Jackson Community Church

Summit, Spirit, Sky: connect to community and creation!

Calendar

By jacksonnhccPosted on Posted in Calendar, Home, Weekly MeditationsTagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Songs by Irish performers, bands, and musicians or songs about Ireland:

At the End of the Day: A Mirror of Questions — John O’Donohue

What dreams did I create last night?
Where did my eyes linger today?
Where was I blind?
Where was I hurt without anyone noticing?
What did I learn today?
What did I read?
What new thoughts visited me?
What differences did I notice in those closest to me?
Whom did I neglect?
Where did I neglect myself?
What did I begin today that might endure?
How were my conversations?
What did I do today for the poor and the excluded?
Did I remember the dead today?
When could I have exposed myself to the risk of something different?
Where did I allow myself to receive love?
With whom today did I feel most myself?
What reached me today? How did it imprint?
Who saw me today?
What visitations hd I from the past and from the future?
What did I avoid today?
From the evidence – why was I given this day?
ST PATRICK’S PROTECTION PRAYER
Full text may be found here: https://parish.rcdow.org.uk/greenford/wp-content/uploads/sites/127/2020/03/St-Patricks-Breastplate.pdfAbbreviated version: St Patruck’s Breastplate or The Lorica

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.

I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s hosts to save me
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a multitude.

Christ shield me today
Against wounding
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through the mighty strength
Of the Lord of creation.

Instructions to make the St Brigid’s cross;

PRAYER of ST BRIGID
May Brigid bless the house
wherein you dwell.
Bless every fireside,
every wall and door.
Bless every heart
that beats beneath its roof.
Bless every hand
that toils to bring it joy.
Bless every foot
that walks its portals through.
May Brigid bless
the house that shelters you.

St Brigid’s Cloak (one legend of St Brigid)

She approached the King of Leinster requesting the land on which to build her monastery. The place she selected in Kildare was ideal. It was near a lake where water was available, in a forest where there was firewood and near a fertile plain on which to grow crops. The King refused her request. Brigid was not put off by his refusal. Rather, she and her sisters prayed that the King’s heart would soften. She made her request again but this time she asked, “Give me as much land as my cloak will cover.”
Seeing her small cloak, he laughed and then granted this request. However, Brigid had instructed her four helpers each to take a corner of the cloak and walk in opposite directions – north, south, east and west. As they did this the cloak began to grow and spread across many acres. She now had sufficient land on which to build her monastery. The King and his entire household were dismayed and amazed. They realised that this woman was truly blessed by God. The King became a patron of Brigid’s monastery, assisting her with money, food and gifts. Later he converted to Christianity. It was on this land in Kildare that she built her dual monastery c.470.

THREE STORIES about St Patrick  (from salt+ … full article: https://www.saltproject.org/progressive-christian-blog/2019/3/12/a-brief-theology-of-st-patricks-day)

… And so in honor of St. Patrick’s Day this year, three ancient, delightful stories — but first, a little background.

St. Patrick is one of the patron saints of Ireland. He died just over fifteen hundred years ago, reportedly on March 17, and he is closely associated with the growth of Christianity throughout the Emerald Isle, the rise of Celtic styles of Christianity, and of course that famous shamrock (more on that in a bit).

He first encountered Ireland as an enslaved young man. Patrick was born in the Roman imperial province of Britannia (today known as Great Britain), and as a youth he was captured by Irish raiders and forced to serve as a sheep herder. After six years of captivity, he escaped and made his way home — only to return to Ireland years later as a bishop and missionary

St. Patrick’s Walking Stick
Patrick was an itinerant preacher, and it is said that he carried a walking stick made of ash wood. In his travels between Britannia and Ireland, whenever he would stop to preach, he would plant the stick beside him, upright in the ground. At the English site now called Aspatria (“ash of Patrick”), he preached so patiently, the story goes, that when at last he finished, he couldn’t remove the stick. It had sprouted roots, you see. It was already on its way to becoming a tree

St. Patrick’s Bell
In his life as an enslaved sheep herder, St. Patrick was quite familiar with the sheep bell: a simple bell of hammered iron with a small handle on top. As a bishop, that bell continued to have great meaning for him, perhaps because it reminded him of his youth, or of the ringing good news of the gospel, or of his ongoing role as a pastor (from the Latin pastorem, “shepherd”). Whatever the reason, he was laid to rest with one resting on his breast: the dead shepherd, buried with his bell.
Sometime later, the bell was removed from the tomb as a precious relic. And in the eleventh century, artists intricately covered the bell in bronze, gems, and Celtic designs of crosses and birds — not to make the bell appear more holy, it is said, but rather to shield the eyes of onlookers from the brilliant holiness of the iron original. Now on display in Dublin’s National Museum, St. Patrick’s Bell is considered one of Ireland’s signature treasures.

St. Patrick’s Shamrock
The Christian idea of the divine Trinity — God’s simultaneous threeness and oneness as Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit — has always been a great challenge for preachers to grasp and explain. St. Patrick did it this way: he looked around, and then plucked a shamrock from the ground at his feet. Three leaves, he said, and yet one stem, one life. Add to that the shamrock’s vibrant shade of green, the color of growth and vitality — and while it’s easy to imagine a more technical, lengthy explanation of the Trinity, it’s hard to imagine a better one.

