A Word from the Desert
Beginning April 23
Thursdays, 4 p.m. (Central time)
By Zoom
It is possible to be a solitary in one’s mind while living in a crowd, and it is possible for one who is a solitary to live in the crowd of his own thoughts.”
– Amma Syncletica
At a particular moment in history, around the fourth century, certain Christian women chose to eschew their contemporary society and move to the deserts of Egypt, Israel, and Syria where they lived in solitude. Christianity was no longer outlawed by the Roman government, and active persecutions had stopped. For these women, it became increasingly difficult to inhabit lives focused solely on God.
The women, who were called ammas, became known for their wisdom, and people would come out from the cities to ask for a word from them.
Using The Desert Mothers, Spiritual Practices from the Women of the Wilderness by the Rev Mary C. Earle, we will seek wisdom for ourselves especially in the chaotic times in which we live.
We will read a chapter a week on our own, then gather for conversation by Zoom on Thursdays at 4 p.m. (Central time) beginning on April 23.
If you would like to participate in this study, please send an email to Marjorie George at marjoriegeorge62@gmail.com.
There is no cost for the study, but you will need to provide your own book. To order from the St. Mark’s bookstore, go to https://bookshop.org/shop/stmarksbookstoresa and put the title in the search bar. Be sure to select the book by Mary Earle.
We welcome persons of all denominations to join us.
The Wisdom Years 