gather: Conversion of St. Paul
Bonfires in the oxbow
As to Thy last Apostle's heart
Thy lightning glance did then impart
Zeal’s never-dying fire,
So teach us on Thy shrine to lay
Our hearts, and let them day by day
Intenser blaze and higher.Excerpt from “The Conversion of St. Paul” by John Keble
Welcome, friends. I’m Kristin: a Pacific Northwest artist, mom, & farmer offering support for seasonal, local, liturgical living. Together, we’ll explore the agrarian heritage of the Church calendar and ideas of sacred time & sacred place.
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For the past few years, I’ve hosted a Liturgical Life group. We’re a diverse gathering - of all ages, from a variety of denominations, learning alongside each other and working to graft the traditions of the liturgical calendar into our own varied circumstances.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure that I’d be able to put together a liturgical gathering this January; our Christmastide was incredibly bittersweet and complex (we lost my mother-in-law, but were so thankful to share in some really special moments with her and with other family amidst the struggles), and we entered into the new year with more exhaustion than normal.
Energy depleted, and being a lifelong introvert, I thought about just skipping a gathering this month - and I know that I would’ve had the love and support to do that from all of our understanding members. I also knew that I didn’t want to force myself through this exhaustion out of pride, a sense of completionism, or my own unrealistic expectations.
And yet…I needed this. I found that, tired though I was, I’ve gotten to a place in my life where I now realize how how paradoxically re-energizing, how lifegiving, these liturgical gatherings can be. And I say that as someone who has spent all her life as an introvert, shy of socializing.
Though many group settings do still leave me feeling exhausted, I’m learning to pour myself into gatherings that are enlivening: and celebrating the life of Christ instilled in the Church year within the context of community just absolutely knocks my socks off. I’ve learned to lean on this discovery as an element of faith: I know that, wherever my emotions are, this rhythm has proven to be consistently fruitful.
So, we had ourselves a good old-fashioned Conversion of St. Paul party (as one does). And afterwards, as my husband & I lazily pondered the idea of cleaning up from the evening, David - despite all the loss and exhaustion from the past couple of months - turned to me and said, “We all needed tonight.”
Here’s a glimpse into this sweet January gathering - full of comforting food, music, & bonfires!