 

Events with JCC and around town: SUN, Mar 17 (St Patrick’s Day observance)

By jacksonnhccPosted on Posted in Calendar, Home, Lent & EasterTagged

SUN, Mar 17
Wear green on Sunday! Celebrate!

SUN, Mar 17: St Patrick’s Day

  • INTERFAITH SERVICE
    8am • Old red library in Jackson / zoom

    • Join us for poetry, prayer, and conversation.
    • Zoom link and password required.
  • LENTEN CHOIR
    9:15m • JCC

    • Come to the sanctuary to practce Lent and Easter songs
  • WORSHIP @ JCC with St. Patrick’s Day Observance (wear green)
    10:30am   • Jackson Community Church & Zoom

    • Music by Sharon Novak
    • Message by Rev Gail Doktor
    • Zoom link and password required.
  • HOSPITALITY
    11:30am • JCC Parish Hall

    •  Hospitality after Church
  • WAY of the CROSS
    Ongoing • JCC Sanctuary

    • Icons and stations of cross available for personal spiritual contemplation and journeys
  • Community Event: ST PATRICK’S DAY LEPRECHAUN HUNT
    1:30pm • Tin Mine Conservation Center, Albany

    • Leprechaun Hunt – Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! Join our Outreach Coordinator, Heather McKendry, for a slow-paced walk that explores the Albany Tin Mountain Conservation trails in search of Leprechauns and pots of gold  This is the one day of the year that we might see these shy, mischievous creatures, so wear green… or a red socks, carry a shamrock and be open to possibilities. Who knows, we may have the “luck of the Irish”, see the end of a rainbow and find a pot of gold!
    • Be aware that our snowpack is melting fast and conditions vary daily (if not hourly) Expect spring conditions to include bare ground, snow, ice, significant wet areas and mud. That said, spring is a fun time to explore the woods if you have the right outfit and footwear (waterproof boots recommended).
    • Non-member tour:  $15/pp or $25/household & snowshoe rentals $15pp
    • Members are Free, so consider becoming a member!
    • Click here to register or call 603-447-6991. Walk ins welcome
  • Community Event: OPEN HOURS @ Jackson Historical Society
    1-3pm • Jackson Historical Society (Also open by appointment.)

    • More info: https://www.jacksonhistory.org/
    • White Mountain Art Sale
      • The Jackson Historical Society is holding its 21st annual White Mountain Art Sale. There are currently over 50 items from private collectors, primarily 19thcentury paintings. To see the online catalog, go to https://www.jacksonhistory.org/catalog.html. Items are available to purchase as they arrive, so check the catalog frequently to see new additions.
      • The Society is open Saturdays and Sundays 1-3pm  If you are interested in a painting, the Society can open by appointment. Contact info@jacksonhistory.org
  • Community Event: MUSIC AROUND TOWN
    • SHANNON DOOR: Marty Quirk & Jono  •1pm opening for St Patrick’s Day
    • Red Parka: Blue Sunday with Juke Joint Devils • 5-8pm
    • Ledge Brewing: Drkside • 4-7pm

Events at JCC and around town: WED, Mar 6 – SUN, Mar 1

By jacksonnhccPosted on Posted in Calendar, Home, Lent & EasterTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
WED, Mar 6
  • YOGA with Anjali Rose
    9am • JCC Parish Hall

    • Anjali Rose will be teaching yoga remotely for 6 qeeks and rhe class will meet in JCC parish hall
  • CHILD LOSS GRIEF GROUP
    1pm • Old Red Library

    • CHILD LOSS GRIEF GROUP:. Specifically for households who have experienced the death a child of any age. Currently we’re using the 1pm, Wednesday time slot. We are considering an evening time slot in addition to the afternoon meeting times, and will update you about availability of the facility. Next meeting: April 3 @ 1pm
    • SPOUSE/PARTNER abd ADULT RELATIONSHIP LOSS GRIEF GROUP also meets once per month. Specifically for households who have experienced the death of a spouse, partner, adult sibling or parent or other adult relationship. Next meeting: April 10 @ 1pm
    • Both groups are free, and open to the community. Rev. Gail Doktor, trained as a hospice chaplain, will facilitate. Pass along this info to anyone whom you know, who might need such a support network.
    • Questions should be directed by text or voicemail to Rev Gail’s cell: 9078.273.0308. Thank you! — Rev Gail Doktor, gaildoktor@mac.com, cell: 978.273.0308
    • OTHER GRIEF RESOURCES:
      • SACO RIVER VALLEY GRASP – Grief Recovery After Substance Passing
        (Death, suicide or overdose-involved death that involves or was associated with substance use). Saco River Valley GRASP Chapter: Contact Person: Kelly Forrest, Email Address: memakelly4@gmail.com, Primary Phone Number: (603) 726-1025.
      • VNA/HOSPICE VIRTUAL BEREAVEMENT GROUP is ongoing in the valley via zoom. It is facilitated by Sue Davidson, retired nurse and retired pastor of Center Conway’s United Methodist Church and currently the VNA’a hospice chaplain. This ‘living with loss’ group is free, but you need to obtain info through the VNA.
        • WHEN: Wednesdays, 5:30pm to 6:30pm
        • WHERE: Groups meet via Zoom. To get your Zoom log in information or to confirm group dates and times, please contact VNHCH’s hospice chaplain Sue Davidson: suedavidson@roadrunner.com. No registration necessary; free and open to the public.
  • SKI, SOUP & VESPERS

