Joy Never Ending
Founders’ Day, November 17, 2019
The community celebrated a very special Joy Never Ending Founders’ Day, which coincided with the seventieth anniversary of the arrival of the first Cistercian monks to Mepkin. Prior to the morning Mass, Father Joe blessed the graves of all the monks, who are now in heaven. During the homily, he spoke of the fact that we are all Mepkin, and how important Mepkin, past and present, is in all our lives as we look to the future. You can read Father Joe’s homily here. In the afternoon, there was a celebration of music in the church with all our benefactors under the heading “Peace on Earth-Christmas Carols That Bring Light, Love, and Kindness to the World.” This event featured The Ensemble of St. Clare at Mepkin Abbey, conducted by Yuriy Bekker and The Taylor Festival Choir conducted by Dr. Robert Taylor with guest soloist D’Jaris Whipper-Lewis, soprano. Much of the program had a Spanish flair and ended with the joyous singing together of “Joy to the World” and “Silent Night.” Afterwards, the benefactors visited the Crèche exhibit and had refreshments in the monastic refectory.