankzij hem kan ik opnieuw de Bijbel gaan ontdekken. Ik heb het idee dat ik de hand van God erin wat had onderschat. Voor mij blijft het after all waarschijnlijk wel een boek van mensen, maar ik kan hem alleen maar dankbaar zijn voor die nieuwe twijfel! Dus bij deze Luuk, als je dit leest en je herkent jezelf, dankjewel.

Okee woow dit is echt een lang verhaal geworden! Maar een week is ook aardig lang  Als je zin hebt gehad om er doorheen te ploegen, beschouw ik dat maar als compliment. Ik hou NU op!

liefs! Geneviève

140 – Il Signore ti ristora
Il Signore ti ristora. Dio non alontana. Il Signore viene ad incontrarti. Viene ad incontrarti.

Le Seigneur te restaure. Dieu ne t’éloigne pas de Lui. Le Seigneur vient à ta rencontre./The Lord restores you. God does not push you away. The Lord comes to meet you.

The huge bells toll, ring, do all those verb-y things that huge bells do.

In the church, the brothers take the center aisle like NFL players taking the field. In their efforts to be humble, they are bigger than life. They walk to their usual seat or knee rest. Sometimes they go to a new spot on the center aisle, but usually they take the same spot, Brother Emile said.

Brother Emile, who is Canadian, is one of “my guys.” There are other brothers that I love – the tall one who served me communion, the Asian one who helped me change rooms, the one who leads Bible Study. The Bible Study Leader is Brother Wolfgang and he rides a bicycle to Tent F where the adults gather. I admit I have a weakness for bike-riding monks.

One of my friends said that Wolfgang was one of her guys until he stopped leading the Bible Study in English and just let it be simultaneously translated into English by a couple of German 20-something year olds. But she liked his grey hair.

One of the brothers is handsome in a Robert Redford kind of way. I think he may be in love with a dark-haired 20 year old German woman. As he processed by her last night, he coughed. Then, the dark-haired girl’s friend, the one with glasses, pinched the dark-haired girl. They practically swooned. The cough signified something. But what?

Something new happened towards the end of the service. Instead of processing out, some of the brothers stood like sentinels around the perimeter of the sanctuary. Why? The answer becomes clear as people approached them. It’s confession or a time for guidance.

I have to admit I went up to one brother that night. I will not tell you what we talked about. But when he lay his heavy hand on my head, I really felt blessed and protected.

Then the last night at Taize, after the service, Brother Emile is standing right next to me. And I feel sorry for him, because no one is coming up to him to ask for guidance or forgiveness, so I go to him. I ask him for blessings for our group’s travel. And he puts his hand on my head and says something about “Jesus, forgive your friend, Mary Beth.” And maybe that’s his standard prayer but I wasn’t asking for forgiveness. I did like that he said I’m a friend of Jesus’s though. And I wondered if I could Facebook friend Jesus, would I?

Je pars à Taizé dans 13heures et 15 minutes précisément!!!! (à l’heure de publication de ce billet évidemment…)

J’ai toujours pas fait mon sac, ni mon pique-nique, ni… bref, je vais m’y mettre =D

Allez hop à dans 5 jours les gens!!! Je vous reviens avec plein de trucs chouettes à raconter (enfin je pense!) et avec un an de plus (mouahaha!).

Känner att jag har fint flyt just nu. PM:an är nästan helt klar, behöver bara putsas lite på diskussionen. Imorgon ska jag göra min restuppgift i drama (missar examinationen som är på fredag..) men det ska nog gå bra Idag har jag slingat mammas hår och växlat in mina 960 kr i mynt på banken. Mer shopping i London nästa vecka kanske imorgon ska jag packa klart också. Ett i-lands problem kom jag på; jag och C-Love kunde inte köpa våra peaceandlovepass billigare, dels för att tiden gått ut, men även för att vi inte riktigt vet när vi åker till Frankrike nästa år, kanske missar vi P&L helt, men det gör inget, för Taizé smäller högre men förhoppningsvis hinner vi med båda Känns redan nu som om 2010 kommer att bli ett bra år!

Det står att det ska vara 18 grader i Paris på lördag

Bless the Lord my soul, and bless God’s holy name.

Bless the Lord my soul, who leads me into life.

“Since my youth, I think that I have never lost the intuition that community life could be a sign that God is love, and love alone. Gradually the conviction took shape in me that it was essential to create a community with men determined to give their whole life and who would always try to understand one another and be reconciled, a community where kindness of heart and simplicity would be at the centre of everything.”

