A sun and sky photo shoot at the Jesuit Center

Sunlight and Clouds: 1 at the Jesuit Center in Wernersville PA by Wayne Stratz

On a splendid spring day I took my Earth and Space students outside and told them to look up at the clouds. Fifteen minutes later the class period was over. It meant something to some of them who told me they were now checking out clouds.

When I am on Silent retreats I allow myself more time to look up and use my camera to try to preserve that moment in time. These were my favorite three from one particular photo shoot.

look up.

Sunlight and Clouds: 2 at the Jesuit Center in Wernersville PA by Wayne Stratz

Sunlight and Clouds: 3 at the Jesuit Center in Wernersville PA by Wayne Stratz

Reflections from the Jesuit Center: after discovering the nonexistant gate, a walk back up the hill

On the grounds of the Jesuit Center, Wernersville PA, 2015 by Wayne Stratz

After discovering the gate was not where it was supposed to be, and being told where it was by the passing by Jesuit; I had to walk back up the hill to the Jesuit Center.

Five images have survived the purge of photos taken on that walk up the hill. The first is a celebration of a lush evergreen botanical life.  The second photo shows the ravages of an aging leaf. The summer is early but the great vibrancy of a springtime leafing Maple has moved on to leaves showing the signs of a hard life.

On the grounds of the Jesuit Center, Wernersville PA, 2015 by Wayne Stratz

 Then there was this Maple seed. A sign of hope. One could say, "a dashed hope" as it rests on the macadam driveway at the Jesuit Center, but a tree could still emerge. Who knows where that seed could travel to if forces lifted it up?

On the grounds of the Jesuit Center, Wernersville PA, 2015 by Wayne Stratz

It sure was a wet June this 2015, after a dry springtime. Talks of drought were gone and fungi were sending up their fruiting bodies. And like the Maple leaf, it captures my destination in the background.

On the grounds of the Jesuit Center, Wernersville PA, 2015 by Wayne Stratz

I am no bird photographer and my camera is really, really not up for the job, so when I got home with hundreds of silent photos, this Blue Jay delighted me. I knew it was there. I had hope that it was in the frame. I clicked. Hopefully in the next moment it would be nourished by a leaf eating insect on this Maple tree.

On the grounds of the Jesuit Center, Wernersville PA, 2015 by Wayne Stratz

July 31st: The Feast Day of St Ignatius, an imagined photo: Statue with Clouds at the Jesuit Center

St Ignatius, Statue with Clouds at the Jesuit Center. Photo by Wayne Stratz

I am sure there are plenty of people born on feast days of saints who don't go on retreats inspired by the spirituality of that saint, but I do. And I had gone many a year before I realized the connection.

So what is the connection. Imagination? Ignatius wanted us to imagine ourselves into biblical stories, as bystanders and key characters. By becoming part of the scene, we become part of the story and are placed into the tradition of the church. On Facebook I list my job title as CID of Nutmeg Designs , Chief Imagination Dude. Imagination leads us into places we would never experience. Our story takes shape. Imagine a JOY inside a mandala. Then design it. Then collaborate with Margaret.

Joy Mandala: Imagined by Wayne Stratz. Created by Wayne Stratz and Margaret Almon

The clouds are not an afterthought, like when a photo of a flower lands a great insect within it. I was photographing the clouds as much as I was photographing the statue of Saint Ignatius. Photography is imagination. Imagine an image recorded for history. Use the camera. My imagined designs and photographs are not crystal clear. They have some clouds floating between the idea and the finished product. Ignatius did not say how exactly to imagine a story, we may have an idea when we leap into a scene, but forcing it to play out as it was predicted foils the creative flow of imagination.

Choose a story, any story, now leap in. And follow your imagination.

St Ignatius, Statue with Clouds at the Jesuit Center. Photo by Wayne Stratz

;

just because your destination is gone; arriving at the gate that was nonexistent

top of the a fence post at the Jesuit Center; June 2015; Wayne Stratz

So did I turn back, nope. (see this post about walking to a nonexistent gate)

While the gate was gone, I kept walking. My eye was drawn to the iron fence on either side of the entrance to the Jesuit Center in Wernersville. I started taking photos, until... 

"What are you doing over there!"

The man in the pickup truck was curious. Once I explained who I was and what I was up to, then he explained who he was. A Jesuit, not in charge of spiritual direction, but in charge of the grounds was in the pickup truck. All those stops along the way to the nonexistent fence had created this timely encounter.

"What happened to the fence?"  I guess I had broken Silence, but hey, the Jesuit in the pickup truck had started the conversation.

"Damaged" "Again" "Being restored" "Again" "Hundreds of years old" "From Europe" "Tired of being damaged" "Uncertainty of its future home at the center." "But... it will be used on the grounds"

And thus, by being nonexistent, it became known;

Walking to a nonexistent gate at the Jesuit Center in Wernersvillemakes me ponder a new career

Walking to the gate at the Jesuit Center in Wernersville ... day lilies catches my eye. photo by Wayne Stratz 2015

I am writing a sermon for Sunday (update: here is the sermon). Plans come to mind. The plan was to walk to a gate and take photos of it. Just out of the door, day lilies caught my eye. By the time I reached to end of the driveway that leads up to the Jesuit Center, I had taken quite a few photos. The ones I favored the most are here.

