We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
I hope this finds all of you doing well in the midst of this holy Advent season. I wanted to provide an update regarding the developments and changes here at Cloud-Bearing Mountain Christian Retreat & Training Center. Scroll to the bottom of the page to see a few photos.
Guest Cabins
We have been steadily, though slowly, working on our guest cabins to prepare them for pilgrims and seekers, and we finally are seeing an end in sight. While modest, the cabins are quite adorable and will provide a cozy space for retreatants. Our deep gratitude goes out to the volunteers who have come and worked on these in the blazing heat of summer and now in the cold of winter. I wish especially to thank our star volunteers Scotty Gladstone and Rick Jaegels and Son.
Donations
Your financial assistance for these projects would be most gratefully received, especially during this time when retreat activity is very limited due to the pandemic. You can make an online donation here, or send a check to Mons Nubifer Sanctus, 1714 Mountain Brook Road, Bovina Center, NY 13740.
Our New Property
Our new property is simply beautiful. As I write, the trees are silver-plated with hoarfrost, there is a light snow on the ground, and the sun is setting brilliantly in a deep magenta to the southwest, making the ridge to the northeast burn in colored light. Our chapel has come together quite nicely. It boasts decent acoustics for chanting / singing, has ample room, and looks out to the wooded mountainside to the east. We were able to procure a lovely little altar; many thanks to Saint John’s UCC in Silver Spring, Maryland for the donation. The day before we moved into this new property, I rented a trailer and made the drive down there to pick it up. A few times during the trip I wondered to myself what I was doing, but am glad now that I did it, and of course am grateful for this gift.
Our New Ecclesial Home
As we have stated in our previous letter, Maureen and I have been chrismated and are now in communion with Orthodox Christians throughout the world. It is strange, though somehow relaxing, to be a layman again, though we hope that I will be ordained in the Orthodox Church soon. COVID travel restrictions have made scheduling this difficult. Unworthy as I am of the priesthood, we are looking forward to the time when we can celebrate a regular Sunday Divine Liturgy here in our lovely chapel. Please be assured that our change in ecclesial status in no way limits those who can participate in our programs; we remain open to all who come to us seeking God in stillness and the authenticity of the Christian contemplative life. Maureen and I are currently attending Sunday Divine Liturgy at Saint George’s Antiochian Orthodox Church in Albany—172 miles round-trip, but who’s counting?
Saturday Evening Vespers at 3 PM
For those of you who live closer at hand, we are currently hosting a Saturday evening Vespers service at 3 pm. A small group attends and there is room for more to worship and pray together safely. If you wish to attend, please contact us and let us know of your desire to join us. Please do not just show up. We begin with a brief 15 to 20 minute period of silent prayer, and have enjoyed fellowship and home-baked goods by the fire afterwards.
New Year’s Program and COVID Precautions
We are still tentatively planning to host our New Year’s program and silent retreat, though without the midnight Divine Liturgy. We will do a Vigils service instead. More information on this can be viewed towards the bottom of the Programs page on this website. We have had small groups of retreatants here since the pandemic began, and feel that we were able to conduct the programs with enough care to feel relatively safe. Much depends on where people are travelling from and how well they have taken precautions before arriving for their retreat. We always interview everyone before they attend a retreat here, wear masks while together, and social distance.
I admit that I suspect overreaction on both sides of the political fence regarding this pandemic, and try to steer a middle way. I refuse to give into panic and fear. I despise the politicising of this difficult matter, which is utterly irresponsible and affects the emphases in reporting. In any event, Christians must continue to gather in faith to pray, to give thanks, and to worship our God who is good, who loves mankind, and who has more in store for us than this life can contain. “All things work for good for those who love God” (Rom 8:28). Difficult times have much to teach us about humility, the limits of our understanding, the limits of our ability to calculate and control, and the very limits of our lives. Without God, we are nothing; what is the point in pretending that we possess life without him? This being said, we want everyone to feel as safe as possible while here and are currently operating on a limited basis with a nod towards caution. To be sure, I am an expert social-distancer. Even in normal times, I stay away from large crowds and live much like a hermit!
In Conclusion
Once again, we pray that all of you have a holy Advent season, and that you can plumb the depths of the joy of Christmas despite all that is going on in our lives and in this world. It is our sincere and deep hope that we can welcome you here, and that you will find—as many have found—great refuge in the stillness, quietude, fellowship, sanity, and prayer that forms the heart of life here at Cloud-Bearing Mountain Christian Retreat and Training Center.
I am,
Yours in Christ and in Prayer,
James Krueger