    4pm • Ski / 5:45pm • Soup / 6:45pm • Vespers

    • Ski on slushy icy trails open to any participants who want to tackle the uncertain terrain of the 1k ski loop at Jackson XC; meet at JCC parking lot at 4pm
    • Soup supper by Sue Carrigan and helpers
    • Vespers service led by Nativity Lutheran team
  • WAY of the CROSS
    Ongoing • JCC Sanctuary

    • Icons and stations of cross available for personal spiritual contemplation and journeys
  • Community MUSIC & EVENTS around town:
    • Wildcat Tavern: Trivia• 7-9pm • $5 cover
    • Red Parka Pub: Jonathan Sarty • 5-7:30pm

THURS, Mar 7

  • XC SKIING:
  • DOWNHILL SKIING:
  • Community Resource: LIBRARIES
  • Community Event: SMALL MAMMAL POPULATIONS in WHITE MOUNTAINS (Tin Mtn program)
    7pm •Tin Mountain Nature Learning Ctr

    • Small mammal (rodent and shrew) populations throughout the White Mountains undergo significant changes in abundance from year to year. However, the factors that influence these population changes are not well understood. Josh Willems, PhD candidate at UNH, has been focusing his research on teasing out the effects of beech mast, forest structure, and climate on small mammal populations utilizing a 30-year dataset from the Bartlett Experimental Forest. Join us to learn more about his findings and what this tells us about the area’s small mammal population.
    • $5/person or $10/household for non-members; members are free.
  • REFUGIA TEAM MTG
    5pm • JCC

    • Refugia team meets Peter Ilgenfritz to tour facility and conduct meeting about on going project
  • FELTING EASTER EGGS with Kathy Seymour 

    6pm • JCC Parish Hall

    • Group of 15-16 crafters will learn to felt easter eggs with guidance
    • This program is fully booked and reserved.
  • WAY of the CROSS
    Ongoing • JCC Sanctuary

    • Icons and stations of cross available for personal spiritual contemplation and journeys
  • Community Event: MAJESTIC CAFE THURSDAY:: Kevin Dolan & Simon Crawford
    6:30 pm Performance • Majestic Theater Cafe, Conway

  • MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT AROUND TOWN
    • Shannon Door: Jeremy Dean • 6-9pm
    • Shovel handle Pub: Rek’lis Duo• 5:30-8:30pm
FRI, Mar 8

  • Community Event: ZUMBA with Dottie
    8:15am • Whitney Community Center, Jackson

    • $5/pp
  • FITNESS CLASS  with Laurie McAleer 
    9:30am • Jackson Community Church

    • Free to all participants.
    • Gentle, chair-based stretch and fitness for all levels of ability
  • Community Event: LINE DANCING with Dottie
    9:15ma • Whitney Cmmunity Center, Jackson

    • $5/pp
  • Community Resource: LIBRARIES
    2-5pm • Jackson Library (more info: https://jacksonlibrary.org/)
  • FRIDAY SLIDERS & GLIDERS
    1pm • Jackson XC Ski Touring Ctr

    • Meeting every Friday; Be ready to go at 1pm, finishing up about 3pm. If you need to rent equipment it is available at an additional cost (click here for rates and options.) Bring water, trail snack, and appropriate attire.
    • Weather and snow/trail condition dependent
  • C3: COCKTAILS & CHRISTIAN CONVERSATION
    5pm • Zoom only

    • Zoom link and password required.
  • WAY of the CROSS
    Ongoing • JCC Sanctuary

    • Icons and stations of cross available for personal spiritual contemplation and journey
  • Community Event: ANIMALS in WINTER (Jackson Public Library)
    4:30pm • Jackson Public Library

    • Winter means cold, ice, snow, and shorter days. How do New Hampshire animals survive these conditions? Join a naturalist from Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, along with two live animals up close to find out about various successful adaptations they use to cope with the stresses of winter.  Visiting animals may include porcupine, Great Horned Owl, opossum, skunk, woodchuck, Eastern Screech Owl, turtles, or hawks.  This program presented at no cost to the community and open to all with generous support from the Friends of Jackson Public Library.
    • For more information to answer any questions please contact the library: (603) 383-9731
  • Community Events: MUSIC AROUND TOWN
    • Ledge Brewing: Food for Bears • 6-8pm
    • Wildcat Tavern: Al Shafner• 7-9pm • $5 cover
    • Shannon Door: Marty Quirk • 6-9pm
    • Red Parka: Blue Matter • 8-11pm
    • Shovel handle Pub: Rek’lkis Duo • 5:30-8:30pm
  • Community Event: FRIDAY NIGHT JAZZ: Mike Sakash, Craig Bryan, & Al Hospers
    7pm • Majestic Cafe, Conway

