Merry Christmas

 

Merry Christmas from Union Square in San Francisco!   We were missing snow and cold weather so we went skating on the ice rink set up for the holidays.  Phil was definitely the best skater on the ice!  

We got an extra bonus in that it was the first day of Hanukkah.  A rabbi lit an ice minora at the rink while we were there.  He was helped by George Zimmer, the Men's Wearhouse guy!

We loved all the palm trees lit up.

Christmas Eve we will meet Sarah in Dallas and then fly into Gutemala to see Justin.  We will be in Antigua for Christmas and then off to spend the week at Resurrection Priory where Justin is living.     Many blessings for a joyous Christmas!

A Visit from our Daughter

In front of the CAL library where Phil often studies

Sarah came to visit us over Thanksgiving Weekend.  We had a great time showing her our favorite haunts in Berkeley- including CDSP, the CAL campus and various places to eat and shop.  We walked over 7 miles throughout the day, leaving the car home as parking is a challenge in Berkeley.

Flowers for the Thanksgiving table

The wines of Castello di Amorosa

 

Grapes were picked, but vines were in fall splendor.

On Friday we went to Napa Valley and enjoyed beautiful fall colors and delicious wine tastings. Napa is only about 1 hour from Berkeley.  We have to get there more often!!

Sarah got this great photo of a surfer at Ocean Beach

 On Saturday, Phil stayed home to study but Sheryl took Sarah to San Francisco on the BART.  Among other places, we hit Union Square with a big Christmas tree, the Castro, and Ocean Beach at sunset - a real unexpected treat!

Washington D.C. gets an amazing new Bishop!

Washington National Cathedral © 2009 Phil Rose

Photo from Diocese of Washington D.C. Website

When Sheryl and I were first married we had a ritual every 4th of July. We would get up early, make a special breakfast, turn on the TV and watch Breakfast at Wimbledon. We loved the tennis, but we also loved connecting with another part of the world, in real time. And we loved the pomp of it all. Yesterday, we had a similar experience, but much  more profound. We got up early and logged into the Washington National Cathedral Website and connected across the country to watch our friend Mariann Edgar Budde be consecrated the 9th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington D.C. We really wish we could have been there, because Mariann is a very big part of why we are in Berkeley. When I walked into St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church Mariann was presiding and I was so moved by seeing a woman preside that I was swept away in emotion. As I got to know Mariann I discovered what an amazing person she is. She is a kind, holy and spiritual woman who, to paraphrase the Rev. Linda Kaufman's Sermon from the consecration, "When you are with Mariann you can envision yourself being more than you are, more than you can be by yourself." Mariann is the kind of person who calls out the best in you and Washington D.C. will benefit from her presence and her gifts. Congratulation Mariann!   We never teared up watching McEnroe and Connors, but yesterday got to us.
And not only did we get to see Mariann, but a cast of hundreds, OK well tens from St. John's who participated and witnessed the consecration.  It was so great to see all of you, you were incredible.  And we feel connected in a special way to all the St. John's parishioners who were watching the streaming video like we were. 

All Saints Chapel Church Divinity School of the Pacific

St. John's © 2009 Phil Rose

With Love Phil & Sheryl

Point Reyes National Seashore

In late October, Phil had a week off of classes – Reading Week – and we took the opportunity to visit Point Reyes National Seashore-one of our favorite places in northern California. 

It was such a great time to be immersed in the gift of God’s creation.  Sitting up high on the point of the peninsula, looking down at the beach was a time to be fully present to the great expanse of the universe and to marvel in the miracle that is the ocean meeting the beach, and then being aware of the topography of the land surrounding it.  Then we drove down to the South Beach and experienced it as a place of crashing waves which drown out any other thoughts.  The sound and sight of those waves is relentless and forces you to pay attention to the here and now.  It was a great reminder from the book I am currently rereading by Esther de Waal, Lost in Wonder, about the art of attentiveness and the importance of noticing the things around you.

Drakes Beach on the other side of the point is gentler.  The waves roll in softly, bringing in clear cold water that left my bare feet feeling caressed and tingling with life.  The sand was smooth and begged me to keep walking. Both of these experiences were drenched with sun and temperature in the 60’s.  I couldn’t help walking around with a giant smile and feeling FULL of gratitude that day.  We now have one of Phil’s photographs of the beach hanging in our living room to remind us of this sacred place.

