Click here to view the photo slideshow from the Seminar with John Morton in San Francisco.
Click here to view the photo slideshow from the Q&A with John Morton in San Francisco.
From all around the Bay Area and from across the world, people showed up in droves for the MSIA events in San Francisco in December of 2004. It may have been the truly splendid weather, but the mood of those at the hotel near Fisherman’s Wharf was festive, laced with the definite Spirit of the wider MSIA community coming together.
Following a day of MSIA Staff Services, and without a lot of fanfare, more than a hundred people gathered on the evening of December 11th to attend John Morton’s Seminar. What made it special was the variety of pre-seminar entertainment. Merrill Collins wrote and played a wonderful piece of music to dramatize the Peace Prayer, and was accompanied on violin by Danielle Wilkinson, and on drums by Chris Roy Collins. Annie Millar sang the song and invited us all to sing along on the choruses, while the music was interspersed with the Prayer (“I Love You, God Bless You, Peace Be Still) spoken in a dozen different languages by various members of the local MSIA community.
Taras Lumiere then performed a song he had written (preceded by a riotous explanation of how he managed to derive a Ukrainian version of the Peace Prayer). Laila Millar graced us with a rendition of a portion of Handel’s “Messiah,” accompanied by Merrill Collins on keyboard. When John Morton took the stage, he gave a talk that was at once light-hearted and rich with the energy of Spirit (many heads were seen nodding).
Click here to view the photo slideshow from the Seminar with John Morton in San Francisco.
The next morning, ministers and initiates came together again in the seminar room, and Joe Millar was called up to read one of his poems, “Caroling,” about an experience of ministering and being ministered to. Brooke Danza relayed a message from John-Roger regarding his health and participation, and then John Morton was introduced. He answered questions that ranged from very personal to global in breadth, and he was funny and sincere and deep all at once; many eyes were moist with tears in response to the sweetness of the sharings. The Questions and Answer session was followed by a buffet luncheon, where there was lots more meeting, greeting and chatter, as old friends and new friends shared stories and traded useful and amusing information. The afternoon saw most of the Living In Grace retreat attendees taking off for the Monterey/Carmel retreat site, or heading back out to their far-flung homes, warm in the Traveler’s love. What a treat to participate!
Click here to view the photo slideshow from the Q&A with John Morton in San Francisco.