    • Walk-ins are always welcome, but space is limited; reservations are available to guarantee your seat and to indicate a seating choice.
    • The Friday Night jazz series has a $10 per person cover charge.
    • Doors at 6 pm; music  at 7pm.
    • Come in early and grab a panini before the music starts
  • KROKA WILDERNESS GROUP STAYS OVERNIGHT
    4pm (Fri) – 8am (Sat) • JCC

    • Kroka is a nonprofit wilderness expedition school based in Marlow, NH. For those of you who want to learn more about Kroka go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fGfGOdIloc. Quite impressive!
    • Our guests will be walking from Bartlett to Jackson.
    • This includes 15 Kroka students and faculty and we would like to have 15 Jackson community members.
    • CHURCH IS OFF LIMITS until this group departs on Saturday morning.

SAT,  Mar 9

  • Community Resource: LIBRARIES
  • Community Event: OPEN HOURS @ Jackson Historical Society
    1-3pm • Jackson Historical Society

    • Also open by appointment.
    • More info: https://www.jacksonhistory.org/
    • White Mountain Art Sale
      • The Jackson Historical Society is holding its 21st annual White Mountain Art Sale. There are currently over 50 items from private collectors, primarily 19thcentury paintings. To see the online catalog, go to https://www.jacksonhistory.org/catalog.html. Items are available to purchase as they arrive, so check the catalog frequently to see new additions.
      • The Society is open Saturdays and Sundays 1-3pm.  If you are interested in a painting, the Society can open by appointment. Contact info@jacksonhistory.org.
  • Community Event: SKINNY SKIS & SESSION ALES
    10am – 1pm • Tin Mountain Nature Learning Ctr, Albany

    • Join Tin Mountain naturalists as we explore the newly created trail system on the Lori Jean Kinsey Arboretum and adjacent private Bald Hill lands at Tin Mountain Conservation Center in Albany.  Moderate climbs, downhill descents, and sweeping switchbacks await us as we summit Bald Hill, explore hemlock stands, and enjoy unique views of surrounding peaks.  Participants will need to provide their own ski setup (classic-style/touring) and trails are rated intermediate.  Afterwards we will convene at a neighborhood brewpub for fun drinks and appetizers for those interested.
    • $15/person or $25/household for non-members; members are free.
    • Reservations required; call 447-6991 or click to register online.
  • Community Event: SNOW SHOE TOUR
    10am-11:30am  • Tin Mtn Nature Learning Center

    • Join Outreach Coordinator, Heather McKendry, for a slow-paced snowshoe tour that explores the Tin Mountain Conservation trails in Albany, NH. Outdoor highlights include animal tracks, sightings and a beaver pond, while inside the Nature Learning Center you will find animal mounts and a gem & mineral collection. Winter is the perfect season to see evidence of our year-round residents and enjoy our winter landscape. If you need snowshoes we have them in all sizes!
    • Non-member tour:  $15/pp or $25/household & snowshoe rentals $15pp
    • Members are Free and may borrow snowshoes to use on property, so consider becoming a member!
    • Click here to register or call 603-447-6991. Walk ins welcome.
  • Community Resource: LIBRARIES
  • WAY of the CROSS
    Ongoing • JCC Sanctuary

    • Icons and stations of cross available for personal spiritual contemplation and journeys
  • Community Event: MWV ADAPTIVE SPORTS PROGRAM Fundraiser
    4-8pm • Ledge Brewing

    • Silent Auction to support MWV Adaptive Sports!
    • Free and open to the public. Hundreds of great prizes on display in the Barrel Room, bid early and often to support an excellent cause!
    • BluGrit Blues band in the Falcon Room 6-9pm
  • Community Events: MUSIC AROUND TOWN
    • Wildcat Tavern: Apres Ski w/Al Shafner • 3-56pm – $5 cover / Jonathan Sarty • 7-9pm – $5 cover
    • Shannon Door: Apres Ski w/Marty Quirk 4-6pm / Scott Baer • 7pm
    • Red Parka: Blue Matter • 8-11pm
    • Ledge Brewing: Blue Grits Band • 6-9pm / Adaptive Ski Program Fundraiser • 4-8pm
    • Black Mountain: Jonathan Sarty • 3:30-5:30pm
    • Shovel Handle Pub: Randy Messineo • 5:30-8:30pm

SUN, Mar 10

  • INTERFAITH SERVICE
    8am • Old red library in Jackson / zoom

    • Join us for poetry, prayer, and conversation.
    • Zoom link and password required.
  • LENTEN CHOIR
    9:15m • JCC

    • Come to the sanctuary to practce Lent and Easter songs
  • WORSHIP @ JCC
    10:30am   • Jackson Community Church & Zoom

    • Zoom link and password required.
    • Music by Sharon Novak
    • Message by Rev Gail Doktor
  • HOSPITALITY
    11:30am • JCC Parish Hall

    •  Hospitality after Church
  • WAY of the CROSS
    Ongoing • JCC Sanctuary

    • Icons and stations of cross available for personal spiritual contemplation and journeys
  • Community Event: OPEN HOURS @ Jackson Historical Society
    1-3pm • Jackson Historical Society (Also open by appointment.)

