gather: Andermas
Andermas in the orchard
Sickening once with hope delayed,
Paling all our hearts with gloom,
Then a Tree of Life displayed,
Budding with eternal bloom.1
For the past few years, I’ve hosted a Liturgical Life group. We’re a diverse gathering - of all ages, from a variety of denominations, learning alongside each other and working to graft the traditions of the liturgical calendar into our own varied circumstances.
When we get together with our liturgical living community, I’m always struck by a dynamic that I think many of us have noticed: those rhythms and celebrations that were once part of the cultural atmosphere now have to be chosen and pursued with more intentionality.
There’s an inherent challenge in this shift…trying to normalize these ancient traditions, most of which have only been (relatively) recently lost, can easily feel daunting or artificial. I spent years thinking that none of my friends could possibly be interested in joining us in these liturgical celebrations. It turns out, though, that I had pigeon-holed folks, making assumptions about what people needed or wanted - I also vastly underrated how motivated and passionate folks can be about intentionally seeking to nourish and flourish in community. We are hungry for connectedness - to God, to each other, and to our landscape.
Like me, they were longing for connection. And Scripture speaks to us, again and again, about family being made where there hadn’t been family before: covenantal relationships with God bond disparate peoples together. I truly believe that this is how we’re meant to live, with an expansive view of who “family” is (and it doesn’t mean that we have to spend every waking moment in groups!).
Last weekend, this was all thrown into such beautiful clarity - the first Sunday of Advent was aligning with Andermas, the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle. Just days before, families were gathered near & far to celebrate Thanksgiving, with all the busy-ness and stress that tends to undergird big holidays.
And yet, between Thursday’s turkey dinner and Sunday’s beginning of a new & full season, so many folks went above & beyond to gather with us for Andermas. It wasn’t an easy or convenient time for anyone (is it ever?), sandwiched as it was between holidays…but we’re intentionally choosing to gather anyway. Somehow, when that time together is chosen and supported by everyone so purposefully, when there’s lots of room for all the hiccups along the way, it doesn’t feel like a frantic addition to the holidays: it feels like a refreshment.
Don’t get me wrong: there are lots of times when we have to decline invitations or simply don’t have the margin to venture into another gathering (tonight, for instance, I’m choosing to miss what I know will be a really lovely event, because I just need to be mindful of carving out rest & catch-up after a busy weekend). We can’t do it all: but I personally used to use that as a reason to not do any of it.
It’s so important to be discerning, otherwise our life in community just won’t be sustainable. And there will be seasons in life when we need to hibernate.
All that being said, I was truly humbled by last weekend’s Andermas gathering: tired, busy friends actively choosing to be together in that space between one season and the next, one year and the next. And other tired, busy friends resting or at other commitments, their prayers & well wishes felt from afar, their presence of spirit with us still a noticeable blessing.
I can’t imagine a better way to enter into the complex season of Advent! Here’s a peek into our celebration, with a cozy potluck indoors followed by a nighttime run through the apple orchard (to harvest for natural Advent calendars)…