James Derkits

Originally published in the South Jetty I began April with a trip to California to lead an Inner Journey Retreat at an Episcopal retreat center called the Bishop's Ranch. It was my third visit there. Each year there is a different theme, and this year's theme was exploring our spiritual journey (or individuation) through several particular phases of that journey: the Call, the Covenant, the Sacrifice, and the Return. As the other teachers and I worked to provide the content and to create a safe space for participants to explore their life and spiritual journey, we experienced each phase by getting in touch with the deep meaningful parts of our journeys. I don't have space to get into the details of each phase, but I do want to share my experience of the Return. The Inner Journey Community has become very important to me in my own growth and learning, and I have an affinity for that gathered community. We come from all across the country, so this temporary village that...

I want to share this moment. Right now, I am sitting at my desk in what was once a storage space, but before that was a former vicar's wood-working shop. The wind is blowing through the window, wafting incense around my lap-top. I'm sitting where I've most recently been painting scenes from Holy Week, and today, I was scrambling to put together a simple hand-out for tonight's service. Tonight is the Great Easter Vigil. The first service of Easter, "to take place between sunset and sunrise of Easter morning." Two years ago we had a wonderful Vigil that started in the chapel in the dunes (Trinity's first services were held there around 1960), where we lit the new fire and lit candles. We carried out candles from there to the church, and as people's candles blew out, we had to share our little lights; so the community brought back the light together. A beautiful metaphor for a church community. This year our vigil will take place down on the beach....