We might have hoped that covid would be a distant memory of 2020, but as it turns out, that would be too optimistic. Strange times continue. 

As I write, in the part of New Zealand where I live, we move to Level 3 this morning. Yet the streets remain quiet; the days have been feeling long. We wear masks, we keep one another at arm’s length. We turn back in on ourselves, our bubble, our backyard. 

We are reminded of everything we learned last year, the small thankfulnesses in a day, spaciousness and kindness. I hope that you are finding some of those things… And some of us will be refreshing our familiarity with technology, having remote gatherings with friends and family, or for morning prayer. 

I advertised a workshop in the SGM calendar and on my website, to be held on September 11. Given the current state of the country, I now plan to offer it at a distance rather than in person. 

A few details – 

• the topic is the Divine Feminine – not an academic exercise, but a reflective one, inviting you to engage with expressions of the divine in female form
• I will email some material for the day: some readings, reflection topics and creative activities
• we will meet on zoom for half an hour to open the day at 9.30 am
• we will close at midday with another short zoom session
• there is a charge of $30

Hildegard of Bingen wrote: 

the highest blessing is found in female form, rather than in any other creature. For God is made human in a lovely and blessed virgin.

Earlier in the year, prior to the outbreak, a few were interested in attending. It is not the same meeting remotely, but I think better than not at all! Please let me know if you’re interested by emailing anne_chrisp@me.com by Sunday 4 September. And I am sorry for the late notice – with such rare postings I’d lost the knack – thought I’d done it last week! It would be nice to hear from you anyway…

In the meantime, be safe in your bubble, enjoy the sun and the emerging signs of spring!