|
Archives of past items
Sat May 31 2003
The Church Spiritual (2)
As distinct from the Church temporal.
What or is it Who is The Church Spiritual, as distinct from the
Church temporal?
What or Who is a saint, or is it Saint?
Are the saints referred to in the Bible the same as those ordained
or canonized by the pope?
Why is sainthood posthumous? Is Sainthood posthumous? In either
case what or is it Who is the authority of the source of the
answers, and for whom?
What or is it Who is the communion of saints? In this context
what does the word "communion" mean?
Were / are the Biblical Saints ordained by man?
The greater always Blesses the lesser. For example when we say
to another "Bless you" we are willing The Blessing
of The Christ upon our fellow human being. It follows that the
human being who ordains (Blesses humaniy with) a saint is to
be considered greater than the human being so ordained. The only
righteous claim of any human being is that of The Christ as his
or her personal Saviour; thus the Saviour of all humanity as
so choose having been chosen; and thus also The Saviour of Planet
Earth.
The Way of The Morning Star.
A Muse.
The Christ is not a member of any denomination.
The Christ is not a member of any faith.
The Christ does not walk upon The Way
-- walking implies the need to move.
The Christ does not travel upon The Way
-- travelling implies the need to go somewhere.
The Christ serves upon The Way.
-- serving confirms the need to Love.
Love, confirms the need -- to die.
Amen.
The Sublime Bead and The Prayer are One.
In the line above the word "prayer" signifies the content
of the prayer and the individual Spirit which, or is it Who,
renders the prayer, or is it therefore Prayer? Amen.
The Wind of Change
Sat May 24 2003
The Church Spiritual
Text of a letter to Mr. Black, author of a short tract on the
community of the island of Lismore in the member’s archive
files on the home page of The Dalriada Celtic Heritage Trust
website. www.dalriada.co.uk. Mr. Black is also the local historian
and active member of the community. The poem “The Garden” concludes
the letter.
May 24, 2003
Mr.Donald Black
Achnacroish
Isle of Lismore
Oban PA34 5UL
Dear Mr. Black,
A Change of Mind
You are written to as a stalwart of the community on the Island
of Lismore.
Back in July 02 you received a letter entitled “A Change
of Heart” signed by Ian McLean. This present letter gives
further thoughts and information as part of the developing Spirituality
of Change.
Firstly, a point of clarification. At the time of the last letter
to you an email was sent to the administrator of the Lismore
Community Website. It sought confirmation of whether you were
the administrator of the website. The response received neither
confirmed nor rejected my assumption. I simply wished to avoid
duplication of communication, and feel that the response lacked
community spirit.
I quote the second last paragraph of the letter:-
“
As you see, I live in Edinburgh. Nonetheless I would like to
help in any way I can to foster community* within Lismore as
an island integrated with the mainland culturally, economically,
socially, and not least Spiritually.”
(*Of four Kingdoms, each jointly and severally part of the Queendom
and Kingdom of God.)
I visited Lismore just before Easter this year and gained a
first hand impression of what the hand of man has done to the
island during the Clearances and subsequently. It is not by the
hand of man that Lismore (the big garden) will ever grow again.
I read of the controversy regarding the intended tourist attraction
of the restored Croft House, which I happened to pass on my tour
of the island. I admired the work and intended purpose of the
house. Surely the intended tourist perspective is secondary to
the house as a symbol of the past, and therefore a reflection
of the Lismore community’s intention and preparedness to
change -- or otherwise in a dynamic way illustrating a commitment
to the island’s future.
If “home is where the heart is” I feel the symbol
of the croft is the focal point around which the Big Garden will
bloom once again by the Will of The Holy Spirit, and thus by
the hands of men, women, and children.
How will this come about? There are at present in a number of
countries on this Earth a relatively small number of buildings
known as Earthships. Placed in a Scottish context they are really
21st century Black Houses. Thus in a sense they create the future,
not just in their technology but in the changes arising in the
individuals and communities which build them. Thus there is a
runrig element re-introduced to such communities. The shared
land being the “common ground” between the people.
An Earthship can be independent of all public utilities. It interacts
continuously with the planet, the atmosphere and the families
living within it’s walls. A demonstration Earthship built
by volunteer labour is nearing completion in Fife. A general
impression of their design, construction and purpose is available
on two of the Web sites listed at the end of this letter. The
intention of The Earthship Alba project is to rebuild a cleared
Highland clachan as a model for others throughout the Highlands.
Amen.
I understand you were born at Salen on the west side of Lismore.
