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Dear friends,
We hope that this Lenten season is providing you with time for reflection and prayer.
We are so pleased that our first efforts at outreach through new media--our new website, blog, and Facebook page--have been met with such a joyous response. Connecting again with so many of you has been a real gift this past month.
Please feel free to pass this newsletter along to friends and family; unfortunately, we don't have email addresses for all our friends and Associates, and we appreciate your assistance in helping us create this digital network. Anyone can subscribe to this newsletter by signing up here.
Blessings,
The Sisters of the Community of the Holy Spirit www.chssisters.org
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Associates Retreat in Dallas, TX
 In February, Sister Leslie traveled to Dallas, Texas to meet with CHS Associates there. Fleeing NYC a few days early to avoid a predicted snowstorm, she was surprised to find herself in Dallas just in time for a record snowfall! Equipped with brooms, Sister Leslie and Janice Ashmore swept out the driveway, since snow shovels are not common household items in Texas. Thankfully, the roads were cleared in time for the retreat.
Sister Leslie writes, "The enthusiasm, warmth
and Spirit-led energy of our Associates and friends in Dallas was overwhelming. I am
always in awe and humbled when I meet with people around the country by their
deep faith and prayer life. I feel
truly blessed by our time together." Sister Leslie would also like to recognize the prayerful, humble, and good-humored leadership of Father Pantle, of St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church, who ministered to the retreatants.
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Signs of Spring
At Melrose/Bluestone Farm, we've been busy "starting seeds" in two little rooms on the convent's second floor. Now there are hundreds of tiny plants emerging, and it's a joy to behold. Trays of cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, broccoli raab, kale, collard greens, parsley, celery, arugula, bok choi, tat soi, mizuna, and swiss chard are placed under lights as soon as they sprout.
Soon they will be transplanted into larger pots, to allow their roots to spread. When the ground thaws, usually in early April, we'll begin planting outdoors. But before that, we'll be planting rows and rows of peas, as is traditionally done, on St. Patrick's Day. It's a delight to witness the growth of these living things, which will nourish us all throughout the coming year.
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Full Moon Fireside, 3/25, "Transition Town Movement"
 Full Moon Firesides are relaxed, focused evenings of conversation, held on or around the full moon each month at Melrose/Bluestone Farm. These events are opportunities for us to deepen our understanding of the challenges we face due to environmental destruction, energy insecurity, and economic instability.
At our last Full Moon Fireside, we watched The Story of Stuff, a compelling short video about consumerism, and all the waste that's
generated in the production of "stuff." The 20-minute film provides perspective on the larger consequences of our actions,
and is well worth watching. (Click on the title to watch online.)
The next Full Moon Fireside will be held Thursday, March 25, from 6:30-8:30 pm. (Please note this is a change to our previously listed date.) The actual full moon will take place during Holy Week, so we are holding the Full Moon Fireside the week before. At our March Fireside, we'll be watching a short video of Rob Hopkins talking about the Transition Town movement, and reflecting on how we might further move toward sustainability.
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Journey through the Seven Stations of Repentance
The Reverend Suzanne Guthrie, one of our Resident Companions, has been busy creating meditative tools to help you prepare for the Sacrament of Reconciliation or your personal confession this Lent. On her website, "At the Edge of the Enclosure," you can take a journey through the Seven Stations of Repentance, and even venture into the Caves of Deadly Sins. Each of the Stations features Psalms and other prayers, Bible passages, and reflections to guide your contemplations.
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