News from Bartimaeus Cooperative Ministries
I was in Scandinavia the first half of the month. I spoke about
immigrant rights and biblical social justice to three different Church of
Norway groups in Oslo
(see above note about the interview and blog). Then it was on to Stockholm, Sweden
for a day of presentations to Diakonia activists (as well as a
roundtable of Christian anarchists).
As July intern Rachel Hudgens
left
to return to Chicago, Joshua Grace of Circle of Hope church in Philadelphia
rolled in for a few days’ visit (right, hoisting one with Elaine). Other folks who
stopped by this month were:
No sooner
had Elaine and I returned from a very emotional and transforming few days in Saskatoon at the Canadian
Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings than folk began arriving for
the Summer Institute. In successive days intern Rachel Hudgens (see
lead article above), Chris Grataski and Melissa Shank, Tim
Nafziger and Charletta Erb (see previous article), and
Dmitri Kadiev (see photo, p.
My mom Charlotte,
a faithful BCM supporter and featured artist on two of his book covers turned
90 years old (right)! You can see some of her digital art at www.charlottemyers.com. Elaine
and I participated in a half-day consultation by videoconference with the Mennonite
Church U.S.
The first Word
& World Mentoring Program year ended in a closing retreat in Camden, NJ
(right: mentees and mentors). We were hosted by Andrea Ferich’s amazing
Center for Environmental Transformation; check them out at http://camdencenterfortransformation.org.
Right in the middle of our February Institute Elaine went
down to Los Angeles to be “sworn in” as a U.S. citizen.
After having to jump through several extra hoops because she is a conscientious
objector, she sailed through the final ceremony, and was back to Oak View in
time to be serenaded by Institute participant Sandra Beardsall in this
reworked national hymn:
A Short Anthem for Elaine
Elaine, Julia, Talitha, Jeremy and I spent many hours this month preparing for, running, and cleaning up after the Institute. The three interns cooked up a storm in order to feed participants with locally grown, organic vegetarian fare the entire week.
I completed my semester of Hebrew studies; thanks again to Sam Thomas for his generosity in letting me sit in. I got to speak in his "Introduction to Christianity" class at California Lutheran University too, and have gotten to know a few professors around campus. It’s a good connection. Sam’s also been working hard with Elaine on the Abundant Table Farm Project board, as they go through significant transition.
This month we pulled the fall garden and put in the winter one (lettuce, kale, artichokes, onions, garlic). The new worm bin is doing great; the compost pile not so much. We purchased a little 1984 biodiesel pick-up from our friend Eric Hodge, who runs an off-the-grid, solar-powered auto shop in the neighborhood, makes his own biodiesel, and is a free diving spearfisherman and mushroom hunter. What a dude!