This deserted clachan has a wonderful spirit of community overlaid
with the suffering of the people. As an historian you will know
much of the exporting of limestone from this site. Could the
industry of the people be reborn by the importing of Earthship
materials to the existing quay? This would give rise to a living
21st century community which will grow upon Lismore attracting
not just tourists -- but permanent young residents -- the parents
of tomorrow! Through such communities the island will be replanted
both with people and as a garden. The tourists will thus spread
the seeds worldwide. Amen.
What of The Spiritual? True community, that is Common Unity
is of the five Kingdoms. St. Columba and St. Moluag of Lismore
were contemporaries, thus the ministries with which the two islands
were Blessed were one as Spirit. What is the further potential
for worldwide evangelism of such communities by Iona and Lismore
coming together once again as The Church in Scotia? Such a Church
would be of the community and can be described as the parish
state accountable to the Nation State of Scotia which in turn
is accountable to the people through it’s Parliament.
This Church which will simultaneously be the community itself,
will be inclusive of businesses as members of the church / community,
such is Common Unity. Only in this way will global business be
accountable to the people. The issues of Feudal tenure and commercialism
will never be resolved by the will of man. This will not be the
concern of such Common Unity.
At this stage copies of this letter are being sent to the organisations
and individuals appearing in the circulation list. The recipients
may choose to discuss the letter with their colleagues. The letter
is also being published in the “updates” section
of The Wind of Change Web site to include the poem “The
Garden”.
For the moment the Lismore community is left with the well-known
children’s rhyme from the past:-
“Mary, Mary quite contrary how does your garden grow?
With silver bells, and cockle shells, and pretty maids all in
a row.”
From which the question arises, will Lismore’s garden
grow in the future? If so, by what means and in what form. Who
knows -- Who cares? c.f. The poem “The Garden” of
which you already have a copy.
Thank you for reading this letter of Witness.
Regards,
Ian McLean.
Web Sites.
Sustainable Communities Initiative (for Earthship Alba Project)
www.sci-scotland.org.uk
Earthship (New Mexico) www.earthship.org
Lismore Community Website www.isleoflismore.com
Iona Community www.iona.org.uk
Dalriada Celtic Heritage Trust www.dalriada.co.uk (see Lismore
file in public archive written by Mr. Black)
The Wind of Change www.wind-of-change.co.uk
Circulation List.
Paula Cowie, Director, Sustainable Communities Initiative (Scotland)
Kathy Galloway, Leader of The Iona Community
Alan and Maire-Colette Wilkie, members of The Iona Community
The Administrator, The Lismore Community Web site.
The Administrator, Dalriada Celtic Heritage Trust
Mr. John Murdoch, Minister of Lismore and Appin Parish.
Mrs. Freda MacGregor, Headteacher, Lismore Primary School
The Garden
Creation spoke to me this day
It called me to its bower
And said “sit and rest a while or I will pass you by”.
So down I sat upon the seat
The Throne where Kings are crowned
So listen, hear and you will see
The form, the beauty of my Realm of Peace.
The dahlia caught my eye
In appearance sturdy strong
Then it gently whispered
“
No, not sturdy strong -- Abundance is my name”
I thanked the dahlia for her sweet refrain,
Whispered in the breeze which loves --
To pollenate the grains of truth in human hearts.
My thoughts -- they drifted on the breeze
Lost in reverie’s repose
Then up spake the dahlia once again
“
I’m not alone you know”
My name is shared by all you see
And this we gift to you --
We all with hearty, kindly cheer -
Of friendship through the years. *
Oh, how I thanked the dahlia and her friends
And how my heart did dance and sing
As the tears of dew drops fell to earth
And watered thus my soul!
Then up spake the breeze
As a gently murmur in the trees,
I asked it what it wished to sigh
And this is what it moaned
“
Oh, rest, be still in Me”- -
Just then the wind did drop to zypher still
And thus I lay longside
Whilst it caressed my Soul --
With a soft and gentle kiss upon my cheek --
Oh, how I lingered -- still!
The crowning glory of the tree
Adorned in all the majesty of leaf
Then called from cross the way
“
Take the gift I offer thee”
Quick as the son doth rise I did reply
“
I never take a gift”
Then said the tree with craggy wooden smile
“
Then please receive My wisdom born of old
And held aloft for thee as ONE --
Creation’s Soul within us all here abiding -- still”
With grateful thanks I did receive
This gift of Wisdom bold+
It all seemed but a voice of old --
A stirring in my Heart
But then I knew that I AM ONE --
Won to the Heart of All.
Now, as you look upon my face
Of multi coloured blossom
And the profusion of my form and scent
Receive my message in your heart
And never let us part again --
Come, join me in the Eden of my Dream
Your lover; heartbreak; Soul redeemed.
