In the new kitchen

We thought we'd be moving in the summer, but a variety of circumstances led to delays and it was St. Hilda's Day, creeping up to Advent, when we actually spent the first night in the new St. Hilda's House. Those last weeks on 113^th Street were loaded not only with packing and purging but with a mixture of emotions about leaving a place that CHS called home for over 60 years.

This past year saw a lot of "lasts"--the last Thanksgiving and Christmas, the last Holy Week and Easter, the last Eucharist and finally the deconsecration of the Chapel.  We had a lot of energy for re-purposing items that we would not be taking with us and we were able to give many things to new homes.  Quite a few books were either matched up with organizations that could use them, put out on the front step where neighbors could pick up things that interested them, or boxed up and sent to Africa by our associate Petero Sabune who is the Africa Partnership Officer for the Episcopal Church.

After some months of "freecycling" books, we branched out into other household items.  It was interesting to watch people "browsing" on our step from inside the convent.  Sometimes items would be added to the steps--a couple of pairs of spike-heeled shoes appeared that we are sure didn't belong to any of the sisters!  Some of our chapel furniture went to St Mark's in the Bowery and some to a small church in rural Virginia.  We were also able to give some equipment to our next door neighbors, The Chabad Student Center at Columbia University for their ministry of hospitality.  We arranged, with the help of Columbia University, to have Build It Green come and take away some furniture that we knew would not need.  As of now they have taken five truckloads of furniture to sell in their warehouse--we are pleased to have been able to make this donation to help them continue to do the good work they are doing to keep reusable and surplus items out of landfills.  Of course there was some "plain old trash," but we really tried to minimize it.

And so now we are starting with the firsts.  The first Thanksgiving: the sisters and companions not only came down from Melrose to join us for a Thankgiving meal--they provided most of the feast.  Our tired bodies certainly appreciated that gift.  Oh, there are still plenty of boxes that haven't been unpacked and workers are here putting on the finishing touches and working on the "punch list."  They've just started working on the green roof today and we're wondering what the floors will look like once the construction dust is a thing of the past.  We've only set the security alarm off a couple of times.  None of us can say without stopping to think whether we should be going upstairs or downstairs to a certain room.  It is a major change to have the chapel, refectory and kitchen all on the first floor!  The chapel is lovely, the acoustics are great, the refectory and kitchen are bright cheerful rooms, the sisters are getting settled in and everyone is smiling most of the time.

This has been a long process: from idea, to dream, to design, to construction and finally to occupancy.  We have been blessed by so many people along the way: thank you for praying us through it all, we have really felt your support.

Bishop Roskam will be here to consecrate the new chapel and bless the convent on Saturday, December 18^th at 2 pm.  If you are in the area and would like to attend, please contact us at chssisters@gmail.com.

Just four days before the BIG MOVE to the new convent in New York City, I was off to Rhode Island to lead a knitting retreat for the Anasazi Group at St. Mary's Church in Portsmouth. 

The retreat had been planned way back in March, when we were sure we'd certainly be moved in to the new convent, and all settled by mid-November!  But, as John Lennon said, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." 

It was a lovely weekend with beautiful weather and a warm welcome from St. Mary's and the retreatants.  The morning started informally with coffee and pastries (always a good thing).  Pam Mott, the rector of St. Mary's, led us in an opening prayer and soon the refreshments were put aside in favor of the various projects that each participant had brought to work on during the day.  While the group included mostly knitters, there were quilting, spinning and crocheting projects in the making as well.

The Anasazi Group has a vibrant shawl ministry, and Karen White spoke briefly about their group and their projects. There was time for introductions and a mini "show and tell" as each participant explained what she had brought to work on.

The day included prayer, and I provided brief reflections that explored images of the "Knitting Madonna" and the story of Mary spinning from the The Protoevangelium of James.  More importantly, we meditated on the unmistakable bond between creativity and spirituality.  Talks were interspersed with quiet time and time for the more experienced knitters to share tips and techniques with novices.  There were new ways to cast on, bind off, and a myriad of patterns for scarves, hats and prayer shawls.

At the closing, I was presented with the most beautiful prayer shawl made by Susan Kelchner, who coordinated the entire event. Thanks to Susan, Pam and everyone at St. Mary's who worked both publicly and behind the scenes to make this retreat such a lovely experience.