Celtic Fling and Highland Games at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire Grounds

Today I was able to journey over to the Renaissance Faire grounds in Manheim PA in order to enjoy the Celtic themed events that take place only once a year there.  The Celtic Fling and Highland Games celebrates all things Celtic which includes Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Cornish, Manx, Bretons, and Galecians/Asturians contributions and hosts a variety of bands, vendors, and, true to its namesake, athletes who compete in traditional highland games.  These games include the clachneart, the 28 and 56 pound throw, the Scottish hammer, the sheaf toss, the 56-pound weight toss, and the caber toss, which involves heaving a tapered wooden pole that is 19 feet long and 130 pounds and which is the centerpiece event of modern highland games.

 

 

 

Besides having great modern and traditional Celtic themed music such as that performed by Irish entertainer Seamus Kennedy, there was also a great deal of traditional Celtic food and drink to be had.  I was able to grab one of Scottland's most recognizable dishes, Haggis, which came with a side of Mash potatoes and gravy.  Haggis is a mixture of sheep heart, lungs, and liver which is combined with added herbs and all encased within the sheep's stomach.  Although looking somewhat like a sausage, it had a much more mild taste and smoother texture, and, in my opinion, had an overall better taste than sausage.



 

How could anyone think this is anything but delicious!?

 



One of the great things about the PA Renaissance Faire is that it is located on the Mount Hope Estate which also consists of a winery and brewery, allowing the beer and wine to be made onsite.  I was able to try both a Buckwheat Honey Porter Braggot and a Highland Heather Ale.  Braggot is a "marriage of ale and mead" that was a popular drink of medieval Europe.  Besides honey, it utilizes the flavors of rum, raisins, and molasses.  It had exactly what you would expect of a porter, having dark, roasted tones of flavor but with a combination of extra sugary sweetness, condolences of the honey.  The Highland Heather Ale was my favorite of the two, and interestingly used heather flowers instead of hops, thus reducing its overall bitterness.  Its light tones were complemented by an almost cider-like taste that provided a refreshing retreat from the summer heat.

The Porter Braggot (left) and Highland Heather Ale

 



There were also quite a few local vendors which included handmade soaps, local and natural cigars, and what might be described as hallucination inducing hot sauces.  Concerning the latter, I had an epiphany that sampling a hot sauce made with Trinidad Scorpion peppers, the hottest peppers in the world, was probably not the most intelligent idea.  While my mouth underwent something around the magnitude of a nuclear meltdown, I made sure to maintain a nonchalant attitude about the whole affair (thus reassuring myself of my manliness) and then departed with all due haste to the nearest beer and/or soda stand.

Later my father, who was accompanying me, and I watched the Scottish hammer event, in which a 22 pound hammer head is attached to a handle just a little longer than that of a basic sledge hammer.  The hammer is then swung around in a circle above the competitors head and released in the opposite direction of which they are facing.  All I can say is that anyone doubting the masculinity of a man wearing what would appear to be a woman's skirt would think twice after watching this event.

 

 

If you would like to go to the Celtic Fling and Highland Games there is only one more day left so hurry there!  Otherwise, it will be a whole year until it is back.  Overall I would rate it a very fun event that was pleasantly surprising in terms of its genuineness in the form of great traditional food and music and local vendors.  Next year I hope to go back, perhaps to spend not just one day but the whole weekend exploring this unique look at Celtic traditions.

 



St. Paul the Apostle Church Summer Bazaar

Each year during mid-June one can visit St. Paul the Apostle Church in Annville, PA to check out their traditional summer bazaar.  If you are not familiar with it, the word "bazaar" is of Middle-Eastern origin and describes a marketplace, or more commonly when used in the west, a charity fundraising event.  The latter is the case for St. Paul's which relies on its annual bazaar for a significant amount of income.  For example, last year the bazaar brought in over $70,000.00.

