Red Robins and a Retirement, Blue Herons and a Baptism

Said the river: imagine everything you can imagine, then keep on going.
Mary Oliver

Ypsilanti, Michigan

This summer, we are sitting by the Huron River, letting the red robins and blue herons lead. The beavers entertain us as they doddle on the opposite shore. Meanwhile, we are soaking ourselves in the delight and prodding of various good work we have been given to do, as we sink deeper into the work of rest, recovery, and discernment forward.

Here is a little sample of some of those things:

-Writing and reading (the fiction and poetry kind being more heavily leaned on during this season of quieting, transition and discernment),
-Editing for RadicalDiscipleship.net and continued work on the book project (Tom)
-Traveling to Bend, Oregon for brother Greg's graduation ceremony over Father's Day Weekend (Lindsay) (below: Mason Thomas, the youngest of the Lamont Clan, keepin' cool at Uncle Greg's ceremony; Lindsay canoeing with Greg and Nanc through the glassy waters of Greg's "church")
-Organizing and Writing work for the year-long BCM Feminary cohort, which just came to a close (Lindsay)
-Engaging marriage and relationship work
-Getting trained in the Ethnoautobiography curriculum that mentors Lily Mendoza and Jim Perkinson recommended

We are eating at home a lot more--far too much pizza has been consumed during the past ten months years. We are currently inhabiting a very small studio apartment in downtown Ypsi. It is too light and too loud at night and there's no parking during the day. We continue to look for something more sustainable. We covet prayers.

Detroit beckons us three days per week to spend time with beloved friends and community. We celebrated the baptism of Cedar Wylie-Fahey in the Detroit River (Tom has the honor of being Cedar's godfather!).

We also helped organize the retirement celebration and final Sunday service for Rev. Bill Wylie-Kellermann, our mentor during our two years in Detroit (below: Tom facilitates a roasting of Bill at the Friday night bonfire; the beloved community commissions Bill with a laying on of hands).

We've also spent time with good friends like Leah McCullough, an ordained United Church of Christ pastor who is tending gardens all over the city.

Every Wednesday night, we help facilitate a lectio divina bible study, a 1500-year-old practice of listening to the ancient text "with the ears of our heart" as old St. Benedict described it back in the 6th century.  One night afterwards, Tom officiated the "legal" wedding of Bill and Denise, who tied the knot in a "religious" ceremony more than three years ago in Chicago.
True story.

We helped out our friends from We The People of Detroit with a one thousand gallon water shift to the St. Peter's water station.  Shut-offs continue as more and more lifelong Detroiters get pushed out of their homes.

One Friday afternoon, we harvested ripe cherries in abundance from the Wylie-Fahey backyard!

Sending so much LOVE from hot, humid Michigan!!!