While we have been here, I keep saying “Does it get any better than this?  And then it does!”  Thank you God for this immense gift of time and place. Sheryl  

Point Reyes Map

Dr. Jeremiah Wright Can Preach. Amen!

One of our goals while living in Berkeley and attending the Graduate Theological Union is to participate in the many prayer opportunities offered by the various member seminaries and denominations. Monday night we were invited by our friend Tripp, a Baptist minister, to attend a prayer service that was part of a conference sponsored by the American Baptist Seminary of the West. The conference was a three day conference on Radical Hospitality: Reaching Across Barriers of Faith, Class and Culture. The event was at McGee Baptist in Berkeley. The guest Revivalist was Dr. Jeremiah Wright. Yep, that Jeremiah Wright. He preached three nights and we privileged to attend Monday night and hear him preach and experience a black church in all its glory. It was an amazing spirit-filled night. The choir was amazing and were backed up by the organist playing on what sounded like a Hammond organ. Dr. Wright, regardless of how he may have been betrayed in the media during the 2008 election, is a faith filled man who had been a faithful minister who served as Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ from 1972 to 2008 and built the congregation from 80 members to over 6,000. He preached a Gospel of God's love for all of us. 

 The other inspiring part of the service was the ushers. Six very dignified black women in matching suits and white gloves who would put a West Point Drill Team to shame with their precision and commitment to the mission. All in all we were blessed to be part of an amazing evening. Can I get an Amen?   Phil

Our First Earthquake(s)

We are now official Bay Area residents.  We have felt our first earthquake and its after shock.

The first one was a 4.2 that struck at 2:31 p.m. October 20.  The epicenter was less 1 mile from our apartment.  Sheryl and Bella were at home and I thought it was someone jumping on our metal tile roof.  I went outside to see what was happening and realized other people were also going outside.  It was then I learned it was an earthquake.  I felt a little shaky for awhile.  Phil was in class and it sounded like a sonic boom.  And even long time Bay Area residents thought that it was unusual because it was so short and noisy,

The second one, the after shock, was a 3.9 that struck at 8:16 p.m.  We were climbing a hill on a trail (in the dark) behind the Greek Theater at CAL.  I remember stumbling a bit, but thought I was just off balance because of the steep trail that I couldn't see very well.

Coincidentally, these two earthquakes happened on a the same day as the 2011 Great California ShakeOut earthquake drill that 8.6 million were involved with.


Why were we climbing a trail in the dark?  Because we were on our way to "Tightwad Hill" because Paul Simon was playing a concert at the outdoor Greek theater at CAL and this is where the locals go to hear the concerts for free.  Plus the view from there is outstanding.  It was great!  We didn't stay for the whole thing but heard music walking back and then also could hear some of the music and cheering from our living rom!

 

St. Gregory of Nyssa Wow!

Two weeks ago Sheryl promised that next up on the blog would be St. Gregory's and finally here is that post. A couple of reasons for the delay. One, is that I do have school and just a little bit of reading to do. But the bigger obstacle to writing this blog is what can one say about St. Gregory's? It is an amazing and fascinating place and I was/am more than a little bit daunted by trying to give a sense of the place in one blog post. But here goes. We have been there twice for Sunday liturgy and I have been there once to volunteer at the Friday Food Pantry.

The first thing you notice when you enter St. Gregory's is the beautiful Dancing Saints painting in the Rotunda.

This picture does not do it justice. The painting done by Iconographer, Mark Dukes, covers 3,000 square feet and has ninety saints (modern & traditional), a number of animals and a 12 foot high dancing Jesus. All of the saints are dancing! The Eucharistic table is in the center of the rotunda and when it comes time to celebrate The Great Thanksgiving, everyone dances as a group to gather around the table.




The liturgy of the word is celebrated in an oblong space with the presider's chair at one end and a very unique ambo on the other end. The preacher, lay or ordained, preaches from the colorful presider's chair. The liturgy is a mix of Anglican and Catholic with a heavy dose of Byzantine. It is complete with lot's of silence, a shared homily, Tibetan singing bowls of all sizes and pitches.

Check out these links to learn more about St. Gregory's.