    • More info: https://www.jacksonhistory.org/
    • White Mountain Art Sale
      • The Jackson Historical Society is holding its 21st annual White Mountain Art Sale. There are currently over 50 items from private collectors, primarily 19thcentury paintings. To see the online catalog, go to https://www.jacksonhistory.org/catalog.html. Items are available to purchase as they arrive, so check the catalog frequently to see new additions.
      • The Society is open Saturdays and Sundays 1-3pm  If you are interested in a painting, the Society can open by appointment. Contact info@jacksonhistory.org
  • Community Event: BUILDING EFFECTIVE & EQUITABLE CLIMATE SOLUTIONS
    7-8:30pm • Whitney Community Center

  • Community Event: MUSIC AROUND TOWN
    • Shannon Door: Scott Baer • 6-9pm
    • Black Mountain: Chris Schalick • 3:30-5:30
    • Red Parka: Mitch Alden • 5-8pm
    • Shovel Handle Pub: Ryan St. Onge • 5:30-8:30pm

Meditation on seeing and blindness: themes from Mark. To what are you called to bear witness? When and how have you been blind in your life, and what or who opened your eyes?

By jacksonnhccPosted on Posted in Calendar, Home, Lent & Easter, Weekly MeditationsTagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I think we all suffer from acute blindness at times. Life is a constant journey of trying to open your eyes. I’m just beginning my journey, and my eyes aren’t fully open yet. — Olivia Thirlby

Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind … — William Shakespeare

Helping, fixing, and serving represent three different ways of seeing life. When you help, you see life as weak. When you fix, you see life as broken. When you serve, you see life as whole. ― Joan Halifax

I have looked into your eyes with my eyes. I have put my heart near your heart. — Pope John XXIII

Songs about ‘Blindness’:

Songs about Sight & Seeing:

There are things you can’t reach. But
You can reach out to them, and all day long.
The wind, the bird flying away. The idea of god.
And it can keep you busy as anything else, and happier.
I look; morning to night I am never done with looking.
Looking I mean not just standing around, but standing around
As though with your arms open.
― Mary Oliver

I said: What about my eyes?
God said: Keep them on the road.
I said: What about my passion?
God said: Keep it burning.
I said: What about my heart?
God said: Tell me what you hold inside it?
I said: Pain and sorrow?
He said: Stay with it.
The wound is the place where the Light enters you.
— attributed to Rumi

PRAYER by Richard Rohr
God of all Light and Truth, just make sure that I am not a blind man or woman.
Keep me humble and honest, and that will be more than enough work for you.

PRAYER by Nadia Bolz-Weber
God of desert prophets and unlikely messiahs, humble us.
Show us that there is more to see than what we look for.
More possibility. More love. More forgiveness …
Restore our sight so that we may see you in each other.

PRAYER by St Augustine
Late have I loved you, O beauty ever ancient, ever new.
Late have I loved you. You have called to me, and have called out,
and have shattered my deafness. You have blazed forth with light and
have put my blindness to flight! You have sent forth fragrance,
and I have drawn in my breath, and I pant after you.
I have tasted you, and I hunger and thirst after you.
You have touched me, and I have burned for your peace.

At the End of the Day: A Mirror of Questions — John O’Donohue
What dreams did I create last night?
Where did my eyes linger today?
Where was I blind?
Where was I hurt without anyone noticing?
What did I learn today?
What did I read?
What new thoughts visited me?
What differences did I notice in those closest to me?
Whom did I neglect?
Where did I neglect myself?
What did I begin today that might endure?
How were my conversations?
What did I do today for the poor and the excluded?
Did I remember the dead today?
When could I have exposed myself to the risk of something different?
Where did I allow myself to receive love?
With whom today did I feel most myself?
What reached me today? How did it imprint?
Who saw me today?
What visitations hd I from the past and from the future?
What did I avoid today?
From the evidence – why was I given this day?

On Seeing

Knowing it and seeing it are two different things. ― Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay

After all, the true seeing is within. ― George Eliot, Middlemarch

The eye through which I see God is the same eye through which God sees me; my eye and God’s eye are one eye, one seeing, one knowing, one love. ― Meister Eckhart, Sermons of Meister Eckhart

The only reason we don’t open our hearts and minds to other people is that they trigger confusion in us that we don’t feel brave enough or sane enough to deal with. To the degree that we look clearly and compassionately at ourselves, we feel confident and fearless about looking into someone else’s eyes. ― Pema Chodron

Rachel Carson said most of us go through life “unseeing.” I do that some days … I think it’s easier to see when you’re a kid. We’re not in a hurry to get anywhere and we don’t have those long to-do lists you guys have. ― Jim Lynch, The Highest Tide

The Eternal looked upon me for a moment with His eye of power, and annihilated me in His being, and become manifest to me in His essence. I saw I existed through Him. — Rumi

What we do see depends mainly on what we look for. … In the same field the farmer will notice the crop, the geologists the fossils, botanists the flowers, artists the colouring, sportmen the cover for the game. Though we may all look at the same things, it does not all follow that we should see them. ― John Lubbock, The Beauties of Nature and the Wonders of the World We Live in

I look at the world
— Langston Hughes

I look at the world
From awakening eyes in a black face—
And this is what I see:
This fenced-off narrow space
Assigned to me.