The plan was to see the gate. Funny thing was, the gate was gone. I hadn't even noticed when I had driven into the center the previous day. I spent the rest of the retreat fascinated by moss and I have to admit I began to imagine a plan for my future. I was to become a professional moss photographer. Clearly a profession with a need for more members.

I have not given up my day job. But I do not think I will pass up any commissions to photograph moss. Planning to get somewhere because we feel called to take a journey, does not mean ignoring the beauty we pass along the way. Because the gait might be missing. But something was there and that is for next week.

Walking to the gate at the Jesuit Center in Wernersville ... rust catches my eye. photo by Wayne Stratz 2015

Walking to the gate at the Jesuit Center in Wernersville ... sap catches my eye. photo by Wayne Stratz 2015

Walking to the gate at the Jesuit Center in Wernersville ... a missing limb catches my eye. photo by Wayne Stratz 2015

Walking to the gate at the Jesuit Center in Wernersville ... a maple branch catches my eye. photo by Wayne Stratz 2015

Walking to the gate at the Jesuit Center in Wernersville ... moss catches my eye. photo by Wayne Stratz 2015

Walking to the gate at the Jesuit Center in Wernersville ... lichen catches my eye. photo by Wayne Stratz 2015

Notes from the Jesuit Center: Lamps and Becoming Still and Realizing It Was Time to Acknowledege God

lamp at the Jesuit Center in Wernersville by Wayne Stratz

 The first night works like this: arrive before dinner with plenty of time to unpack and set up art studio in my room. When I entered the Jesuit Center, a Jesuit looked at me and said, "The artist is here."

Dinner, you can talk; and in the process I met a female Episcopalian priest from Maryland. 22 meals later I would meet a female Episcopalian priest from New York. Anyway, a meeting with your spiritual director ensues and times for direction are handed out. Most times I take an early in the morning time, but it felt right to take the mid-afternoon time. It proved to be wise as I really liked having my mornings free to be silent.  

lamp at the Jesuit Center in Wernersville by Wayne Stratz

We were given one verse to read, if moved to do so. Psalm 46:10

lamp at the Jesuit Center in Wernersville by Wayne Stratz

But first, all thirty plus of us would gather to begin our retreat together. It is a chance to share a concern with the others. Having read an article on mass extinctions and news reports on the Pope's call for caring for the planet; I put out a prayer for our planet.

lamp at the Jesuit Center in Wernersville by Wayne Stratz

I know Psalm 46:10 ... “Be still, and know that I am God..."

But that night in the silence, as lamps illuminated quiet hallways, my Bible did not read "know."

Instead, the word, acknowledge was there. I thought, "hmmm, that is a bit different from know." My retreat had been set in motion. I sat down and drew Margaret a card.

...

Jesuit Center on Fridays 1: Prayer Beads

my hand, my prayer beads by Wayne Stratz

And so it begins: a weekly series of images and thoughts from seven days of Silence at the Jesuit Center in Wernersvile, PA

I have never taken so many photos, and while over half have been weeded away, many remain for now in my photos. Shortly before I left for my retreat, I asked friends on Facebook, "What would you take on a silent retreat?"

"Meditation Beads," came from my friend who heads up TheSpaceForGrace. So I dug about and found these collecting dust since I made them years ago.

My friend, Deborah, would agree that to go deeper into an understanding of our faith is a call made by several spiritual masters. Ignatius called people to repeat an exercise to go deeper. For two years I have been praying my seven desires, but when I used the beads and made one complete trip for each desire, the prayer went deeper. I would apply there use again and again as the silence continued.

So thanks Deborah for a fine suggestion, which led to the first photos of the retreat.

my prayer beads by Wayne Stratz

The 12 Days of Christmas Shout Outs: The Neighbors of Surprises for day five

It was a terrible night. Screams woke us. Flames across the street scared us. Seeing someone jump from a house horrified us.

After that comes the gratitude that no one died and an even greater respect for those who put out fires. After that we got to know the five households quite a bit better as we greeted them when they returned to see the damage and when they returned to once again live across from our two studio row.

Three Christmas past, I lied for the man who survived that jump. I told his wife that we would not be able to get their house number done in time for the 25th. Side note ~> This year I once again lied to a friend when I told her the piece she wanted had sold, but left out that her husband had bought it.

Two Christmas past, this time the wife surprised the husband with a mosaic celebrating chili peppers.

So, when they came to our home show and commissioned a cross and a nightlight, I decided it was my year to surprise them on Christmas Day. The commissions sight unseen, plus a small bonus gift, were placed in a box and gift wrapped. It amused me that for the third straight year a surprise gift was being open, maybe not as much as amusing as the surprise created by telling fibs, and surely not as joyful as when they moved back, but it did amuse me.

 

Willow Weep For Me (b) ~> Renée Yoxon sings

Eventually I emerged from the tree, but I continued to spend time with the tune as my silent retreat unfolded. Turned out I had several versions on my iPod but only one with vocals. I was not disappointed.