 

 

The bazaar has a long history that dates back to shortly after 1928, the time when St. Paul's first church building was officially acquired, where it initially existed as a flea market.  It started in an alley behind the church and moved to a much larger lot shortly before the construction of a new church which started on July 27th, 1980.  Since its initial conception, it has evolved into an event with a smorgasbord of different stands which incorporate games and activities such as cane toss, spin-art, darts, and many more.  There is also a great deal of delicious and traditional festival food such as funnel cakes, sausage sandwiches, hamburgers, chicken BBQ, and even the inclusion of a beer garden.  There is also live music  - this year performed by the bands "Flamin Dick and the Hot Rods" and "The Uptown Band."  Yet this summer carnival still keeps a connection with its initial design through a stand which operates in the manner of the flea market upon which the bazaar was built. 

 

 

 

I made sure to take pictures early before the crowds arrive - generally the bazaar grounds become swamped with so many people that it becomes difficult to see from one end to the other.

Because Sunday was Father's Day, I decided to interview my father who has worked to set up the bazaar for over ten years and who, for the last few, has played an instrumental part in keeping it running, along with a few other committed and long-standing volunteers.  He told me that the hardest part of the bazaar set up is finding people who are willing to commit their time to help.  Set up traditionally starts around 3 weeks before the actual event and construction happens about 4 to 5 times a week during weekday evenings; this year, however, Saturdays were included to accommodate church members who could not help during the week.

St. Paul the Apostle Church's bazaar, while being affiliated with a Catholic church, usually brings in a wide range of people who come to simply enjoy the food, the fun, and the company of others.  If you are ever in Annville, PA around the middle of June I would recommend checking out St. Paul's bazaar for both its great taste of summer fun and its endearing and old-fashioned festival feel.

Shabbat at Dickinson College and the Milton Asbell Center for Jewish Life

Shabbat is a time for weekly reflection, observance, and relaxation.  I definitely needed the last of these three things after jumping through many hoops trying to find a Shabbat service to attend this past Friday evening.  Although I mentioned in my last post that I would be taking a look at Liberal Judaism, the temple that I had planned to attend, The Congregation of the Sons of Israel in Chambersburg, PA, was in the midst of finding a new rabbi as their current rabbi was leaving and thus was not having any services this Friday. 

Thus, I contacted the rabbi at B'nai Abraham, a Reformed temple in Hagerstown, MD, about the possibility of attending a Shabbat service and asking him some questions.  Unfortunately, and by sheer coincidence, he also happened to be leaving the congregation, and thus I would not be able to attend that service either.

Finally I found a small Jewish meetinghouse called the Milton Asbell Center for Jewish Life, located on-campus at Dickinson College in Carlisle, and which held weekly Shabbat services during the summer. Thus I contacted a woman named Ethel, who told me they would be happy to have me come.

The service started at 7:15 p.m., and I arrived a little early.  In the meantime, I admired the ornate buildings that adorned the college grounds.  I had always wanted to visit Dickinson, mostly in order to observe their sustainable and agricultural enterprises, such as their 50-acre certified organic farm, the website for which can be found at the following address: http://www.dickinson.edu/about/sustainability/college-farm/
The visit, however, is worth it simply to see the beautiful college grounds, and I intend to go back to observe more of Dickinson and its environmentally savvy endeavors.

As the house was currently empty upon my arrival there, I waited on a bench on the front porch until a woman named Emily, a Jewish convert who was raised in the Christian Methodist tradition, came and invited me in.  As we talked in the downstairs foyer more of the congregation arrived and we made our way up to a small sanctuary on the second floor which could probably fit no more than perhaps 20 people.  The congregation size was very small, being no more than about 10 persons, most of them older, and as such departed an informal ambience to the whole affair.  Noticing a box of spare head coverings, I asked if I should wear one, and was told that there was no need, and that in fact in Reformed Judaism, of which the Milton Asbell Center affiliated itself with, wearing a head covering during services is not required.