I look then at the silly walls
Through dark eyes in a dark face—
And this is what I know:
That all these walls oppression builds
Will have to go!

I look at my own body
With eyes no longer blind—
And I see that my own hands can make
The world that’s in my mind.
Then let us hurry, comrades,
The road to find.

NOBEL SPEECH (excerpt)
by Toni Morrison
“Once upon a time there was an old woman. Blind but wise.” Or was it an old man? A guru, perhaps. Or a griot soothing restless children. I have heard this story, or one exactly like it, in the lore of several cultures. “Once upon a time there was an old woman. Blind. Wise.”
In the version I know the woman is the daughter of slaves, black, American, and lives alone in a small house outside of town. Her reputation for wisdom is without peer and without question. Among her people she is both the law and its transgression. The honor she is paid and the awe in which she is held reach beyond her neighborhood to places far away; to the city where the intelligence of rural prophets is the source of much amusement.
One day the woman is visited by some young people who seem to be bent on disproving her clairvoyance and showing her up for the fraud they believe she is. Their plan is simple: they enter her house and ask the one question the answer to which rides solely on her difference from them, a difference they regard as a profound disability: her blindness. They stand before her, and one of them says, “Old woman, I hold in my hand a bird. Tell me whether it is living or dead.”
She does not answer, and the question is repeated. “Is the bird I am holding living or dead?”
Still she doesn’t answer. She is blind and cannot see her visitors, let alone what is in their hands. She does not know their color, gender or homeland. She only knows their motive.
The old woman’s silence is so long, the young people have trouble holding their laughter.
Finally she speaks and her voice is soft but stern. “I don’t know”, she says. “I don’t know whether the bird you are holding is dead or alive, but what I do know is that it is in your hands. It is in your hands.”
Her answer can be taken to mean: if it is dead, you have either found it that way or you have killed it. If it is alive, you can still kill it. Whether it is to stay alive, it is your decision. Whatever the case, it is your responsibility.
For parading their power and her helplessness, the young visitors are reprimanded, told they are responsible not only for the act of mockery but also for the small bundle of life sacrificed to achieve its aims. The blind woman shifts attention away from assertions of power to the instrument through which that power is exercised…

On Blindness

Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. — Mark Twain

Blind don’t mean you can’t, you know, listen. — Stevie Wonder

Hatred is blind, as well as love. — Oscar Wilde

You can become blind by seeing each day as a similar one. Each day is a different one, each day brings a miracle of its own. It’s just a matter of paying attention to this miracle. — Paulo Coelho

As a blind man has no idea of colors, so have we no idea of the manner by which the all-wise God perceives and understands all things. — Isaac Newton

What spirit is so empty and blind, that it cannot recognize the fact that the foot is more noble than the shoe, and skin more beautiful than the garment with which it is clothed? — Michelangelo

Each of you, as an individual, must pick your own goals. Listen to others, but do not become a blind follower. — Thurgood Marshall

Until justice is blind to color, until education is unaware of race, until opportunity is unconcerned with the color of men’s skins, emancipation will be a proclamation but not a fact. — Lyndon B. Johnson

The superpowers often behave like two heavily armed blind men feeling their way around a room, each believing himself in mortal peril from the other, whom he assumes to have perfect vision. —  Henry Kissinger

You’re not supposed to be so blind with patriotism that you can’t face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who says it. — Malcolm X

There is an orderliness in the universe, there is an unalterable law governing everything and every being that exists or lives. It is no blind law; for no blind law can govern the conduct of living beings. — Mahatma Gandhi

Sonnet 19: When I consider
how my light is spent
— John MiltonWhen I consider
how my light is spent,
Ere half my days,
in this dark world and wide,
And that one Talent
which is death to hide
Lodged with me useless,
though my Soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker,
and present
My true account,
lest he returning chide;
‘Doth God exact day-labour,
light denied?’
I fondly ask.
But patience, to prevent
That murmur, soon replies,
‘God doth not need
Either man’s work
or his own gifts;
who best
Bear his mild yoke,
they serve him best.
His state
Is Kingly.
Thousands at his bidding speed
And post o’er Land and
Ocean without rest:
They also serve who only
stand and wait.’