The Food Pantry at St. Gregory's
and
Dancing with God

Peace,
Phil

Prayer in the Bay Area

To say we have had a diverse array of prayer experiences here is an understatement.  In the six short weeks we have been here, Sheryl has been to 5 out of the 9 GTU seminaries for Catholic Mass, Episcopal Eucharist, ecumenical Taize prayer and Episcopal evening prayer.  Phil has donned liturgical garb to co-lead Episcopal evening prayer and assist at Eucharist. We have been to three different Episcopal churches for Sunday Eucharist and to the Sisters of Mercy retreat center for Taize Prayer with one hundred other people.  Sheryl has walked four different labyrinths.  What a gift it is to be in this environment and be able to have these kinds of opportunities and to meet people from all over the country and learn their stories. 

Know that we keep all of you in our prayers and live in constant gratitude for everyone that has supported us in our efforts to get here.

In the coming weeks, we will share more about these amazing places where we have prayed.  First up will be St. Gregory’s of Nyssa – one of our "colorful" Sunday excursions.

The Giving Stump

One of the biggest challenges for us when we got here was outfitting our apartment both with essentials and to make it feel homey – all on a student’s budget.  I have hit Craig’s List, Goodwill and other thrift stores, the clearance shelves at Target, IKEA and the discount fabric store and numerous garage sales.   However, the greatest source of furnishings and dishes for us has been the “giving stump”.

Freecyle is the technical term used around here for putting out the stuff you don’t want anymore, in your yard or on the curb for people to take.  All over Berkeley, a student town, you will find things that are interesting and useful. I got Phil’s desk chair and a variety of other things this way.  It’s funny when you spend your time driving down the street looking for free stuff.  And we have learned the hard way that you better grab it when you see it or it won’t be there after you go home and think about it.

The Giving Stump is the place where our apartment complex concentrates its freecycle.  We got our couch, a bookshelf, some beautiful pyrex baking dishes and a set of tools this way-among other things.  One of our favorite past times is to check out the stump each morning when we let the dog out. You never know what will magically appear!   It will be even more fun to give back to the stump when we leave next spring.

It's a Dog's Life

Hi – Bella here.  They finally let me write one of these blogs.  Boy has this whole thing been exhausting! First, they move me out of my house that I had finally grown comfortable with.  Then they move me out to the lake, a totally new place with lots of different smells that I wasn’t sure about.  I actually ended up liking it after all - once Mom took me out in the kayak.  But I really didn’t like that awful incident with that German shepherd attacking me.  (I just grew my hair back in the spots where the emergency vet shaved me…)

Then, they take me on this incredibly long car ride which I guess I eventually got used to, but staying in a new place every day really wasn’t my thing. It took a lot of barking to clear everyone out of my way in each of the hotels.  One good thing though – those luggage racks that you push around sure are fun to ride on and I kinda like elevators now.

So it’s been about a month and I think I am finally getting used to my new apartment.  There sure are a lot of walkers, bikers, dogs, and cars around here and the noise has been something to get used to – not the nice quiet suburban street I was used to.   I have stopped waking up Mom and Dad in the middle of the night to tell them about everyone who goes by, because for some reason they really didn’t care.

The other thing I have to get used to is having 6 other dogs, 13 cats and 14 other apartments full of people who share my yard and some of my walls.  I am used to being the princess you know.

But some of the people seem okay and say I am more friendly than I used to be.  So, I guess I’ll have to stick with it since it seems like we are going to be here for awhile.  And I am really enjoying the big windows to look out and the sunshine that we have had every single day since we moved here :)

                                  

Retreat

This past weekend, Phil and I were on retreat with CDSP incoming students and their families at St. Dorothy's Rest - an Episcopal camp and retreat center by Sebastopol - about two hours north of Berkely. St. Dorothy's is in a forest of soaring redwoods.  Spectacular and beautiful.

On Saturday afternoon a group of us went to the Sonoma County State Park on the coast where the Russian River meets the Pacific Ocean.  The surf pounded in on one of the beaches leaving a plethora of glistening pebbles, mussels, and even a star fish.  The seagulls pick up the mussels and drop them on the beach cracking open the shells and eating the meat inside.  What's left are shells that look like butterfly wings - shimmering purple and blue inside. The waves crash over big rocks creating a stunning landscape.  Sea lions congregate at the point where the river meets the ocean.  They choose the calmer river side for their rest.

