Icon Writing Retreat

Last week I was at an Icon Writing retreat at the Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Center, at St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt, Michigan. The days were long and at times physically demanding, and I was grateful that the facility had accommodated me with an adjustable chair and angled stand for my work station. The experience of writing an Icon was layered, much like the paint, with prayer. I, and several other participants, walked the grounds while waiting for paint to dry.

The image you see at left is what was produced: Jesus, the Sorrowing Christ; the lettering around the halo says I AM who AM; the Greek letters at the top are the contractions for Jesus and Christ.

Today I gifted the icon to two dear friends, Monetta and Jerry Harr. Yep…they like it.

And here is the group…I’m the third from right, almost in front of the two instructors (little white haired lady, Dianne, and very tall guy, Dave, in the back row).