Doing as others told me,
I was Blind.
Coming when others called me,
I was Lost.
Then I left everyone,
myself as well.
Then I found Everyone,
Myself as well.
― Rumi
About Physiological Blindness: Commentary
According to a recent survey, most Americans fear blindness. In fact, they fear it more than losing their hearing, speech, a limb or their memory. Nearly 88 percent of people surveyed considered having 20/20 vision vital to good overall health, while 47 percent believed that losing their sight would have the gravest effect on their daily lives. Loss of independence and quality of life were the top concerns for respondents. — The Chicago LighthouseAs someone who has successfully adapted to vision loss, I know that there are excellent resources, services and adaptations out there that can make it easier to live life without sight. There’s no doubt that blindness can present challenges and inconveniences in our everyday lives, but thanks to the countless services and resources available in the United States, it is possible for people with vision loss – like me – to lead equally fulfilling lives. Most of the fears and misconceptions about blindness and visual impairments are surmountable, and we should all work to help people understand that losing one’s sight does not have to mean losing independence. — Sandy Murillo

Events at JCC and around Town: THURS, Feb 22 – SUN, Feb 25

By jacksonnhccPosted on Posted in Calendar, Home, Lent & EasterTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

THURS, Feb 22 – SUN, Feb 25
(School Vacation Week)

THURS, Feb 22

FRI, Feb 23

  • Community Event: ZUMBA with Dottie
    8:15am • Whitney Community Center, Jackson

    • $5/pp
  • FITNESS CLASS  with Laurie McAleer 
    9:30am • Jackson Community Church

    • Free to all participants.
    • Gentle, chair-based stretch and fitness for all levels of ability
  • Community Event: LINE DANCING with Dottie
    9:15ma • Whitney Cmmunity Center, Jackson

    • $5/pp
  • Community Resource: LIBRARIES
    2-5pm • Jackson Library (more info: https://jacksonlibrary.org/)
  • FRIDAY SLIDERS & GLIDERS
    1pm • Jackson XC Ski Touring Ctr

    • Meeting every Friday starting January 7  – March
    • *Be ready to go at 1pm, finishing up about 3pm. If you need to rent equipment it is available at an additional cost (click here for rates and options.) Bring water, trail snack, and appropriate attire.
  • C3: COCKTAILS & CHRISTIAN CONVERSATION (meet in-person @ 6pm for STATIONS of the STEEPLE)
    • We will meet at church for the 6pm pop-up art show in lieu of the zoom bible study
  • STATIONS of the STEEPLE: A Day in the Life of Jackson (popup art show – opening tonight with artist Brian Healy)
    6pm • JCC Sactuary

    • Architect Brian Healy offers introductory remarks about his contemporary series of paintings featuring the JCC steeple
    • Explore the paintings, ask questions, enjoy a conversation about art , creativity, and spirituality
    • Local artist and architect Brian Healy, FAIA, shares the inspiration for his series of contemporary oil paintings featuring the JCC steeple at different hours of the days and seasons of the year.
    • Following his introduction, guests are invited to explore the 10 small paintings and 6 larger paintings on display around the sanctuary. He will be available for questions and conversation.
    • The installation of paintings will remain available for viewing in the sanctuary of the church through the end of February. Free and open to the public.
    • The front doors into the church’s sanctuary are open 24/7.
  • Community Events: MUSIC AROUND TOWN
    • Ledge Brewing: Food for Bears • 6-8pm
    • Wildcat Tavern: Al Shafner• 7-9pm • $5 cover
    • Shannon Door: Marty Quirk • 6-9pm
    • Red Parka: The Big Picture • 8-11pm
    • Black Mountain: Chris Schalick • 3:30-5:30
    • Shovel handle Pub: Randy Messineo • 5:30-8:30pm
  • Community Event: FRIDAY NIGHT JAZZ: Tom Robinson with Brian Hathaway & Rick Erwin
    7pm • Majestic Cafe, Conway

    • Walk-ins are always welcome, but space is limited; reservations are available to guarantee your seat and to indicate a seating choice.
    • The Friday Night jazz series has a $10 per person cover charge.
    • Doors at 6 pm; music  at 7pm.
    • Come in early and grab a panini before the music starts

SAT,  Feb 24

  • Community Resource: LIBRARIES
  • Community Event: OPEN HOURS @ Jackson Historical Society
    1-3pm • Jackson Historical Society

    • Also open by appointment.
    • More info: https://www.jacksonhistory.org/
    • White Mountain Art Sale
      • The Jackson Historical Society is holding its 21st annual White Mountain Art Sale. There are currently over 50 items from private collectors, primarily 19thcentury paintings. To see the online catalog, go to https://www.jacksonhistory.org/catalog.html. Items are available to purchase as they arrive, so check the catalog frequently to see new additions.
      • The Society is open Saturdays and Sundays 1-3pm.  If you are interested in a painting, the Society can open by appointment. Contact info@jacksonhistory.org.
  • Community Event: POPUP ART SHOW by Jackson Art Gallery
    11am-8pm • Omni Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, NH in the Presidential Ballroom.

