The Lantern Group met for the first time on Monday February 5th.
We have laid down a pattern for our meetings, not to follow slavishly but to create a familiar rhythm.
We began with a hot drink and welcome.
Then we went round the group asking each one the simple question, "How are you?" This isn't a vague or general enquiry, but part of our reflection on holding our light steady in turbulent times. How is that going for us?
After that we sang together — singing both draws a group of people together and builds up the spiritual core of each individual.
So you could feel part of our meeting here online, our family recorded last weekend some of the songs we sang at this first meeting of The Lantern Group. We sang Here is Love; Living Under the Shadow of His Wing; Jesus, Be the Centre; and When Peace Like a River. I've given you links for the ones that are in the public domain. I do have recordings for the others, but I'm not sure the copyright regulations allow me to share them here. If you want to enjoy listening to other people singing them, they are easy to find on YouTube.
Next came our input, which went something along these lines:
After that, we discussed these thoughts and shared how they resonated in our own lives.
Here's a memory-jogger summary sheet to help focus on the main ideas.
When it was time to finish, we paused for a prayer, and then sang a vesper together. At the end we each had a mantra to take away, to use as a bookmark or keep by our bedside, to help focus our thoughts.
The mantras were printed off as small cards, but here's a bigger version.
The words of our mantra are from the astrologer Pam Gregory.
I hope that even without having the chance to be physically present at our group meeting, this will have given you the assurance of being part of our Lantern Group.
Blessed be.
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