Sacred Hearth
OUR NEW SITTING ROOM 
& the 
PEOPLE YOU ARE LIKELY TO MEET WHEN YOU VISIT


 

VICKIE

The heart and soul of any home is the woman who looks after it all. Whether there is anyone there or not. She celebrates with those who are celebrating, comforts those who are grieving, listens to those who have puzzled themselves into knots, and with a quiet, good sense, unravells the troubles of those who are troubled. She's been married more years than she likes to count, has two wonderful sons a granddaughter who likes to give her approval to the preacher at sermon time, and will have a second grandchild in may next year. She has a mom whom she cares for deeply, and in every practical way, and two brothers on whom she learned the womanly ways of caring for others.  To me her friendship is above rubies. She has insight, genuine kindly love, and a way of putting crooked places straight. She brings hope when one is despairing, comforts others when she could be looking for comfort herself, and understands, often more than she lets on. She is a genuine seer, a visionary, and a great woman of prayer. 

WANDA

I was raised in a small town, educated as a teacher and settled in another small town to raise my family. I worked at several different jobs over the years, teacher, church secretary and store clerk in and between my full-time position as wife and mother of three now-grown children and grandmother of one.  I am a rather ordinary person....  family, friends and the church form the “three-cornered stool” that I rest upon.  When I am not with one or the other of these, I spend my time mostly quietly... reading and studying a bit, writing a little, helping out here and there and, when I can get away, I love to travel to the forest, the water, the desert.... those quiet places of incredible beauty and solitude and yes, even to the city occasionally. Not a very exciting life by some standards, but it suits me quite nicely. 


 

LOADSTAR

This woman's passion for justice makes her the epitomy of 'those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. She has boundless compassion, and a tough sturdy stubbornness when it comes to issues of fairness. She's as ferocious and passionate as her beloved and endangered tigers when it comes to protecting the young, the vulnerable and the innocent. She was intimately concerned with setting up #kindness, and though she is not fond of irc, or of what most people think of as religion when she does visit it is always a special occassion. She is one of the easiest people in the world to talk to, and far more tender hearted than she pretends. Loadstar has taken a keen interest in sanctuary. Indeed, her interest in the site itself has been part of a gradually  increased and deepening  friendship. I find that fascinating since she is avowedly 'unreligious'. 

Her comments and technical guidance keep our feet on the ground, and remind us not to talk a foreign language when we are talking of our spiritual natures. They are, after all, natural.  She examines everything. Tests everything with a fine mind and a sharp wit. She does a number of generous and time consuming things, unpaid and unsung, not letting the left hand know what the right hand is doing. I sometimes think, if anyone can understand, Loadstar will. She has become a most valued and trusted friend. And her spiritual talents are a constant source of encouragement and delight :) 


 

HEATHER

Heather was the first person outside the family who ever saw Sanctuary by invitation, and though she has only once visited the channel (and that when no one was there) she is a presence there as she is here on the site. Her constant love, prayers, contributions, swift responses to urgent prayer requests mean that, almost, the worse health she has, the more available she becomes to keep us all going. She spends an incredible amount of time telephone counselling, writing encouragement in emails, and simply pouring out her love and concern. Keeping us connected with people in pain and trouble. In many ways, though she, like Loadstar is seen little, she is crucial to the way things work :)She summarizes a life of remarkable heroism with characteristic modesty, 

"I was born on the West Coast, in a coal mining township, where I spent all my schooling and early working days.  Trained as a nurse and married when I was 21 and moved to Nelson.  Had two sons, and went back to work when the youngest went to school.  Shifted to Golden Bay when the boys left home and got involved in the life of the church, becoming a Lay Reader and participating in and conducting various groups within the
church family.  Became ill when I was 48 and have been more or less housebound for the last 15 years.  Left my husband 9 years ago and now live alone with my computer :))
Though how alone she can be with us all buzzing about asking her for this and that, I don't know. She also is a poet. An invisible but strongly felt presence in the life of our empty church by the road.  She likes a cup of tea. We keep the cyber teapot close to hand in case she drops by. 


 

SMOKEY^OWL

New to Channel Sanctuary is our wee robot, Smokey^Owl. She is an apprentice still and we applied for her to be registered only today. She keeps the urgent prayers, both for indivicuals and for the world, she tries desperately to get our attention when someone comes in wanting to talk, and she symbolizes our connection with the natural things of this world which are endangered and disappearing. In this day and age when we seem to have lost the ability to listen and learn from what we see and hear, it is ironic that we give this child of nature a human voice. For human voices have become harder to hear, and more seldom than we wish speak works of kindness. She also reminds us of those whose nature is to watch by night. By bedside and by pager. Those who drive ambulances and who attend fires. Those who watch by their sick children, or worry for those they love. 
COMMANDS : who are we praying for today? will give you the prayer list for individuals
                     : for the world will give you the matters that have 'spoken' to us in the world wide news this week. 

WHICH LEAVES ME

I, who rely on my friends, for all the day to day running of the channel, wander in to sit for a while, ask advice, unburden myself, talk to smokey, pray for a bit,and have all the benefits and few of the ongoing trials of the work. I'm there too. and I have to say get far more out of sanctuary than I give. I always have, but when it comes to the 'sacred hearth, the gifts are all one way. 
 

This is a place where we can be warm, comfortable and at ease, where we can have living 'real time' company, and people to talk to who assume that we have values, and our own faith, our own doubts, whatever they may be. We can talk here about anything that comes to mind. We can also interrupt to say that there is something really important we would like to hash through. And we can ask for privacy too, and choose who we want to talk to if we do want that private space. If you want the straight out truth, it would have died long ago without the faithfulness of Vickie who has truly kept watch, and the prayers of Heather, who longs to be with us, and who gives so much, and the passion and harrassment of Loadstar who makes us feel that what we do is important.  To these four women I give my heartfelt thanks. Come to that. For these four women, I give my heartfelt thanks. 
 
 

If you should fancy dropping in, just to see what we're up to, or if we're there, or to speak privately with on of us, you can try clicking on the Logo below. It takes a while to load, especially the first time you use it.
 
 


Online Chat rooms #Sanctuary-Chat, #Prayer-Group, and of course #Sanctuary

 
 

Or, to find out more about irc - what it is, and other ways to use it, and a little more of the history of Channel Sanctuary and Channel Kindness, click on the 'Hearth Logo' below and read on. 



 
 
 
 
 
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