Renée Yoxon sings it beautifully. LISTEN HERE

Willow weep for me

Bend your branches down along the ground

and cover me

 

In Awe ~ Stained Glass and Sunrises at the Jesuit Center

When I said I wanted to continue to experience awe in my studio as I prayed in August and ever since, this is what I meant: please God, let the beauty of your light streaming through glass always amaze me. And, God never let me lose the amazement that friends and folk I have never met have trust in me to create unseen pieces of art for them.

I placed this piece in my room on the evening I entered silence in August. The plan was to give it to my spiritual director. But plans change if you allow them. The glass did not want to be in my room, so I moved it out to where folk wait to see their spiritual director. It faces east. It dug the sunrise.

Then an idea came to mind and I created a rather large and complex doodle for my spiritual director. On my last day, I handed the stained glass to a Jesuit and suggested a place it could hang. Today I got a post card from the Jesuit. They have decided otherwise, it will hang on the first floor, facing west. He invited me to come see it. That will happen. I dig sunsets too.

 

Looking Up 2 ~> remembering what I brought forth from the silent retreat at the Jesuit Center

looking up at trees sun and clouds
Jesuit Center Wernersville, PA

Saturday at Holy Trinity I reach my seat after communion having asked God to renew and cleanse me as I often do when I reach out for the bread and the wine. But since I came back from the silent retreat I count to seven on my fingers, hoping to remember the desires I shared with God.

Hope in all things

Love in my home

Grace with my friends

Jazz in my church

Joy in my classroom

Awe in my studio

Beauty in my garden

... 

Looking up at the Jesuit Center, seeing hawks

Hawk on UCC steeple Wernersville, PA
by Wayne Stratz

 One night in the midst of silence, I noticed a hawk on the highest point of the Jesuit Center. I wondered when crows would chase it away. I walked about. An hour or more later it was still there, which delighted me but also made me wonder if it was real, so I ventured closer till I saw its head turn. I guess it was enjoying the view.

The next evening I ventured out and happened to look up at the UCC church adjacent to the Jesuit Center. And there was a hawk at the highest point.

Hawk on UCC steeple Wernersville, PA
by Wayne Stratz

At no point in time did I see a hawk when I looked up at these two perches in the following days. But looking up is a good habit. There is much to be seen other than hawks.

Hawk on UCC steeple Wernersville, PA
by Wayne Stratz

10 best things about the Jesuit Center in Wernersville

1. The Amish Room

as a Pennsylvanian German raised Lutheran, there is something very welcoming of being able to eat a pretzel anytime I want one.

2. The Grounds

as one who loves to roam, there is plenty of space to do that. But I have to admit that my favorite place to roam is into the UCC cemetery where I always have a good chance to see a bluebird.

3. Books

The library not only has the full set of the Oxford English Dictionary, but is also where I found the complete stories of Flannery O'Connor. The bookstore is well stocked and a fine place to visit. The only thing that stops me from buying books is knowing I own so many I have not read.

4. The Postage Stamp Messiah 

5. Stained Glass

The sanctuary has amazing glass and then there is the pleasant surprise of seeing my own piece on the third floor. A reminder of all the creative moments I have had at the Jesuit Center

6. The Wernersville Tree

7. The pool

I don't really dig swimming, but the last place I swam was there.

8. The Pool Table

I really do dig pool tables and rarely have a chance to play.  I have even had silent games when a fellow lover of the sport arrived upon the scene.

9. The Feminine Images of God Retreat

Sister Maria has developed this silent retreat that led me to know Sophia. How many pieces of art have I created with 21 pieces because of that week long retreat getting to know Lady Wisdom and her 21 attributes.

10. The Hildreth Meiere Mosaic

A reminder of how art can transform a life. It was seeing this mosaic that sparked the desire inside of Margaret to become a mosaic artist. 

In appreciation for fresh pie ~ stained glass for the chef's gals

3D for L
by Wayne Stratz

 For several months this past year we celebrated the local harvest through the creative talents of a friend who happens to be a pastry chef (amazing food recipes found there). 

 It started with rhubarb and wound it ways through strawberries, blueberries, apples, peaches, back walnuts, raspberries, ...  Margaret and I would go over on a Tuesday or Wednesday night and eat pies and tarts (sometimes with homemade ice cream) and drink coffee.  The latter was too late and I would wake up to go teach with a "pie hangover."

Maybe sometime around July when the pie maker walked us outside, I told him my way of thanks... stained glass for his wife and two daughters.  The youngest (a senior in college, who was a pleasant addition to those summer pie nights) got the blue and green 3D piece that greeted you.  The daughter who teaches little ones got this 3D piece ~

3D for M
by Wayne Stratz

 As for my friend, Red (the wife of said Chef), well she has always been a fan of my Wernersville Cross and my patchwork designs, so I thought the Wernersville Cross II should be introduced to the world by way of gift.  So here folks is the one and only cross of this type.  I will make more, I think, but for now I am so glad to know where the first one resides. (and yes, every one has 21 pieces)

Wernersville Cross II
by Wayne Stratz

Wordlessly inside the Wernersville Tree (part b)