The Milton Asbell Center for Jewish Life at Dickinson College



Judaism can be considered to have four main sects - Orthodox, Conservative, Reformed, and Reconstructionist.  I was told that Reformed Judaism was a response to a sterile rigidity of interpretation of the law and to commitment to ritual that resulted in a departure from much Jewish tradition and custom.  For example, the inclusion of English or other native languages in exchange of the traditional Hebrew during services, the institution of female rabbis, the optionality of head coverings and of keeping kosher, and the optionality of keeping the Sabbath.  I was even told that some early Reformed temples imitated Christian churches, with organs and choirs, more than they resembled their orthodox counterparts.  The Conservative sect was a response to the Reform movement due to what was perceived as an over abundance of liberal renderings of Judaism and thus tried to find middle ground between Orthodoxy and the Reform movement.  Reformed Judaism, however, began a move back to tradition after the events of the Holocaust, in what would be an effort to conserve Jewish heritage after their persecution.

Concerning Shabbat, it is the name for the Jewish Sabbath day and is typically celebrated on Friday night and extends until Saturday night.  It recalls the significance of the Lord's day of rest from his creation and the Lord's command to observe the Sabbath day in the beginning of Exodus: 35.  The Shabbat service was lead by Emily and started with the lighting of two candles which represent the call to reflection and observance.  There was no rabbi, a rabbi not being needed to conduct the service, at least to my knowledge of the Reformed tradition. After this and throughout much of the service was singing in Hebrew, and sometimes in English, which consisted of recitations from the Torah or the Hebrew Bible which praised and blessed God, affirming his position as the one and only God of the universe.  At one point during the beginning of the service we also faced the entrance of the room in order to welcome the Shabbat "bride."  This nuptial metaphor for the welcoming of Shabbat is associated with the Jewish song we sung called "Lekhah Dodi" which means "come my beloved" and which addresses the expectation of the coming of Shabbat in the form of a bride.  This was written by the Jewish rabbi and kabbalist, a Jewish mystic, Shlomo Halevi Alkabetz.

Another unique part of the Shabbat service is an asking of the angels to come and abide within the sanctuary where the Shabbat service is being held.  Thus one can entertain the awe-inspiring conception of angelic beings intermingled with the congregation who are also gathered to join in the worshipping of God.  Later is a silent recitation of prayers, followed by a discussion based on the parshah, or the weekly Torah portion.  Because the Torah is read throughout the year, it is divided into 54 separate readings, one for each week, which coincide with the Hebrew calendar, which is a lunar calendar.  This was lead by a woman from the congregation named Deanna.  Part of her discussion focused on the Israelites journey through the desert and the Moabites cursing of the Israelites.  The Israelites relationship with Moab is an interesting one in that they are actually related through Lot, Abraham's nephew, who was subjected to drunkenness and subsequent intercourse by his daughters, thus begetting the lines of the Moabite and Ammonite peoples through incest.  Later, Israel and the Moabites enter into fighting with each other, described as Deanna as "fighting within the family."  Ruth, a woman who is also a Moabite, seems to be the exception to the evil depiction of the Moabites and is even an ancestor of King David and therefore of Jesus, as well.  Thus it was discussed how the Israelites were in a way fighting amongst themselves when it came to their relationship with the Moabites.

In a similar way I found my own relationships to members of this community where before similarities had not been evident.  A few people in the congregation were not actually Jewish, but considered themselves Christian, with one being Episcopalian and one being Catholic.  Deanna was also an adjunct professor at Lebanon Valley College, with which I am very familiar since I have taken courses there.  Another woman there was coming within a couple of weeks with a group of school-aged children to visit the farm on which I work. 

These general commonalities are a good example of what I think one person could find amongst any other given enough time to know the other person.  It is a good example of human interdependence and connectivity and reminds us that although we all have our own individuality we are also all related in some way. 

Additionally, I believe that it is important for Christians, and also to a degree for Muslims, to recognize and acknowledge our shared history with the Jews.  Jesus, or Yeshua, was brought up in a Jewish society and was familiar with the Hebrew tradition, texts, traditions, and myths, and therefore I think that for Christians to be able to understand the Old Testament within our tradition and to understand Jesus, we must be willing and eager to understand Judaism, as well. Without it, we can never fully understand that which we call "Christianity."  For followers of other religions, it is also important to understand Judaism since it is one of the world's oldest and longest surviving religions.

