20 Years!
There was such joy-filled excitement May 8, 1996. I opened the box containing our Eremos Board Minutes file and the official embossing stamp Eremos, 1996. I felt like a woman who had just received an engagement ring. There was joy, hope, anticipation of a life commitment, and just a little anxiety as well as I wondered if I could really do what would be asked of me. I remember I was alone in the house when it arrived. My first thought was to wonder: “Who do I call? Who will celebrate this moment and how would I let the world know life had changed forever?”
And so the years have unfolded. We have had dark moments of uncertainty, we have had moments of light and clarity, we have had people ebb and flow from our programs. We have had our original members remain with us over all these years. We have celebrated marriages, the births of children, and the deaths of members and their loved ones. We have lived and loved, laughed and cried these 20 years.
We have been faithful to our mission of contemplation beholding God in mystery. And God has truly been faithful to us. 20 years is a long time. As with all major markers in our lives, it is a time to remember the past and dream into the future. It is time to wonder again: “Who will we now call into leadership? How will we keep the mission of Eremos alive and relevant in our changing world? Who will celebrate this special time with us?”
We will have two celebrations to mark this moment. May 15th will be a casual Open House to drop in for cake and ice cream at Eremos. The second will be our more formal celebration at our Gala on November 3rd. Join us for these events. Bring your stories and help us gather and weave these stories into a strong foundation for the next generation of those called to serve.
We celebrate 20 years with deep humility and gratitude. Thank you for being part of this heartbeat of God called Eremos!
