Community of the Holy Spirit
in this newsletter . . .
The Ministry of the Farmers Market
Visiting with Jennifer Morgan
More than Floors and Beams
In the Gardens Now . . .
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July 21, 2010

Dear friends,


We hope that you are all able to keep cool during these hot, hot days of July.  The data-keepers tell us that we've just had the warmest June in recorded history.  And after the record rainfall of last summer, it seems that we've entered a period of extreme weather, surprising us season after season.  In the midst of all this, we pray for our planet, and for us all, as we learn to cope with such fluctuations, and the consequences they bring.

Peace,

The Sisters of the Community of the Holy Spirit
www.chssisters.org

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The Ministry of the Farmers Market

Sr. Catherine Grace at the Farmers Market
This is our third year participating in the local Farmers Market in Brewster, held every week from mid-June through mid-November.  It's quite a bit of work, rising early on Saturday morning to harvest bushels of leafy greens and other vegetables, then cleaning and trimming and bundling them all to be appealing to the public.  For us, it's much more than a commercial enterprise--it's about community.  Each week, we get to talk to local folks about food,  organic gardening, and healthy cooking.  We value the opportunity to introduce people to new foods, and to exchange gardening tips.  Some of our "regular customers"--who really feel more like friends--have even started bringing us seeds!  In a small way, we hope we are contributing to the resilience of our local community, sharing our knowledge, creating networks, and building a critical mass of people committed to healing our relationship with Earth.
Visiting with Jennifer Morgan, writer and educator

Thomas Berry and Jennifer Morgan
Thomas Berry and Jennifer Morgan
In June, the Sisters and resident companions at Melrose/Bluestone Farm had the pleasure of spending some time with Jennifer Morgan, an author and educator who focuses on bringing "the Universe story" into children's education.  The Universe story is an approach to understanding our origins and our role within the framework of the creation and expansion of the Universe; this approach is part of the "new cosmology," developed by the late Thomas Berry, Brian Swimme, and Sister Miriam MacGillis.  Jennifer Morgan, who was deeply inspired by Thomas Berry, has translated their wisdom into books and programs for children. 

We were delighted to welcome Jennifer into the rhythms of our Community life, and, especially, to attend one of her presentations.  Taking on the mantle of the Universe, Jennifer made the mystery of creation and evolution come alive before us, transforming the periodic table from a collection of facts into a narrative that is central to our own human history.  We encourage everyone to take a look at her work, and the work of others in this field who are dedicated to helping humanity realize the magnificent, and delicate, cosmic context in which we live, and move, and have our being.
More than Floors and Beams

Sheetrock walls and electrical wiring
Sheetrock walls and electrical wiring
Progress continues on the new "green" convent.  The construction workers have built sheetrock walls, and electricians have laid the wiring.  There's even a tidy new boiler in place.  Each day brings an ever-more defined shape to this dream of a building.

Many of you have asked when we expect all the construction to be completed, and when we'll be able to make the big move.  Although these things are always subject to change, we hope to move uptown in September. 

In the meantime, we continue to sort, pack, give away, and discard.  More than 50 years of Community life here, filled with meaning and memories.

We appreciate your continued prayers for the safety of the workers as they build our new home.  And we'll be sure to post more pictures as the rooms and halls become complete! 
In the Gardens Now...

First cucumbers!In addition to our crops of leafy greens, most of which will continue through the end of the summer, we have just welcomed the arrival of our first tomatoes, cucumbers, and eggplants.  The peas, spring lettuces, and berries are all done for the year, and we're thankful that they produced abundantly.

We've just finished harvesting a few hundred bulbs of garlic, and about 15 quarts of dry soup peas.  These will serve both as seed for next year, and as food for us throughout the coming months.  Both crops are set out to dry completely before being stored.

And we're almost done planting our fall root crops: turnips, parsnips, beets, rutabagas, carrots . . . We'll eat some as they come ripe, but store most in our root cellar for the winter.  It's a little hard to imagine those cold months ahead when we're in the midst of heat wave, but we can be pretty sure it's coming.  And so we give thanks for the harvest, and we do what we can to preserve its bounty.