Oh! One last glance before we part
Remember lest you think these lines
But chance and rhyme --
Creation is no illusion of the mind --
Rather; it is the Reality of My Being --------- Still.
Amen.
*millennia.
+ of and as the Totality of Wisdom.
Nb. This and all other poems are composed by The Holy Spirit
and written in free flow as fast as the hand can write. There
is no fore knowledge of the content of any line prior to its
being written, nor is any word ever altered. There are over three
hundred such works which (Who) form the anthology “An Infinity
of Poetry”. Cf “The Bardic Craft” in the file
of that name in the public archive of The Dalriada Celtic Heritage
Trust site. www.dalriada.co.uk
Sat May 17 2003
The Church -- The Facts
The Christ stood before the closed door of the church* and wept.
He wept for the lost sheep, bereft of a shepherd; upon whose
hearts The Wind of The Spirit could no longer blow in the darkness
of the night.
In His heart though, he rejoiced in the warmth of The Love of
The Son rising above the earthly horizon. It is enough to be
inside The Church, it's purpose in hand as the end of the beginning.
A purpose with no beginning or end.
The church mumbled it's last prayer and choked on it's last
hymn, pleased that so few were present to witness the rigour
of death, ashamed to recall it's Witness as of old.
The pregnant silence distanced the sheep from the fold as the
shepherds slept , oblivious to the tolling of the iron bell far
away across the fields which calls the faithful to their knees
to hear the softly spoken magic spells. Amen #
The Christ gazed upon the empty pews -- the church saw only
it's temporal perception of ecumenism whilst paying homage to
the lie of selfhood, thus denying Life in death.
It's denominations unsure; the central tenet of Faith abandoned,
it withdraws it's withered patriarchal hand as the canker spreads.
In it's dying it remembers not the Life within as was in Eden,
and will be once more in The Garden at the end of time.
* the church temporal. # God's Will be.
----------------------------------------------
1 Corinthians. 1: 18-31 inclusive
Naham 1: 2
Mathew 10: 34
Sun May 11 2003
In Christ's Name and therefore in The Gift of Grace alone.
Amen.
The Asylum Seeker
The Spirit of all updates on this website is that of Community.
Whilst the dance steps referred to in the update dated 28th April.03
may appear to be unrelated, The Dance itself leads, and the Dancer
follows.
The twenty or so public archive files on the website of The
Dalriada Celtic Heritage Trust (www.dalriada.co.uk) are easily
accessed from the homepage of that site. One of the files is
entitled "The Bardic Craft". In these perilous times
we read of Mr. Blair's intention to give the people of Iraq a
referendum on their proposed constitution once it is drafted.
In contrast Mr. Blair "sees no need" for a referendum
of the British people on the imminent implementation of the constitution
of the European Super State. Whats all this got to do with ancient
Bards? Perhaps the two meanings of the word "asylum" may
give food for thought.
The issue is the same whether we are considering community at
a local or national level; whether a colony of ants or the planets
of Cosmos -- government or Governance?
The Wind of Change
A referendum they say is all we need
To decide the way to go as Nation free.
But I know the truth that lies within
And it is hard to see or tell.
For now though let me try --
And thus reveal my all to thee
The standard bearer proud.
You speak of "the healing of the nations"
Now which nations might these be?
Nations come, and nations go
But none go past my eye of woe.
They fight not for the cause of Peace
But cause of rampant pride.
To line their pockets is their cause --
To ashes if their fate.
We did stand against the foe
And our cause it shall prevail --
In Peace , the Gentle Warrior plies his trade
In arms outstretched in Love
Instead of weapons bare.
So now the cause is silent run
Deeper still the Heart --
The wind across the battlefield doth moan
Learning all the while, twixt kith and kin.
Now, this breeze, a zypher still knows all --
And thus is resolved to blow again in might
Which will in-deed blow all before
As on St. Crispian's Day.
This time the weapon used is -- will,
And that alone - of Heart.
This Presence cleaves the pride of earth in twane
But leaves no corpse to rot
As on the battlefield it cannot lie
But simply fights in Truth.
The lesson of The Gentle Warrior my friend, is this --
To give the battle credence
Is to lose before you start.
Rather, simply BE at Peace
And thus render up your heart.
Only in this manner do you live --
The live long day --
And thus you cannot die!
Amen.
Mon May 5 2003
In Christ's Name, therefore in the Gift of Grace alone. Amen.
The sections in this update are:-
Response to this web site to date.
A Message to the clergy.
A Message to our Youth Associates.
The Concern of The Iona Community
Links.
