Greenbelt ABC - Travelling Light (3)

F - Franciscans - There on the campsite, the brown-robed First Order brothers and sisters and in the resources area where the Third Order, of whom I'm one, had their stall.  The former, and more recently members of other religious orders, have been a calming  presence at Greenbelt for many years now.

Facebook - Like Marmite again; Greenbelt has several groupings on the dreaded Facebook. I find them a mixed blessing. Great for getting practical information on the nuts 'n bolts of the festival,  to have fun, and to make new contacts. It's good to have some familiar faces to look out for once you're there on the campsite. It's useful to have a place where you can feedback post festival, too. The downside, and I guess this applies on all social media, is that arguments can get extremely intense, misunderstandings can blow up in a matter of minutes. Sometimes it's better to 'Travel light' and take a break.

G - The Grove  - A woodland, sylvan area by the lake. One of the sister venues to the one where  I was volunteering, it had a similar, contemplative vibe, with a more eco feel to it. I didn't actually get to any of the events there, though from what I saw on the programme visitors there spent much time being At One With the Soil (as indeed we all did by the time Monday's rainstorms arrived).

Glamping - At the beginning of the festival I cast many a supercilious glance across at this encampment of luxury yurts.  By the end, the thought of forking out a small fortune to have access to hot water, cooking facilities and your own private block of loos seemed  entirely justified!

H - Higgedy Pies. Mmmmmm!

Little Portion - new TSSF magazine

For anybody who's ever wondered  what  Franciscan Tertiary (TSSF)  page  at the top of this blog refers to, I've just linked to the first issue of our province's new, colourful  magazine, Little Portion. Why Little Portion, and what's it all about anyway?

 LITTLE PORTION gets its name from Porziuncola (“little portion of land”) that was the most sacred place for the early Franciscans. It was here that the young Francis understood his vocation and embarked on his own lifelong formation and that of forming the three orders that continue to exist today. This new TSSF publication offers a ‘little portion’ of wisdom from local groups, areas and the provincial networks as a means of nurturing our members in their own personal growth as well as nourishing them in their engagement with building community both within and beyond TSSF.

                          Little Portion, Issue 1, June 2012 


 With the theme for this first issue of Prophetic Voices in our Time, I think it's  good, general reading,  whether you're of a Franciscan persuasion or none.

(And no, I'm not on commission to the editorial team, in case you wondered!)

Rule of Life - Finding a Pattern to Live By

Puffin Club Founder Members' Competition 1967

I've found it at last.    In 1967, I penned my list of rules 'to help some Puffins who had suddenly become "as clever as people" live wisely and happily,' I never guessed that 45 plus years later, I'd be chewing over my own 'rule' or 'way of life,' as a Franciscan tertiary. Those cheery little seabirds do have a habit of popping up for me, don't they? Would that I was so straightforward and uncomplicated now as I was at eight years old!  Here's what I wrote:

• Puffins should not leave their babies alone.
• Puffins should not fight at all.
• Puffins should not leave their eggs to be eaten.
• Puffins should be a little less shy.
• Puffins should be very happy all the year.
• Puffins should be as comical as they like. 
• Puffins should be very sensible.  

Makes me smile, that last one; I was such a serious, conscientious little girl.   Yet, from a quick skim down the list, I can see that even then I'd an awareness of the areas where I needed to grow; a good rule of life challenges you to streeeetch yourself to the edges of your comfort zones, and shyness, negativity and anxiety are issues all too familiar to me even now. (Not sure about the eggs bit, though!).

I wonder where the other competition winners are now and whether  any element of their 'rules' still hold true for them  in later life? 

 

The Three Ways of Service

Tertiaries desire to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, whom we serve in the three ways of Prayer, Study, and Work. In the life of the Order as a whole these three ways must each find full and balanced expression, but it is not to be expected that all members devote themselves equally to each of them. Each individual’s service will vary according to his or her abilities and circumstances, yet each individual member’s Personal Rule of Life must include each of the three ways.

           - From the Principles of the Third Order Society of St Francis, Day 13