The service also included the Aleinu song, at which point the ark is opened so that the Torah can be seen.  The service also included the Kiddush cup and the sharing of the challah, or a bread that is shared amongst the community. From past Shabbat experiences, I remembered that typically the community all drinks wine from the same Kiddush cup.  Although the cup was present at this service, we did not all drink from it, but we all shared the delicious challah bread after the service ended.

The members of the community were then gracious enough to invite me to dinner, which I accepted, and which with my grateful appreciation they also paid for. 

Ethel told me that Judaism is like Christianity in that we both have our "holiday church-goers." Whereas in Christianity these are those who go to Easter and Christmas services, in Judaism it is those who go to Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.  Yet the fact of the matter is that Shabbat is actually considered to be the most holy time of the year.  Judaism accounts for time in a way that sets aside certain times as holier than others. 
In Jewish, the word for holy means separate.  Thus, Shabbat is a time that is separate from the rest of time - a time that could be considered to be on a different plane of existence where one is closer to the spiritual realm and the spiritual realm is closer to our mundane one.  Thus it is important to take advantage of this by means of reflection and relaxation.  It is also a gift in that it relinquishes one from worries of mundane work and daily problems and encourages pursuits related to one's family, friends and most importantly to God.

We of other faiths can learn a lot from this type of observance, especially for those of us who do not take time to slow down and are always looking toward future pursuits.  Shabbat helps me to reconsider my own Christian celebration of the Sabbath on Sunday and that I should slow down and take time to pray and seek God, especially in my family and in those around me.   It also prepares one's self for the week to come by giving a spiritual fortress of peace that they can impregnate themselves within in regards to the coming of the stormy and impermanent qualities of everyday life.

I enjoyed my time at the Milton Asbell Center and would like to come back in September when the students at Dickinson are in session and conducting their own services there.  Perhaps then I can take the time to look further into what, being of the younger generation and thus my peers, those who are young Jews think of their religion and spirituality.

I encourage you all to check out Dickinson College and the Milton Asbell Center for Jewish life if you are able and to also attend a Shabbat service where you can take time to reflect and relax. 

Shalom,
Matt

To Love and Serve One Another - Falling Springs Presbyterian Church

Today I attended the 8:15 a.m. traditional service at Falling Springs Presbyterian Church in Chambersburg, PA.  My choice to go to a Presbyterian church as the first step in my new religious undertaking was in large part due to my previous encounters with the Presbyterian Church which have subsequently and markedly introduced themselves into my life.  These include two trips to the deep south in January 2011 and 2012 with the disaster relief and Presbyterian based organization Lend a Hand, a month and a half long stay and internship at the Stony Point Presbyterian Retreat Center in Stony Point, New York during the summer of 2012, and my current job at a farm that is allied with the Presbyterian based Wilson College.  I have felt that each of these consecutive experiences in which the Presbyterian church has shown up in my life to be both impactful and perhaps beyond mere coincidence.  Because of this, I chose the Falling Springs Presbyterian Church, established in 1734, as the first stop in my journey.

 

Hidden behind curtains of green foliage is a historic stone church with stained glass windows and two large wooden doors on each end of its front side.  Inside the church is mainly congruent with the preconceived western idea of what a church should look like - rows of pews each containing hymnals and bibles and which lead up to an altar with a raised pulpit, behind which sits an organ.  Additionally there was a grand piano to the front left side of the altar, and in the back corners of each side an American flag and a flag with the symbol of a cross in its top left corner.

 

I came a little early and took a seat near the front, feeling a little underdressed with my simple button down shirt and khakis while many there were in suit and tie.  I was wished good morning by two people who, unknown to me at the time, would be the people who I would later talk to about the beliefs of the Presbyterians after the service.  The service seemed somewhat empty, although I was informed that the contemporary and later traditional service at 11 were always better attended.

 

After some announcements, the service officially began with a morning greeting, or the "Passing of the Peace" between members of the congregation in which everyone stood up and went around to the people nearest them to wish them peace and a good morning.  There was then organ music and a reading out of the bulletin which affirmed the congregations thanksgiving to God and their willingness to worship. 