Response to this Web Site
This web site was published and made known to a proportion of
Members and Associate Members of The Iona Community at the end
of April 03. To date five or so responses have been received
by The Wind of Change. Two of the respondents did not wish to
be identified. These have all been off site and addressed to
Ian McLean. Of the responses all but one have related to the
current issues section of the site, the exception being some
thoughts on The Child in the context of Transactional Analysis
relating to the Manifesto section. Thank you for the responses.
The responses relating to the current issues section all denied
The Witness without any reference to the text whatever. The word
denied is not used emotively. It is one thing to deny witness,
it is another to refute Witness. Let the heart of the matter
be simply stated.
In her leader to leader interview in Coracle our Leader Kathy
stated that human spirituality will orient in the direction of
our individual hopes or ultimate concerns. (see current isssues
section). This is to place the human mind before and above The
Holy Spirit. The implication of this mindset is that the Spiritual
direction of The Iona Community is determined by the collective
human spirit of the membership, and not therefore by The Holy
Spirit. Whilst this conviction remains unchallenged the Will
of The Holy Spirit is blocked. Sovereignty rests with the people.
Thus, if a false doctrine is accepted by the people that aspect
of Sovereignty (Who is The Christ within) is given up as the
leader's convictions become the will of the people. In these
circumstances Kathy's statement is correct. The question then
is -- is the direction taken the direction given?
Even prayer for guidance from The Holy Spirit is blocked by the
conviction that the human spirit is the determinant of the Spiritual
direction of a Spiritual Community. That is to say, a community
guided by The Holy Spirit.
A Message to The Clergy (within The Iona Community)
Reverence Where it is Due
Some of us will consider the conviction of The Heart expressed
in the previous section to be a triviality or hair splitting.
An analogy may help. We use capital letters for the titles Reverend,
Very Reverend, Father, and ultimately His Holiness! - - As The
Being of The Holy Spirit cannot be possessed the possessive pronoun "his" is
in error.
Closer to home we use capitals for our own names. The word spirit
spelled with a small "s" cannot refer to The Holy Spirit.
All discussion aside, when The Holy Spirit lives in the human
heart and spirit does the individual have a choice in the spelling
of the word Spirit -- in any context? Is a choice desired?
The Oxford Compact Dictionary defines the word "reverend" the
adjective associated with the noun reverence as:- adj. (esp.
as the title of a clergyman) deserving reverence.
Latin reverendus - to be revered. -- No human being is worthy
of reverence. Some of us will suggest that such adjectives are "just
titles". Is "his holiness" considered to be just
a title by those who use it, and thus a priest's title as father
having a lineage from "his holiness"? If this is so,
does this not suggest that such titles are redundant? Would our
clergy have The Christ address them in such terms? What title
did The Christ accept? In as much as The Christ is within us
all as so choose having been chosen why are the flock required
(by silent assent) to perpetuate this mis-use of community? To
deem onself worthy of such titles which must have meaning by
virtue of their retention is self worship wittingly or otherwise.
The acid test? Voluntary cessation of the use of such titles
which are not part of The Spirit of Community as distinct from
community spirit. Amen.
A Message to our Youth Associates
The first mentioned "Common Ideal" of The Youth Associates
as printed on page 86 of The Associates Handbook reads:- "To
challenge and contribute to the life of The Iona Community".The
absence of a "to" before the word contribute could
suggest that a challenge whether accepted or not can, and will
only contribute to the life of a community. The question reasonably
follows relating to a challenge -- Why, when, where, how? Which
results in a further question to us all as we walk with The Christ
day to day -- if not me Lord, who? If not now Lord, when? Young
people the road to Peace is not peaceful, if it were there would
be no need for The Way. This is not a call to insurrection. It
is however to state that the young persons inheritance of sustainable
life* on planet earth will not come on a plate, it has to be
claimed in righteousness, which is to say in Christ's Name and
therefore in the Gift of Grace alone. Amen. This message is however
a recommendation to remain alert at all times concerning our
individual responsibility for the stewardship of The Iona Community
as the embryo of twenty first century Common Unity. Amen.
* Please see the Manifesto section of this site.
The Concern of The Iona Community
Wendy Alexander's quotation in the currrent issues section of
this site:- "Except The Lord build the house, they labour
in vain who build it" holds true for this entire Witness.
If witness is by humankind it will fail, if by The Holy Spirit
the outcome is already (determined). Where then is the need for
concern - - in one sense?
In Christ's Name and therefore in The Gift of Grace alone Ian
McLean is content that The Lord's Will IS. Amen. The focal issue
for The Iona Community is the relationship between The Holy Spirit
and the human spirit. Please see the second half of Luke 11 verse
13. Thank you.
Links on this site
All links will be removed as Ian McLean did not have the courtesy
to seek agreement to their establishment.
Further updates will be posted as The Holy Spirit determines.
The Wind of Change
|
