Recap of Sunday, January, 13th, 2008
Asheville Communities Network, 4pm to 6pm
At Grace Episcopal Church, Asheville
25 people attended the meeting
Facilitated by Marianne Kilkenny, Jeremy Schewe, and Program by Marianna Bailey
Program: Ritual and It’s Place in Community- see end for information
Agenda
Introductory
History- from conference and last 1.5 years
Introductory for new people-combining it now
Purpose of CAN is -Being the mother ship/ groups for forming community – education, networking, connection that is consistent and has a place.
Some changes based on:
1.Program committee met- Dec, 2007
2.October exercise with Gaitryi about this group’s future and mission
3. ICOA yahoo group joined us
4. Nov attendance of 75 people
5. Website as tool
6. Yahoo group as communication tool
Intergenerational focus- larger net – NEW VOICES ! those who have come forward to help and expand the group
Format for 2008- current plan focus
Odd months- program for all but expanded focus- January, March, May, July, Sep
Even months- Community 2nd Half of Life focus –February, April, June, August,..
Business
Sign in- clip board- yahoo group
Donations- support the church and other needs
Volunteers sign up- need assistance with set up, programs, facilitating
Jeremy
Introduce- Marianna Bailey
Program Celebration and Ritual- It’s Place in Community
New Idea during Potluck-Small groups- strengthen the network
(Sit with those who are interested in like type of communal living)
Cohousing
Small Intentional Communities- 2-20 people RURAL
Ecovillage- large, rural, land based
Urban Infill
Seekers
Announcements
Laird workshop- here in Asheville in January
February – Community for 2nd Half of Life- Reports from forming communities
Introductory starts 3:30pm Led by Jean Marie Luce and Alex Mawhinney
March meeting- Gaitryi Erlandson- Co-Creative Process
Group announcement time-
Potluck
Yahoo group- if you are a member you can post messages- currently all messages must be approved by moderators.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ashevillecommunitiesnetwork/
***********************************************************************
Program: Led by Marianna Bailey
Celebration & Rituals
· We have just completed a season of celebrations. Starting with Halloween, which is also a Pagan celebration, followed by Thanksgiving and then Hanukah, Solstice, Christmas, <st1:place>Kwanza</st1:place> and New Years!
· Did you notice? Celebrations these days are directed and dominated by the economic community! However, most of celebrations are rooted in thousands of years of community or village life. In many cases religions co-opted or borrowed from village celebrations/ritual adapting to their needs.
· Ritual and celebrations are activities that invite us to step out of ordinary time. They have a way of affirming the past, deepening relationships and affirming the future. As we form or think about forming intentional community we need to consider new ways of celebrating or rituals that are inclusive of the different traditions that each person brings to the community.
· We have a chance to begin that process this afternoon. You will have a few minutes to write your own reflection and then we will go into a small group to discuss. What they mean to you and how a community might create their own.
· Take a few minutes to write down, what to you are particularly meaningful celebrations. Then think about what are the elements of that celebration that are meaningful to you. Once you have done that think about some of the old traditional celebrations that are not particularly meaningful to you and then how you could re-invigorate the old tradition. Be bold! You have about 5 minutes and then we will go into small groups, at that time I will give you some directions the group work.
· In the small group go around the circle and let each person briefly say what is meaningful to them and one old traditional one to re-invigorate. Listen attentively to what each one has to say. As a group decided which one you will work on to reinvigorate for a community to share with the whole group. You will have about 20 minutes in your small group.
Group sharing results:
Season changes and how the earth is tied to that
Equinox, Solstice, etc
Not based on the commercial model
Singing and dancing
Music and chanting
Birthdays – celebration for the individual – stories on what is unique about them
Sunday night meal- celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, special happenings
Play games
Storytelling around a fire- keeping loved ones with us
Crazy breakfast- no rules- bring what you want
Dress up as one of the others in group
Initiation ceremonies and ritual to honor passages in life
Burning Bowl- write would like to let go of written on and burned
Postcard with reminder in 6 months of what you would like to have in your life
Shrine of ancestor’s pictures
Recap contributed by Marianne Kilkenny, Feb 2008