 

This was followed by the hymn "This is My Father's World" which I was unfamiliar with but which carried me away with its simple but powerful melody.  It has many references to the beauty of God's creation, our place in it, and His relationship with it as exemplified by some of the following lyrics: "He trusts us with this world, to keep it fair and clean - all earth and trees and skies and seas, all creatures everywhere," and "in the rustling grass I hear him pass, he speaks to me everywhere."

 

 

 

After the hymn was the "Prayer of Confession and Silent Prayer" in which the congregation confesses their limitations and asks for God's forgiveness, which is followed by an assurance of pardon.  This is somewhat different from my experience in the Catholic tradition where, although an act of contrition is recited during the mass, the sacrament of reconciliation in which one's sins are spoken to a priest is also expected of the parishioners to be performed, preferably at the frequency of one time per month.

 

After a reading from Micah 6:8 was the Gloria which was a sung "Glory Be" followed by the Apostle's Creed, common to most all Christians.  After this were readings from Job 2 and 1 Samuel 24:80.  Matthew 5: 38-48, a part of the sermon on the mount, was also read and then referred to during the homily.  The pastor giving the homily focused on Jesus' calling to become disciples by "manning up" and having courage to do what we are called to do, even at our own expense.  This related to Job's continued faith, even in the presence of great loss, and David's choice to spare Saul's life, even though Saul was after David's own life.  The preacher also mentioned that as Presbyterians there is a belief in original sin and that that and all sin and evil is a separation from God.

 

After was an offeratory with music performed by the organist on the piano and a young music major who accompanied with the trumpet.  It was a beautifully done rendition of "Be Thou My Vision/My Shepherd Will Supply My Need."

 

 

 

After this were more announcements, another hymn, a recitation of the Our Father (I had to remember to say debts and debtors instead of trespasses and trespassers) and a benediction.

 

The service ended and I was able to talk to a friendly man named Don who then introduced me to the interim pastor, Rev. Mark Medina, who had not participated in the liturgy that day but who, with Don, was one of the men who had wished me a good morning prior to the service.  I explained my project of visiting different places of worship each week and asked if he could describe what sets the Presbyterians apart from other denominations.

 

He began by pointing out that the most important beliefs of the Presbyterian Church was also that which other Christians held to be true - a belief in scripture, in the Trinity, and in a church and a coming together to worship.  A major difference was that each congregation elects their own people to serve, the basis of this thinking coming from the Book of Acts.  This means that the church is a polity and includes everyone in the congregation.  This was true throughout the service as three different people lead the beginning, middle, and end of the service. 

 

There are also only 2 sacraments - baptism and communion.  Baptism can be performed on infants - in other words Presbyterians are not Anabaptists who wait until one is old enough to decide if they want baptism or not. Thus, they honor parents wishes to have their children be inducted into the church community through this sacrament. 

 

Communion is performed once a month with bread and grape juice.  It is also performed unanimously among Presbyterians on World Communion Sunday, which is always the first Sunday of October.  During the traditional service there many also be intinction, which is the dipping of the bread into the juice before serving.

 

Another bit of interesting historical information was that the namesake of Chambersburg, Colonel Benjamin Chambers, was buried with his wife Jane Chambers in the cemetery behind the church and had donated the land on which the church had been built.

 

 

 

The Presbyterian Church traces its roots back to the Reformation and to the geographical locations of Scotland and Ireland - perhaps that is why I heard the song "Be Thou My Vision" which, although a popular hymn among many Christian circles, is in fact an ancient Irish hymn, during the service.  Being Irish myself I am now more interested to learn more of its history and how the Presbyterians formed and came to America.  The following sign outside the church gives some rudimentary information concerning this.

 

 

Overall, I had a fulfilling time at this church.  The minister I talked to was kind and knowledgeable and later in our talk asked me to come to the contemporary service. Although I declined for today, I will definitely be going back at a later time to learn more and experience the liturgy performed with a different and modern take.  It was also fun to find out that he knew all about Lend a Hand and the Stony Point Retreat Center and its directors, not to mention the college where he directed me to seek out the college minister there, which I also plan to do.