The ocean beckons me with the sheer pull of gravity.  I could stand and stare for hours - even on an overcast day which it was that day.  It is a clear reminder to me of the immensity and vastness of God's love.  It forces me into the present because it is so all consuming that you can't think of anything else.  That must be why I feel closer to God when I am at the beach.

Slowing Down

We have just finished our second week in Berkeley.  Phil had orientation for school and Sheryl did labyrinth facilitator training at Grace Cathedral (more about that later). 

In our continuing pursuit of feeling somewhat settled, we have made major strides.  We now have a reading chair, three lamps, a table and chair for Phil to study at plus a few other odds and ends that we picked up either on the side of the road as freebies, at a garage sale (yes, Sheryl actually figured out Craigslist) or at our now favorite store Ikea.  When you start with nothing but an empty apartment and an extremely low furniture budget, these are major accomplishments!!! 

We also are learning new ways of slowing down.  You actually have to think about dinner ahead of time when you don’t live half a block from a grocery store (nearest one is only 1 mile away – downhill there, but UPHILL on the way back-yes we can drive, but that’s boring).  It also takes longer to cook the food when you don’t have a microwave and you have to use the broiler in the oven to make toast because you don’t have a toaster.  Could anyone have ever imagined Phil living without a toaster for two weeks?

Since we made the decision to come to Berkeley nine or ten months ago, life has been unbelievably hectic for us.  Since we have been sleeping 9-10 hours every night since we got here, it's probably about time we slowed down. For the first time, I actually feel like I have choices to make and for now, I am making the choice to slow down and get into the rhythm of life in this amazing place.  Phil may not feel the same way as he starts school tomorrow, but actually getting to do what we came here for will be a blessing for him.    Sheryl

It's been a busy week at lake CDSP

Sheryl and I have had an excellent and exhausting week. Our 12 boxes of stuff arrived on Monday and we were able to sleep in our own bed that night and by Friday we had internet!!! In the midst of all of this I did take some photos of our apartment.

If you are interested in seeing them click on the link below and it will take you to a Picasa web album of our photos. I have added captions to help you get a sense of the apartment.

Apartment Pics Link
httpPicasa Photo Web

Cleaning and setting up house

Well we really miss our friends, Mick & Terry, Joan, Tim & Marion who helped us clean our house before we put it on the market - we have spent the last three days cleaning and they are such pros. I wish we had enough cash to get them out here for a weekend. Our fingers are raw but the place is looking great! Our bed arrived today and we got it set up - yeah - I don't have to sleep on the floor any more.




Excellent News - We heard from Justin tonight. He has arrived in Coban and says that it is beautiful. We are so grateful that he has arrived safely and we pray that he and Thomas will do good work, make new friends and be safe. We are also incredibly grateful for our amazing daughter, Sarah, who did all of the last minute things we would have done had we been there. Justin is lucky to have you as a sister. In fact Sarah was up til 1:30 helping him pack, connecting with friends he won't see for a while, buying him a good-bye drink from Mom & Dad. Thanks Sarah.

We are a bit internet challenged. We will not have service in our apartment for another 8 days. We will try and keep the blog up heading to coffee houses and schools. Love to all. Phil & Sheryl
Phil

Day Two - Colorado

Truth be known Bella was pretty bored traveling through Nebraska but as soon as we hit Colorado she lit up. She kept looking out at the mountains and she couldn't wait to get out and explore. We were feeling the same way. It was a beautiful day in Colorado. At Copper Mountain the temperature was 62 degrees but an hour later in the canyon it was 90 degrees.

Leaving Home

In order to go on a pilgrimage you have to leave home. This photo is one that I took of my spiritual home, St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church in Minneapolis, MN. This is one of many homes that Sheryl and I are leaving to go on pilgrimage. We sold our Eden Prairie home of 18 years and moved out to "the lake". We will be leaving both behind. We are leaving our jobs, Sheryl leaving The Church of St. Patrick in Edina, me taking a leave of absence from Search Institute in Minneapolis. But most of all we are leaving the people we love; our kids - Sarah and Justin, our family, friends, co-workers, neighbors. We will be back and of course we have email, skype, cell phones, blogs, etc. to connect but we are choosing to disconnect for awhile anyway. Pray for us as we leave home.