Scam, Peacocks And Valleys
I am the victim of an email scam. Many of you have received emails purporting to be from me and asking for your help. Please do two things: 1) Look carefully and you will see that the email is not in fact identical with mine. 2) Put it into scam and you should not receive any more.
It was a delight to spend a day with Ken and Marsha McIntosh and their group. They are on a trip from USA, where Ken is a much loved author and pastor. He led a retreat at Holy Island's Open Gate Retreat House on 'Fresh Water from an Ancient Well'. He and I will both give two lectures at the Celtic Summer School in Durham beginning August 7. His latest books were available for sale, including the little gem 'The Peacock's Feathers - reading the Bible the Celtic way' published by Anamchara Books.
The book's title comes from John Scottus Eriugena, who wrote: 'There are many ways, indeed an infinte number, of interpreting the Scriptures, just as in one and the same feather of a peacock and even in the same small portion of the feather, we see a marvelously beautiful variety of innumerable colors.' My first lecture is at Saint Godric's Church at 2.0 pm and it would be good to see you there. You can pay at the door.
A friend returning to his home country after three months of pilgrimage in the British/Irish Isles writes 'As I encounter the settlements of early saints I see that they are often practically placed in fertile valleys while the settlements (embattlements) of the "powerful" are set on hills for other practical reasons. Valleys are fertile and vulnerable while hilltops are craggy and walled off. Shall we live as valleys or hilltops? Christ seems to call us to live as valleys by being fertile and open to vulnerability in relationship with others and our creation. Our industrial mindset has separated us from creation and we try to control it while our celtic saintly forebears taught us to live within creation...'
Maybe valleys of vulnerability and fertility are the kind of places God wants to lead us to?
