In his book, Streams of Living Water Richard Foster sums up his chapter on the Christian contemplative tradition with these concise thoughts:
Q. What is the Contemplative Tradition?
A. A life of loving attention to God.
Q. Why should we explore it?
A. Because through it we experience the divine rest that overcomes our
alienation.
These are particularly poignant words for us as we live in a world which is so full of fear, anxiety, strife and unrest. We continue to be convinced that the emphasis of Ancient Streams to create spaces where we encounter God together in solitude and community is of utmost importance, perhaps even more so with the effects of the pandemic. Life has changed in these past months, and there remains much uncertainty ahead of us. Now more than ever, we feel the need to connect with God in solitude and silence which is so essential to living a life rooted in love, not fear, and overcoming the internal alienation that Foster talks about. As a team we feel our own need to continue to “ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it” so we will “find rest for our souls” (Jer. 6:16b). Likewise, we are committed to walking with others who have this same desire to continually “come to Jesus, take up his yoke and learn from Him” discovering the rest that is found in Jesus’ gentle and humble heart. (Matt. 11:28-29). Together we fan the flame of our desire to seek “a life of loving attention to God”, finding His peace in the midst of stormy times and praying that His light shines from within us to those around us.
Over this past year Ancient Streams has sought to offer this kind of accompaniment through our Fall/Outdoor, Advent Day and Weekend retreats as well as our small groups that meet regularly throughout the year. Through these times of spiritual companionship, we seek to bring teaching and encourage spiritual practices found in the “ancient paths” of our faith, practices that keep rooting us in God’s love and truth. We were especially grateful to have Paul Woodyard and Ruth Des Cotes from Imago Dei Christian Communities with us for our Seton House retreat just before everything began to shut down due to Covid 19. Afterwards we realized what a special gift it was to have been with each other for that weekend. With all the chaos of the pandemic that followed, we recognized how beneficial the teaching and focus on deepening our relationship to God through prayer was to helping us walk in these uncertain times.
Ancient Streams has also passed a new milestone. It has been just over a year since Ancient Steams has partnered with Trinity Legacy Foundation enabling those who wish to financially support our ministry to receive a tax receipt for their donations. We are grateful to God that this connection was made possible and want to thank again those who have given over this past year. We greatly appreciate your financial support, especially in light of the economic stress caused by the pandemic. Nancy Keery is particularly grateful for the monthly support that helps free her up to focus on leading Ancient Streams. Thank-you too, for the support that many of you give to our community in so many other ways.
Looking ahead, we are planning to have our Fall/Outdoor retreat again this year on Sat., Sept. 26. Since we are outdoors, it should not be a problem to keep the necessary physical distancing in place. This is always a very meaningful time connecting with God and each other in His spectacular creation here in the Okanagan. We are making plans as well for our monthly meetings starting in October and also our other retreats. This past spring we were grateful for Zoom which allowed us to carry on our small group gatherings and were surprised how well we were able to connect even though we were not in person. We anticipate offering a combination of Zoom and in person gatherings where possible in the coming months.
May God bless you and fill you daily with His Spirit and grace,
Ancient Streams team
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If you wish to contribute to the work of Ancient Streams you may do so in one of two ways:
- E-mail transfer to: foundation@trinitykelowna.ca As a note in the e-transfer please write “AS10” so that the foundation directs your money to Ancient Streams.
- Make a cheque payable to: TBC Legacy Foundation. Please be sure to include our identification “AS10” in the cheque memo so that the Foundation knows to direct your money to Ancient Streams. Then either:
- Give your cheque to anyone of our leadership team at any Ancient Streams meeting or retreat. We will then forward it to the Trinity Foundation.
- Mail your cheque directly to TBC Legacy Foundation, 1905 Springfield Road, Kelowna, BC, V1Y 7V7
- Hand deliver your cheque in a sealed envelope addressed to: TBC Legacy Foundation, and drop it off at Trinity Church, 1905 Springfield Road, Kelowna.
Please note that all donations received will be directed to our General Funds to support Nancy Keery unless you specifically indicate for it to be used for Retreat Purposes. In this case these monies will be separated and used to offset the cost of retreats and provide scholarships within our community.
Ancient Streams 