Featuring a Talk, Tree-planting, and a Sacred Chant and Dance
Mother’s Day
A Celebration of the Interfaith Partners of the Chesapeake – Pledge Day Ceremony
Friends came together in a Spirit of love and harmony, participating virtually and in person to celebrate Mother Earth – and our need to take care of her and each other.
With special thanks to Fran Palmeri for sharing her thought- provoking Meeting for Learning presentation “Making Peace with Mother Earth” and her 25 Environmental Dos and Don’ts. We embrace her words, instructions, and ethos – they are words to live by!
We thank the co-clerks of MH&L Kim F. and Jeanne W. for support of this group. It was Kim’s finely honed appraisal skills that led to the selection and acquisition of our ceremonial tree and its planting location. The graceful and hearty specimen kept under wraps until all were assembled was revealed to be — a Sweet Bay Magnolia!
Our vigorous young tree (a favorite, Fran P. tells us, of William Bartram, the great Quaker botanist), was gently lowered into the ground by Phil C who had also helped to dig the hole. The tree stands about 3 ft tall, and stands in a stately location beside the Annapolis Friends Meeting sign that sits along the roadside fence.
Once the communal planting by many hands was complete we circled the tree and read the stewardship Pledge – thanks to Ani W., who called it up on her cell phone! The pledge via phone was passed from person to person to read the many lines. Jean C was the last person to be handed the phone. She ended our pledge in the most perfect way, with one emphatic and celebratory word … “AMEN”.
Around the circle our pledge travels via phone, Patty R reads a passage before passing it on.
With special thanks to Sylvia Oliva, who provided he final portion of the program, leading us in a Sacred Chant and dance to honor Mother Earth – sounding and echoing our “need to take care of HER”. We stepped in and out of the sun and shadows chanting and moving to a drumbeat generously provided by Aros V. It was a wonderful ending for our morning’s program and also a beginning for our GG program, drawing inspiration from what we are coming to learn of the cultures of reverence, wise use of resources, and sustainability, practiced by the First People who came before us, and whose lands we inhabit.
Sylvia, in yellow, leads us in a sacred chant, Aros seated, plays the drum.