Essene Ministry

During the wonderful week at the annual Summer Gathering of the Essene Network International (ENI) - which is always full of shared experiences of calm, peace, great healing, love and laughter, I was invited and invested as a new minister. It was one of the most life-affirming of experiences and one which I shall treasure close to my heart for the rest of my life. I thought I would share it with you.

On the evening of the Silent Meal the group always dress in white, and the dining room is set with many tea-lights, fresh flowers and a gorgeous array of colourful fresh food ready for sharing of our mindful and silent meal of awareness and appreciation. Before and after beautiful ceremonial words are read by the celebrants, calling in the angels of the Heavenly Father and Earthly Mother, together with the elements of air, fire, water, ether and earth. It is a very beautiful ceremony and one enjoyed by all our participants especially new ones who may not have experienced a silent meal before.

After the meal everyone moved to a circle of chairs and I was seated in the centre. The two remaining founding members of the ENI, who are both ordained Essene ministers of over twenty years, stood one in front, Anne MacEwen, and created part of the circle, and the other behind me with hands on my shoulders. Anne spoke beautifully about all her years as a minister within the network and it's original founding with Sir George Travelyan, based on the teachings of Jeshua (Jesus) and the way of the Essenes and explained to the group that since the passing of Brian Stevenson, a co-founder and well-loved Chairman, it was time to invite another minister. I was asked if I would be willing to accept this role and the group were asked if they would accept me. All of us said yes! And one of the lively even members shouted Mazaltov!

The minister behind me, Jackie Stevenson, spoke of my role within the network and invited blessings from the angels to bless and assist me further, and then said a beautiful prayer. It was incredibly moving and I cannot begin to express the feelings I experienced, especially at the end of the ceremony when Peter recited the Aramaic version of the Lord's Prayer. There are several translations here is one for you:

ABWOON

D’BWASHMAYA

NETHQADASH SHMAKH

TEYTEY MALKUTHAKH

NEYWEY TZEVYANACH AYKANNA D’BWASHMAYA APH B’ARHA

HAWVLAN LACHMA D’SUNGANAN YEOMANA

WASHBOGLAN KHAUBAYN AYKANNA DAPH KHNAN SHBWOGAN L’KHAYYABAYN

WELA TAHLAN L’NESYUNA

ELA PATZAN MIN BISHA

METOL DILAKTIE MALKUTHA WAHAYLA WATESHBUKHTA L’AHLAM ALMIN
AMEYN


Through the Breath of our Father/Mother God

May the Divine shine everywhere in All that Is

Let us make a Shrine in our hearts

And unite with our Mother the Earth

Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven

Give us the Bread of Understanding according to our needs this day and every day

Shine upon and disperse our shortcomings as we forgive and forget the shortcomings of others

Don’t let us embrace that which is false

Or behave inappropriately

From you is born all power and life, the song to beautify all.

For Thine is the essential goodness of all Creation, our Mother Earth, the Life Force, the rejoicing from age to age.

Amen - True Power to these statements - may they be the source from which all my actions grow.