Mepkin Community Visits Abbot by Webcam
February 16th, 2010
On January 22nd, the Mepkin community took advantage of modern technology to visit with our abbot who has been away on sabbatical since September. Father Stan informed the community in early January that he wished to extend his sabbatical until mid-March. At the same time the abbot requested that the community offer him their reactions to this proposal. After prayer and discussion the brothers asked if Father Stan might come to Mepkin and visit us. Our dialogues resulted in a decision to use technology for the visit. A web conference would allow us to see and converse with Father Stan, allowing the brothers to individually greet and speak with the abbot, and it would allow the abbot to see and speak with us. The community worked together to prepare remarks to share with the abbot on our needs and hopes for his return. And so on the afternoon of January 22nd we assembled in the Laurens Conference Room of the Clare Boothe Luce Library and our “television visit” took place. Since that time the abbot’s return has been planned for March 13th in order to allow him to be at Mepkin for the Fourth Sunday of Lent.
We all want to thank everyone for their prayers and concern for the abbot and the community during this lengthy period of his sabbatical. As ever, you are in our thoughts and prayers.