The Care of Creation Committee recently visited La Capilla de Santa Maria in Hendersonville. Their famous “cob oven,” profiled in parishioner Mallory McDuff’s Natural Saints book, first caught our committee’s interest. In the end, it was the bi-lingual contemplative Eucharist that captured our hearts.
We learned through Rev. Austin Rios’ translation about the story of the oven, made for the purpose of building and enriching their community life, through Senior Warden Jose-Luis. He shared how both parishioners and nearby neighbors turned out to build the outdoor oven. Over a few Sundays, they mixed the clay and straw wall from materials found in their own 14-acre woods nearby.
After hearing from other parishioners about the building effort, we experienced the spiritual depth of the community in their weekly Wednesday evening Eucharist. With bi-lingual bulletins, we participated in the liturgy through spoken prayers, alternating in Spanish and English. We prayed in both languages, giving thanks for our newly formed cross-diocesan friendship. We shared the bread and wine by serving each other communion in a tight circle around the altar, which was very meaningful. Our friendships grew in that space and transformed our understanding of what it means to care for creation.
We give thanks to La Capilla for their lavish hospitality, welcoming us openly to their warm community, founded in part through a simple oven and sustained through sharing God’s Love.
The Care of Creation Committee meets once a month on Sundays at 10:10. Do you have ideas for making Every Day Earth Day at All Souls? All are welcome! To add your name to our distribution list or for more information, contact Dorrie Sieburg (dorriesieburg@gmail.com) or Vicki Hesse (vickihesse@yahoo.com).