[Oe List ...] (no subject)

[mhampton at att.net]

            To:   Order Ecumenical Community <oe at wedgeblade.net>
            Subject:   Re: [Oe List ...] Synchronicity
            Date:   Sunday, 18 June, 2006

            Dear Colleagues,  

 I ceremonially threw my Order ring into the South China Sea off Macao 14 years ago.  And I was not unpleased when I fell and skinned both knees walking back accross the rocks on the shoreline.  I thought I was taking on a new marking.  No, I was continuing the interior marking with another transcient external sign.  

When David wrote his talking paper I saved it.  I have collected your offerings since.  I even made a folder rather than let them set in my in box.  The topic is very alive to me, I conclude.  In fact, its exciting to me.  I will always want to come to the great celebrations of our Order.

Jeanette quoted Lyn Mathews Edwards "Yes, we called the Symbolic Order structures out of being but the Movemental Order is stronger that ever.  Then Jeannette said "yes I have experienced the movemental order of the Order Ecumenical as alive and well around the world.  You all are still my community now and forever.  

John Cock reminded us that we are spirit community in many forms here and now.

Tim Caswell reminded us that here and now we are a part not an end or a whole, a spark not the fire, a stage not a destination. 

I am this Order and this community.  Last night Stuart and I hosted our local "allumni association" dinner -- shared food, drink, good talk and a study (Michael Lerner this time).  Four to six couples meet once a month. Twice a year I have the opportunity to gather with women for a Spirit Retreat.  The Order is the core of these gatherings.  The 2000 Reunion remains a an event of joy and of illusion-destroying pain that I would not have missed.

I also am excited about other aspects of my spirit life.  For me those include Friends Meeting of Austin, a Lutheran friend I lunch with, anticipation of the annual Gathering of Friends General Conference (the branch of Quakers that is most closely my spiritual home), Go Gratitude (an online spirit celebration), dialogue with my Baptist relatives, deliberately deciding to relate to another Quaker as "Spiritual Friends," being part of FGLBTC (Friends for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Concerns), dancing NIA twice a week and a lot I read.

I think we are at a point of  being "spiritual mentors" and explorers in solitary but related ways.  I appreciated Tim's statement, "In this world of fixed positions and certainty, image, mission, and corporate style, let us explore not-being, not-knowing, not-doing, insignificance, invisibility, from this position we can 
 perhaps look for being,  look for wisdom, look for significance in others."

I hope I am not completely quoting you all out of context especially in agreeing with Frank Bremner when he quotes,  Panikar as relayed by Mary de Souza - "this is a good problem to have 
for a few hundred years". 

Let us keep talking, writing, sharing with each other.

With the Hosts I am standing on tiptoe waiting to see the forms of Children of God for our time.  
Love and Light!
Grace and Peace, 
         
mary hampton
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