Iconography 101 and Holy Hikers

This past Sunday, during adult education class, Pastor Tom introduced the subject of icons by analyzing the Icon of the Resurrection. It was a fascinating discussion, delving into the history of iconography and unraveling the mystery and meaning of the icon itself.

There will be a break from the adult education class for the Parish Brunch this Sunday, May 14, but the study of icons will continue on Sunday, May 21 with an analysis of the Icon of the Ascension, followed by the Icon of the Pentecost on May 28 and Rublev’s Icon of the Trinity on June 4. Then the adult education class will go on summer break, resuming after Labor Day.

“By employing classical concepts of idealized beauty and changes in perspective, icons speak to us of reality transformed and transfigured, both in and through God's presence,” Peter Pearson wrote in A Brush with God: An Icon Workbook. “They speak of transcendence and mystery. As iconographers, we point to a reality that we have never seen with our own eyes.”

Other activities that might be of interest as we head into summer include the Holy Hike series (click here for all the details). The 2023 schedule is: June 17- Camp Chickagami, Presque Isle, MI; August 26 – Newaygo Welcome Center, Newaygo, MI; September 23 – Mill Pond Park, Mt. Pleasant; and October 14- Woodland Park and Nature Center, Battle Creek, MI.

There is also a group of hikers from Traverse City’s Grace Episcopal Church that meet regularly. From the church’s website: “A group that gathers to hike the local trails and appreciate the beauty of creation together. We meet at the church and carpool to the hike location. Usually, we have lunch afterward at a place determined by the group. We are always looking for people to help research and determine a local hiking trail. Contact Person: Glenda Andrews, 231-947-2330.”

As Diane Ackerman, one of my favorite authors, wrote, “There is a way of beholding nature that is itself a form of prayer.”*

~Erin

*If you haven’t read her books, try The Moon by Whale Light: And Other Adventures Among Bats, Penguins, Crocodilians, and Whales.