 

Before ending this post I'd like to point out a reminder that my experiences will only scratch the tip of the iceberg in looking at different beliefs and, although I have done my best to reproduce what I have learned and have been told, that if you seek the truth you must go to its source. Additionally I will generally only have time to visit one place of worship per the type of religion or denomination that I am exploring and so remind myself and any readers that these experiences are just one look at much more complex and intricate structures in which there is room for fluctuation of beliefs down to the level of the individual.   It is my hope and belief, however, that this posting is a genuine look and partial introduction to the Presbyterian Church. 

 

Next I will be visiting a Jewish temple in town that describes itself as "honoring the ideals of a Liberal Judaism" on Friday evening for a Shabbat service.  Please check back for an interesting look at Jewish faith and tradition!







The Adventure Begins

Hello.  If you are reading this blog I hope that you will find it informative, enlightening, and will perhaps provide a stimulus to seek out adventure and unique circumstances as they relate to what I will consider the three main features of this blog: culture, nature, and, of what shall be the focal point of my postings, religion and spirituality.  Of course, I would be naïve to think that as this blog develops I will not want to include extraneous topics as pertains to these three categories and so I will also add in food, books, and whatever else I become interested in or find relevant as time goes by.

This blog will be the anchor for a commitment that for a while I have been wanting to make to myself and, in many respects, to others.  Each week I hope to fulfill the main theme of this blog of religion and spirituality by visiting a different place of worship.  To define "place of worship," it can be any place where people come together in a search or pursuit of life's most succulent questions: "why am I here?, what should I do with my life?, do I have a purpose" and, pertaining to that which is already established by religion and faith, "what is my spirituality?, why do we do things this way?, who is God?."  It can also be any place where people seek comfort, solace, or community by means of spiritual devices or ties.

By doing this I hope to answer my own questions and to provide fun and interesting postings that can help to shed light on other's beliefs.  One of the main reasons this idea appeals to me and why I want to go out and experience these things myself is because of my own great ignorance in what other people believe and the basis of the ways in which they live their life.  By having others read my blog I also feel that there will be increased pressure that'll keep me going on my commitment!  In the event that I can't visit a religious place of worship, I will update about other areas of interest as I described above.

Additionally, since I am Roman Catholic I will not hesitate to share my own understandings as they pertain to faith through my own lens. A major purpose of this will be to help me to be both aware of my understandings and biases when encountering another faith as well as celebrating my own faith and others by drawing connections between them.

Another goal for this blog, however, is to stay away from the "I" mentality that I feel accompanies most forms of social media.  I'll certainly be giving my opinions, but in what I hope will be a constructive way, rather than just talking about my personal life.  I'd like to try to look deeply into what I find and share it as best I can with others.


Finally this blog is a response to what I see in Christianity as a lack of initiatives to certain areas of the faith that have been long overdue.  Mainly, deeper concern for nature, a stronger connection to the earth, an improved interior self-awareness, and the "faith" to step out of our own churches and into places that may make us a little uncomfortable, such as a mosque, temple, or even a different denomination!  I will definitely be exploring these areas as they relate to the Christian faith as time goes on.

As an added note: when possible I will try to talk to practicing members or leaders of the congregation.  This will be to help me with my problem of refusing to step out of my comfort zone and to help me get out of my shell.  It will also be to find in-depth and genuine answers to questions about the beliefs which people profess.

Also, all pictures on the blog will be taken by me unless noted otherwise. As many know, I have not always been a huge fan of being in pictures or taking them but I am starting to realize the importance of them in conveying information and feelings.  Like they say, "a picture is worth a thousand words."

Tomorrow I will start off my religious adventure by hopefully going to the traditional service at a local Presbyterian Church.  Although I have already had a considerable exposure to other faiths, I still get that uncomfortable feeling of not knowing exactly what I am doing and feeling blind when walking into another temple, mosque, or even just walking into another Christian church! 

Yet as St. John of the Cross says, “If a man wishes to be sure of the road he treads on, he must close his eyes and walk in the dark.”