As you may know, there is a tradition now from SSJE of “Adventword” where a word is given each day as a prompt for social media to react. The Cathedral photographer Susan responds to this prompt from her own library of photographs, on the SPC page. These were our photographs this year, with a brief description of why Susan chose them.
You can follow Susan on instagram or facebook as @slfphotographer or view her website SLFphotographer.com or Thin Place Photography
2 Dec: Journey: walking on a trail in Grand Teton National Park. The hiker is moving away from the viewer. What are you leaving behind as you set out on the journey this Advent? What are you seeking on the trail?
3 Dec Watch: a service at Advent. Dad is watching the chancel but his son is watching another thing altogether. What you may want to watch may not be in front of you.
4 Dec: Focus: a close up of an old Brownie Camera. What does it mean to focus in our hyper digital age?
5 Dec: Night. Our Cathedral lit in Advent colors, with the moon just rising.
The darkness of night can be a time of beauty and peace, lit by hope.
6 Dec: Light. The morning sun peeking through the eucalyptus trees in the Berkeley Hills. Something wakes and inspires us in early morning.
7 Dec: Sprout. The water lilies in Balboa Park are bursting forth with new life!
8 Dec: Alert. Stay back from the danger….or not? We need to pay attention where we are, not just look into the sun ahead.
9 Dec: wild. Grand Teton National Park at dawn. Wildness inspires!
10 Dec: Cry. The monument at Manzanar, site of one of the Japanese internment camps
from WWII, where the sound of the wind still carries weeping.
11 Dec: Go. A great blue heron in San Elijo lagoon takes off awkwardly.
Aren’t takeoffs often awkward? But we should go anyway.
12 Dec: Rough. The waves break over the seawall in La Jolla Children’s cove.
Their power awes.
13 Dec Smooth. A snowy egret on the rocks at the shore.
The relentless waves and rough seas have smoothed the stones–feel their soft texture.
14 Dec: Prune. The most beautiful flowers (camellias, here) only come when the bush is pruned. What do you need to prune to bring forth beauty?
15 Dec: Prepare. Canon Sacristan Konnie ties back the curtains in the sacristy with ribbons that match the colors of the liturgical season. Deliberate, thoughtful, intentional preparations make the season more meaningful.
16 Dec: Rejoice! Ringing the bells at the Easter Vigil, and celebrating together. Community is much to rejoice in.
17 Dec: Sing. The gentlemen of the Choir lift their voices. All of us can sing in some way.
18 Dec: Ancestors. Our Dia de los Muertos offrenda celebrates our friends and forefathers. If we keep them in our hearts, they are always with us.
19 Dec: Wash. Maundy Thursday at the Diocesan center. Washing the feet of another is an humble act of service and caring. Washing is also a symbol of letting go. How can we wash ourselves and others free?
20 Dec: Ablaze. Our former bishop The Right Rev James Mathes at the Easter Vigil. This makes me think of Shakespeare’s Henry V: “Oh for a muse of fire!”
Fire warms, purifies, enlightens and inspires. What are you ablaze for?
21 Dec: Sign. Banker’s Hill, San Diego, a 1-way behind a stop sign.
What signs are around us, directing us, and telling us?
22 Dec: Expect. A cormorant sitting eggs in La Jolla.
Instinctively, the bird expects new life. We see hope and promise in her eggs.
23: Persist. Ta Prohm temple, Angkor Wat Complex, Cambodia. This ancient temple has persisted for centuries through cultural changes and violence, and trees now grow through its structure. Yet it remains a place of beauty and spiritual connectedness.
24 Dec: Peace. Our labyrinth at St Paul’s is a contemplative and peaceful space. Don’t forget to find peace during this season.
25 Dec: Celebrate! a child greets our SPC tree to celebrate the coming of the light.
