FAITH HOUSE Manhattan

A Sabbath Poem (Nordeman)

River God
~ Nicole Nordeman

Rolling River God
Little Stones are smooth
Only once the water passes through
So I am a stone
Rough and grainy still
Trying to reconcile this river's chill

But when I close my eyes
And feel you rushing by
I know that time brings change
And change takes time
And when the sunset comes
My prayer would be just this one
That you might pick me up
And notice that I am
Just a little smoother in your hand

Sometimes raging wild
Sometimes swollen high
Never have I known this river dry
The deepest part of you
Is where I want to stay
And feel the sharpest edges wash away

This poem was used in our Summer Women's Spirituality Circle. Email Jill Minkoff if you are interested in attending future Women's Spirituality Circles. 

A Sabbath Poem (L'Amoreaux)

A Prayer to Protect Water
- By Claudia L'Amoreaux

We call you ocean.

We call you sea, gulf, strait, bight,
bay, lagoon, river, falls, creek,
stream, lake, pond, spring.

We call you rain.

We call you pool, puddle, snowflake,
glacier, dew, mist, cove, channel, inlet,
cascade, brook, tributary, bayou, tarn,

H2O.

We travel your powerful currents
to meet our relations.
We flood our rice fields.
We bathe our children.
We cleanse the dead.
We baptise, we purify, we do ablutions,
We immerse in the mikvah.
We heal with you - Holy Water.

We remember to protect you.
We remember to protect you.
We remember to protect you.
We remember to protect you.

 
This poem was used in our Summer Women's Spirituality Circle.  Photo above of our water-themed altar.  Email Jill Minkoff if you are interested in attending future Women's Spirituality Circles.  

A Sabbath Poem (Mcllhagga)

The Shadow of the Dove
~ Kate Mcllhagga

When dawn’s ribbon of glory around the world returns
and the earth emerges from sleep –

The shadow of the dove is seen
as she flies across moor and city.
Over the warm breast of the earth she skims,
her shadow falling on
the watcher in the tower,
the refugee in the ditch,
the weary soldier at the gate.

The shadow of peace
falls across the all-night sitting of a council,
across the tense negotiators
around a table.
The shadow of hope
is cast across the bars of a hostage cell
filling with momentary light
rooms tense with conflict,
bringing a brief respite,
a sliver of gold across the dark.

She flies untiring
across flooded fields,
across a city divided by hate and fear,
across a town wreathed in smoke.
The shadow of reconciliation,
the dove of peace
with healing in her wings,
is felt and seen and turned towards
as she makes righteousness shine
like the dawn,
the justice of her cause
like the noonday sun.

Holy Spirit of love,
bring healing, bring peace.

from Fifty Great Prayers from the Iona Community

This poem was used in our Summer Women's Spirituality Circle.  Photo above of our water-themed altar.  Email Jill Minkoff if you are interested in attending future Women's Spirituality Circles. 

Welcome to our newest Board Member,Mairim Pina!

Mairim is a long-time active member of our community and was a member of the Kitchen Table before being elected on to the Board of Directors. Using her skills as a graphic designer, Mairim is responsible for many of the graphics on our postcards, website, and the banner you see at the top of every newsletter!  

 

Mairim Pina is a Designer in New York City who considers her self a Christian-Buddhist. She was drawn to Buddhist Dharma through the roots of centering prayer, a contemplative form of prayer she learned at St. Bart's Episcopal church where she attends. "My spiritual journey has been marked by discovery and am glad to be part of a group which provides a venue for it"