By Rev. Elizabeth Rechter, Executive Director

Before the COVID-19 lockdown, I had the privilege of serving a women’s jail, offering one-on- one spiritual companionship and Sunday worship. I have missed this community and look forward to returning. 

It is a powerful experience to set an altar in a jail. Within the rules, we are intentional about setting a beautiful altar with the dignity it deserves, complete with fair linen and battery operated candle light. The altar is the jail’s sanctuary centerpiece.

My first words to the women gathered, after the doors are closed, are that where we are, circling God’s altar, is not jail, but God’s House. We begin by sanctifying the space with our singing voices. 

Our liturgy is the same liturgy of every other altar set in God’s name in human history. And it offers the same gift every altar offers. The same gift God gave at the first altar built in the wilderness of Sinai where the Hebrew slaves were walking down their freedom journey.

The gift is something God knows we need - a place to offer two sacred offerings: Thank you and I’m sorry. 

The altar is built to receive our offerings of prayer.  This ritual makes way for a gesture deep within that helps free us and make us whole. We set altars in the wilderness of our lives to guide us to freedom. The liturgy of the table is titled in some traditions, The Great Thanksgiving. It is the ultimate thanks for God’s life that lives in us and is fed and sustained by God’s Spirit. 

At this time of year, we are inundated with requests of support for many good works. It can be overwhelming. But giving financially is part of the same gesture of thanks, and in some cases my desire to amend my ways. It is a ritual that reminds us of what is important in our lives, the life of our communities, and all creation.

If it feels right, I hope you will consider making a gift to the good work of Stillpoint. Every gift is treasure to us and a source of encouragement to continue offering the ministry of sacred listening, which is needed now more than ever. It will help us continue to offer spiritual direction formation and companionship support for contemplative practice and living. 

Our journey through the wilderness country of the global pandemic has been a powerful reminder that we need each other. We need companions for the freedom journey. 

Stillpoint thanks you for your companionship at Centering Prayer, BioSpiritual Focusing, Wisdom Chanting, Contemplative Virtual Retreats and Liturgies and for supporting our Art of Spiritual direction formation programing in Southern California and Ghost Ranch, New Mexico with your financial gifts. 

Blessings for keeping forever in the Path,

Elizabeth+

Accept, O God, our thanks and praise for all that you have
done for us. We thank you for the splendor of the whole
creation, for the beauty of this world, for the wonder of life,
and for the mystery of love.

We thank you also for those disappointments and failures 
that lead us to acknowledge our dependence on you alone.

                                                                                                                                   -Episcopal Book of Common Prayer