- Brother Roger, founder of The Taize Community

Phase three of this journey has officially begun!  We have left Taizé and have arrived in Geneva, a group of seven Americans together on an adventure.  It will be interesting to see how this group travel dynamic works out.  But, for now, it is safe to say that we are happy to be together and happy to be leaving the camp-like accommodations.

Our first group adventure involved our bus ride from Taizé to the train station in Macon.  The bus was jam-packed, and everyone seemed to be willing to stomp on anyone else in order to catch this bus.  Gone was the goodwill fostered from our spiritual pilgrimage– not when there are public transportation schedules to adhere to!  Just as we were getting settled in our seats, a scuffle broke out near the front of the bus:

Australian man: Oh GREAT!  That’s just GREAT!  Take up an ENTIRE SEAT with your bag when there are NO SEATS LEFT on this bus!  SUCH IGNORANCE!

French man at whom he was yelling:  ?

A:  THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE!  MOVE YOUR BAG!

F: ? (looks out the window)

A: Dis-GUSTING!  And you call yourself a Christian…

Needless to say, the bus driver was having a bad morning.  But nothing could compare to the visible resignation that emanated from her seat when we finally arrived at the Macon train station…

And a car was blocking her entrance.

She honked and honked, but to no avail.  So, she put her head on her steering wheel and sighed.  Then, she opened the door and said, in that beautiful French language:  ”You will have to get off here, I’m afraid.”

Well!  We Americans had seen enough!  We couldn’t leave this poor woman to her terrible day without giving at least one shot at making it better.  So, we did what any crazy group of Americans in our situation would do:

We recruited French boy scouts from the bus.  And we moved the car.

Though, not ALL of us were willing to undertake the risk.

But, alas!  Victory!  Victory, at last!

Needless to say, I think the bus driver had her day a little brightened…

I am leaving Taizé today, and after a full week of being here, I think I finally “get” what is so special about this place.

This community was started by a Swiss immigrant to France named Brother Roger.  He chose this location precisely because of its poverty and isolation, and, in the middle of World War II, he felt that he wanted to live among people who were being directly affected by the violence.  He wanted to be a presence of peace and reconciliation in a troubled place.

It’s hard to imagine such a picturesque place being disturbed by war and sadness.  And yet, decades after Brother Roger founded this community, violence erupted once again, reminding all who gather here that violence is not some abstraction that we can shelve and ignore.  The fact is that the seeds of violence and sin and despair lie within us all.

In 2005, Brother Roger was murdered– stabbed to death by a mentally-ill woman who had wandered into the Church of Reconciliation (the centerpiece of Taizé) during an evening prayer service, crossed into the Choir, and attacked Brother Roger, killing him almost instantly.

The community did not react with violence or anger.  Instead, the community continued to exist as it always has, as a witnessing community where peace, reconciliation, and forgiveness (even in the face of murder) are at the core of every action, every word, and every intention of the community.

The spirit of hospitality that welcomes young people to gather and pray with the brothers day after day is the same spirit that allows for young people to welcome others from different countries, cultures, and languages into their own hearts and lives.

It’s funny:  I was physically and emotionally uncomfortable for most of my time at Taizé.  But, having had this experience, I am forever changed.

And I can’t wait to go back.

Today has been a pretty incredible day at Taizé, and, while my American friends ventured to town in order to find a restaurant, I stayed behind and was rewarded with some of the most thought-provoking and wonderful conversations.

After lunch, I sat in a circle with Julia, Eva, Dorota, and Kristina (German, Austrian, Polish, and German, respectively), and we talked about our difficulties with our mothers, with ourselves, and with God.  It was amazing to hear each of these young women– with various degrees of fluency in English– articulate some of the same struggles that I have had my whole life.  How do we make our mothers proud?  How do we get a sense of who we are supposed to be?  How can we believe in God in a day and age of such violence and suffering around the world?  It was remarkable, and I was overwhelmed with a feeling that maybe– just maybe– the experience of Taizé is not supposed to be an individualized spiritual quest.  Instead, maybe it is the very communality, the very togetherness of our being here that tells us something about who we are and who God is.

I have always wanted to have friends all over the world– and not just American friends who relocate.  I want German friends and French friends and Polish friends and Russian friends.  I want Korean friends and Australian friends and Iraqi friends.  And here, in this small space in this rural place in France, I have, miraculously, made such friends.  And indeed, it is life-changing.

I am still astonished by the fact that these young people come here.  We pray together, we eat together, we work together, we sleep together.  And, somehow, mysteriously, God is at work in it all.  God prays with us, eats with us, works with us, sleeps with us.  God gives us space to be here.  Our pilgrim God who has journeyed to us has made the space for us to journey to God.  I find this amazing, and I watch as the young people are drawn here.