    • Winter POP-UP Art Show & Sale at the Omni Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, NH in the Presidential Ballroom.
    • The show will open on Saturday, Feb 24 from 11am-8pm with a “Meet the Artists” reception from 5-8pm. It will continue on Sunday, Feb 25 from 10am-4pm.
    • There will be fine art in oil, watercolor, acrylic, pastel and woodblock prints from both local and nationally recognized artists.
    • For more info visit our website at https://www.jacksonartnh.com/
  • Community Event: SNOW SHOE TOUR
    10am-11:30am  • Tin Mtn Nature Learning Center

    • Join Outreach Coordinator, Heather McKendry, for a slow-paced snowshoe tour that explores the Tin Mountain Conservation trails in Albany, NH. Outdoor highlights include animal tracks, sightings and a beaver pond, while inside the Nature Learning Center you will find animal mounts and a gem & mineral collection. Winter is the perfect season to see evidence of our year-round residents and enjoy our winter landscape. If you need snowshoes we have them in all sizes!
    • Non-member tour:  $15/pp or $25/household & snowshoe rentals $15pp
    • Members are Free and may borrow snowshoes to use on property, so consider becoming a member!
    • Click here to register or call 603-447-6991. Walk ins welcome.
  • Community Event: FAMILY FULL MOON EXPLORATION
    5:30-7pm • Tin Mountain Nature Learning Center

    • It’s an evening of family fun! Join the staff on an evening snowshoe ramble through the beautiful fields and forests of TMCC’s Albany campus. We will see whoooo is out and about under February’s full moon. Be sure to dress warm. Designed for families, snowshoe rentals are included in the cost for any who needs them as well as a warm beverage to end the evening.
    • Program fee: $15/ family for members; $25/family for non-members
    • This program is currently full. Please call 603-447-6991 to be put on the wait list.
  • XC SKIING:
  • DOWNHILL SKIING:
  • Community Resource: LIBRARIES
  • Community Events: MUSIC AROUND TOWN
    • Wildcat Tavern: Apres Ski w/Al Shafner • 3-56pm – $5 cover / Jeremy Dean • 7-9pm – $5 cover
    • Shannon Door: Apres Ski w/Marty Quirk 4-6pm / Scott Baer • 7pm
    • Red Parka: Carbon 14 • 8-11pm
    • Ledge Brewing: Jim McLaughlin Band • 6-9pm
    • Black Mountain: Steve H. Deviant Music • 3:30-5:30pm

SUN, Feb 25

  • INTERFAITH SERVICE
    8am • Old red library in Jackson / zoom

    • Join us for poetry, prayer, and conversation.
  • WORSHIP @ JCC
    10:30am   • Jackson Community Church & Zoom

    • Message by Rev Gail Doktor
    • Music by Sharon Novak
  • HOSPITALITY
    11:30am • JCC Parish Hall

    •  Hospitality after Church
  • XC SKIING:
  • DOWNHILL SKIING:
  • Community Event: POPUP ART SHOW by Jackson Art Gallery
    10am-4pm • Omni Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, NH in the Presidential Ballroom.

    • Winter POP-UP Art Show & Sale at the Omni Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, NH in the Presidential Ballroom.
    • The show will open on Saturday, Feb 24 from 11am-8pm with a “Meet the Artists” reception from 5-8pm. It will continue on Sunday, Feb 25 from 10am-4pm.
    • There will be fine art in oil, watercolor, acrylic, pastel and woodblock prints from both local and nationally recognized artists.
    • For more info visit our website at https://www.jacksonartnh.com/
  • Community Event: SNOWSHOE TOUR 
    1:30-3pm • Tin Mountain Conservation Center, Albany

    • Join Outreach Coordinator, Heather McKendry, for a slow-paced walk that explores the Tin Mountain Conservation trails in Albany, NH. Outdoor highlights include an 1800s quarry and beaver pond, while inside the Nature Learning Center you will find animal mounts and a gem & mineral collection. Winter is the perfect season to see animal tracks and evidence of our year-round residents. Variable trail conditions, so bring traction devices if you have them.
    • Once the snow flies, the walks will be snowshoe tours and members may borrow snowshoes from TMCC while non-members can rent snowshoes. We have all sizes!
    • Non-member tour:  $15/pp or $25/household & snowshoe rentals $15pp
    • Members are Free and may borrow snowshoes to use on property, so consider becoming a member!
    • Click here to register or call 603-447-6991. Walk ins welcome.
  • Community Event: OPEN HOURS @ Jackson Historical Society
    1-3pm • Jackson Historical Society (Also open by appointment.)

    • More info: https://www.jacksonhistory.org/
    • White Mountain Art Sale
      • The Jackson Historical Society is holding its 21st annual White Mountain Art Sale. There are currently over 50 items from private collectors, primarily 19thcentury paintings. To see the online catalog, go to https://www.jacksonhistory.org/catalog.html. Items are available to purchase as they arrive, so check the catalog frequently to see new additions.
      • The Society is open Saturdays and Sundays 1-3pm  If you are interested in a painting, the Society can open by appointment. Contact info@jacksonhistory.org
  • Community Event: MUSIC AROUND TOWN
    • Shannon Door: Scott Baer • 6-9pm
    • Black Mountain: Steve H. Deviant Music • 3:30-5:30pm
    • Red Parka: Blue Sunday with Ken Clark & Brave Souls • 5-8pm
Scroll to top