Greetings beloved,
Blessings to you this May! In Cleveland, the gorgeous flowering trees are in full bloom, birds are singing full throttle and commencement ceremonies are in full swing. It is a season FULL of promise and new life!
And yet, the weight of the world still falls heavy around us. I pray that amidst whatever burdens you carry, you can find ways to allow the sacred to burst forth with new life in your heart and soul.
I encourage you to find a spiritual practice that enlivens you - reading scripture, journaling, prayerful walking, contemplative coloring, gardening, music-making, silence - and create space in your life to allow it to blossom.
I humbly hope that this edition of Whale Spouts might help feed your soul and help it blossom ...
- Spouting Off Blog Post - Still Easter
- 3 Day/3 Night Belly of the Whale Retreats - REGISTER NOW!!
- An Opportunity for Generosity
- Hymn of Promise - Lyrics & Video
May today bring you a spirit of hope amidst despair, light in the darkness, and a voice of thanksgiving even in the belly of the whale.
With strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Sharon
Sharon Seyfarth Garner, Director
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Spouting Off Blog:
STILL EASTER
I took this picture of Lake Erie about a month ago just after the Easter sunrise service as I headed home to prepare for gathering of family and friends. What a beautiful day it was!
Something that I think many people don't realize, however, is that celebration of Easter isn't just a single day. The Christian season of Eastertide is actually 50 days long as we journey from Easter to Pentecost (which is June 5 this year). So it is STILL EASTER!
This lesser known season of Eastertide (50 days) is actually longer than the liturgical seasons of Lent (40 days) or Advent (approximately 30 days) with which we are far more familiar. Perhaps there is a reason we are gifted with extra time to contemplate the Easter message.
Perhaps the season of Eastertide is meant to be a reminder that the message of Easter...
life is stronger than death,
love is stronger than hate,
new beginnings always follow painful endings
... is so very important that we need extra time to weave it into our heart and soul space.
Our collective lives have been focused a lot recently on the agony of the world that is full of death, hatred and painful endings. The very real suffering we witness and experience is heart-wrenching. Yet, I believe that even in the midst of the horrific headlines, public rancor, health and human challenges that surround us ...
the Easter message of life, love and new beginnings
is essential to our collective healing.
It is STILL EASTER. The grave is still empty. New life is still emerging. We still have hope. May we have eyes to see and ears to hear. Today and every day.
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I would LOVE to have you join me for one of the 3 day/3 night spiritual renewal retreats that are coming up this summer and fall. Both of these Belly of the Whale retreats offer short morning and afternoon reflections on Jonah, contemplative practices, abundant sacred silence, creative prayer resources, spiritual direction, evening vespers and more.
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July 10-13 we will gather at the Jesuit Retreat Center in Cleveland, Ohio which is truly Holy Ground for me. In the summer, the weather is perfect for walking the 67 acre wooded grounds or sitting on the benches and watching the deer graze nearby. Thanks to our on-site spiritual director, Laurie Tucker, we will have an indoor labyrinth set up and available 24/7 throughout the retreat. One of our evening Vespers services will be a beautiful, candlelight labyrinth walk. If you are interested I encourage you to ensure your place by registering as soon as possible. The REGISTRATION DEADLINE is JUNE 10.
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September 11-14 we will gather at Bellwether Farm & Retreat Center in Wakeman, Ohio. This is a beautiful new facility that includes a 5 acre pond (fishing allowed!), working farm, private overnight rooms (including private bath), and ample hiking trails on 137 acres of gorgeous wooded land that borders the Vermilion River. The meals will be phenomenal and farm-to-table fresh. Our evening vespers will take place around a cozy campfire.
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There are those who long to be able to participate in these spiritual renewal retreats, but are not financially able to do so. That is why I have started a RETREAT SCHOLARSHIP FUND so that all who feel called are able to participate.
If you are in.a position to help another to find the spiritual renewal they seek, would you consider making a contribution to the fund? Any amount would be tremendously helpful!
Simply click on the link below to donate using Paypal. Or you can mail a check to Belly of the Whale Ministries, 31304 Aldrich Drive, Bay Village, Ohio. 44140.
Thank you so much for your grace and generosity.
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Hymn of Promise
by Natalie Sleeth
In the bulb, there is a flower
In the seed, an apple tree
In cocoons, a hidden promise
Butterflies will soon be free
In the cold and snow of winter
There's a spring that waits to be
Unrevealed until its season
Something God alone can see
There's a song in every silence
Seeking word and melody
There's a dawn in every darkness
Bringing hope to you and me
From the past will come the future
What it holds, a mystery
Unrevealed until its season
Something God alone can see
In our end is our beginning
In our time, infinity
In our doubt, there is believing
In our life, eternity
In our death, a resurrection
At the last, a victory
Unrevealed until its season
Something God alone can see
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