Somehow, I get to be a little part of this story.  God’s story.  Taizé’s story.  My story is somehow a part– maybe even an important part– of the story, at least, insofar as my story intersects and intertwines with others’.

Remarkable.  Humbling.

My partner in silence-keeping is a quiet German girl named Julia (pronounced Yoolia).  She is sweet, but she does not think she speaks English well so she does not speak much at all.  I can’t help but feel embarrassed that I am so uni-lingual.  I know Spanish pretty well, I can vaguely remember some Italian from college, but, for the most part, I’m useless over here.  I have fallen head-over-heels in love with French, but, contrary to my expectation, English and German are the languages I am hearing most here in Taizé.

But Julia and I communicate very well when she opens up– it just takes a little bit of patience.  Patience, I’ve got.  I have to have it while traveling and being here or else I’d go insane.  But, I am still struggling.  This place is exactly what I was told it would be, but it is still nothing like I imagined… sort of like marriage.  I want to BE here, I want to make friends and have good conversation with people from around the world.  BUT!  I also just want to hit the road and get back out there on my own, having the grand adventure I was having just a week ago.  I want to be sleeping well and eating good food.  I want my wine to come in a glass cup with a stem.  I want more coffee and less bread.  And I want some Claritin.  I want, I want, I want…

But, I have what I need, I suppose.  I have a lunch sitting in my stomach (albeit not one I care to write about), I have a bed to lie on, water to drink, people to talk to, a place to pray, clothes to wear.  It is so difficult to be satisfied with these things.  It is difficult to do my work here– sitting in a cold, damp, bee-infested field, telling teenagers to keep their shirts on their backs, their hands to themselves, and their voices down.  It is difficult not to be frustrated when I can’t understand other people.  It is difficult to settle myself long enough to pray, to think, to reflect.

So, here I am at Taizé.  I thought it would be a life-altering experience, and, I suppose it still has that potential, but it is all so other.  It is not idyllic.  It is a real place with real people, and that always poses real problems.  And real joys.

Some realities:

- I am getting to know so many people– Polish, Russian, German, Lithuanian, French, Argentinian, Swiss, Italian, Dutch, etc.  Americans here are rare, but not totally non-existent.

- Today, Elizabeth (the red-headed German) said that she thought I was like “sunshine.”  I cannot say how good that made me feel, how kind that was to hear.

- In many ways, I think I am still learning how to love myself.  I think this is ok.

- I can’t help but wonder what people do here if they do not believe in God and if they do not pray or meditate?  What brings them here?  What brings any of us here?

One word: Overwhelming.

So many thoughts, I don’t know where to begin.  Right now, I am tired, sore, sick to my stomach, sick to my heart, and unsure about so much.

This is not like traveling.  This is like camp.

Now, I like camp, but this…?  This is like camp, on Mars.  Beautiful, yes, but so strange, so foreign, so other.  Suddenly, I am being expected to think about my soul, and whenever that expectation is upon me, it’s the last thing I want to do.

I don’t know what to think of Taizé.  I can’t say that I don’t like it, but as of now, I can’t say that I do.  Yesterday, I had absolutely no time to journal.  Today, I have not had time even to brush my teeth.  It’s hardly the quiet and soul-quenching space that I was hoping.  At least, not yet.

Right now, I am standing in the meditation garden, the Source.  My job is to be the silence-keeper over this space.  I do not really like it; I am not very good at it.  Teenagers keep coming down here to talk and laugh and get away from their adult supervisors.  And I have to tiptoe over to them and request that they be quiet.  So far, I have walked away twice with the strong suspicion that the teens are immediately launching into some jokes at my expense (and in a language I cannot understand!).  I’m fine with being made fun of by teenagers; I just wish I knew how to communicate more effectively with them!

Still, it is a beautiful place.  I have watched French ducks eat lunch for two consecutive mornings.  What could be more simple and transcendental than that?

But, it is damp and cold here, and I am increasingly feeling like I might be allergic to this region of France.  But, I am trying to hold it together.  Lord knows, I am trying.

Some initial observations about Taizé:

-Things are not nearly as self-explanatory as I thought they would be.

-Songs are difficult to pick up right away and are not repeated nearly as much as I thought.

-The silence during our prayer times is not as long or as silent as I thought it would be (people shifting and coughing and sneezing tends to make a lot of noise).

-Without a worship leader, I find it difficult to know what to do or where to look.

-I am much more self-conscious than I hoped I would be.

-Most of the time, I am utterly exhausted.  And hungry.  So, spiritual pilgrimmage?  To be determined.