Jane and Athea

On the Sunday before Christmas we bade a sad farewell to Jane and Athea - not too sad because they were excited about their move interstate - and have promised to keep in touch and to visit sometime when they are in Adelaide. Rod and Ruth devised a beautiful and very helpful liturgy which helped us to send them on their way with our love and hopes for their future.

This is the liturgy that was used:

PRAYER OF THE FOUR DIRECTIONS
EAST – THE BEGINNING
In the beginning were the people; and the people gathered and a community was born. Among the people were Jayne and Athea. It was a time of newness, uncertainty, exploration and growth.
We give thanks for Jayne and Athea being among us, for their willingness to be in the newness and uncertainty, exploring with us, growing in themselves and encouraging the growth of others.
TAKE WITH YOU ALL THE POTENTIAL BIRTH HOLDS AS YOU BEGIN AGAIN IN A NEW PLACE AND COMMUNITY

NORTH –THE PAST
The community of people gathered regularly, sharing traditions from other times and communities, learnings from earlier experiences, knowledge, resources and wisdom. Over time this new community created their own traditions, while the passage of time itself was creating their past.
We give thanks for Jayne and Athea for being part of creating and developing our new traditions, for their presence in our past, for helping to build the foundation on which we will continue to grow.
TAKE WITH YOU THE FIRM FOUNDATION OF THIS PAST TO HELP BUILD YOUR NEW TOMORROW

SOUTH—THE FUTURE
This community came together in hope and with a vision for what else could be. Wherever there is hope the people look forward and see a future; where there is a vision for the future the people do not perish, but flourish.
We give thanks for Jayne and Athea, for sharing our vision, for being hopeful, for co-creating our future.
TAKE WITH YOU THE VISION AND HOPE OF THE FUTURE AS YOU GO FORWARD TO WHAT ELSE CAN BE

WEST – THE ENDING
From every beginning an ending will come, as surely as night follows day and death will follow birth. The gathered community is again in a time of beginning, and in the midst of this beginning is an ending. Yet where we end is but a beginning.
We give thanks for Jayne and Athea, for their presence with us at the beginning, for the wisdom they brought to us and have shared with us. Now at the time of their leaving we give thanks for the wisdom we have all gained from our time as a gathered community.
TAKE WITH YOU THE WISDOM SHARED AND GAINED FROM THIS TIME INTO YOUR NEW BEGINNING

With tears of sadness we say ‘goodbye’, with tears of joy we say ‘go well’

Then Jane and Athea came to each of us and with a bowl of salt water marked a tear of sadness on one of our cheeks and a tear of joy on the other cheek and we did the same to them.

UPDATE

Email from Jane today says that she and Athea have found the ideal home and that they are enjoying life in Bellingen - swimming most days - in the river, the forest or down at the beach. Sounds divine! Guess Athea will begin school soon and Jane will hopefully land the perfect job. Here's hoping!