New Church Life July/Aug 2013 | Page 92

n e w c h u r c h l i f e : j u ly / au g u s t 2 0 1 3 NEW CAIRNWOOD DIRECTOR The Cairnwood Board of Governors has appointed Shannon Walko as the New Director of Cairnwood, succeeding the retiring Evelyn Stephens. Shannon started in this new role on July 1. The board notes that, “Shannon brings many years of dedication, vision and leadership to the position, having managed marketing and event planning at Cairnwood during a time of transition and growth.” She is overseeing all operations at Cairnwood, including its growing history and education program, and will represent Cairnwood as part of the broader Historic District. MUSIC ACROSS THE GENERATIONS A concert at Glencairn Museum June 2 featured Ben Odhner on violin and Marilyn Stroh on viola. Marilyn is Ben’s great aunt. She has played viola with the New York Metropolitan Opera for more than 50 years, and was the first woman ever hired full time by the Met. GATHERING LEAVES www.gatheringleaves.weebly.com The fifth meeting of Gathering Leaves, an international Swedenborgian women’s retreat, will take place in Fryeburg, Maine, September 12-15, 2013. The deadline for registering is August 20. Register at: www.gatheringleaves.weebly. com. The event will open on Thursday evening with a panel of women, from various branches of the church, talking about their aspirations and visions for the future. The next two days will include workshops covering such topics as correspondences, development of the mind, art and spiritual growth, women and the ministry, and healing from abuse. On Saturday there will be a special outing to the White Mountains where participants can hike and enjoy the scenery and glorious colors of the changing leaves. The opportunity for fellowship and new friendships makes this meeting a unique and historic occurrence as we learn to join hands and hearts above differences, expressing our understanding in loving ways. For further information, contact Roslyn Taylor at 267-679-6596. Mission Statement: We are gathering again to promote harmony among women who are associated with the various Swedenborgian organizations around the world. We acknowledge our common beliefs, explore our differences, develop respect for one another’s contributions, create a healing atmosphere, and celebrate our spiritual sisterhood. We promote charity and goodwill so we might say: “No matter what form her doctrine and external form of worship take, this is my sister; I observe that she worships the Lord and is a good woman.” 420