Visit the Abbey of the Arts online retreat platform to access your programs:

April Tea with the Abbess

Published: March 31, 2023
Categories: Tea with the Abbess

I so enjoyed our Tea with the Abbess session. Since I can’t pour you a cup of tea myself I led a brief meditation then shared some of our programs for April and answered a lot of great questions. Such a joyful time with our wonderful community.

We have a number of resources to support you in your contemplative journey including:

April Lift Every Voice Book Club Outside the Lines: How Embracing Queerness with Transform Your Faith by Mihee Kim-Kort

Christine’s forthcoming collection – Love Holds You: Poems and Devotions for Times of Uncertainty

Abbey of the Arts Prayer Cycles – a free resource

Calendar of Upcoming Events

With great and growing love,

Christine

You might also enjoy

Conversion, Wonder, and Being Surprised by God ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Dearest dancing monks, artists, and pilgrims, Tomorrow, April 7th, Simon and I will be joined by guest musician Richard Bruxvoort Colligan for our monthly Contemplative Prayer Service. Our theme this month is the 7th principle of the Monk Manifesto, Conversion. Here is an excerpt from our Monk in the World self-study retreat.

April 6, 2025

Monk in the World Guest Post: JoRene Byers

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for JoRene Byers’s reflection and poem “New Moon, Beloved Darkness”. I wrote this poem after setting aside time to prayfully gather the beautiful

April 2, 2025

Feast of Sister Thea Bowman ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Dearest dancing monks, artists, and pilgrims, Today is the feast day of Sister Thea Bowman, an amazing woman whose vibrancy still radiates to us today, calling us to shine our lights in a world that is often hard to bear. Even in the midst of

March 30, 2025

img:is([sizes="auto" i],[sizes^="auto," i]){contain-intrinsic-size:3000px 1500px;}img.wp-smiley,img.emoji{display:inline !important;border:none !important;box-shadow:none !important;height:1em !important;width:1em !important;margin:0 .07em !important;vertical-align:-.1em !important;background:none !important;padding:0 !important;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-default > span.wpv-sort-list,.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-default .wpv-sort-list-item{border-color:#cdcdcd;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-default .wpv-sort-list-item a{color:#444;background-color:#fff;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-default a:hover,.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-default a:focus{color:#000;background-color:#eee;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-default .wpv-sort-list-item.wpv-sort-list-current a{color:#000;background-color:#eee;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-default > span.wpv-sort-list,.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-default .wpv-sort-list-item{border-color:#cdcdcd;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-default .wpv-sort-list-item a{color:#444;background-color:#fff;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-default a:hover,.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-default a:focus{color:#000;background-color:#eee;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-default .wpv-sort-list-item.wpv-sort-list-current a{color:#000;background-color:#eee;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-grey > span.wpv-sort-list,.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-grey .wpv-sort-list-item{border-color:#cdcdcd;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-grey .wpv-sort-list-item a{color:#444;background-color:#eee;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-grey a:hover,.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-grey a:focus{color:#000;background-color:#e5e5e5;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-grey .wpv-sort-list-item.wpv-sort-list-current a{color:#000;background-color:#e5e5e5;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-default > span.wpv-sort-list,.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-default .wpv-sort-list-item{border-color:#cdcdcd;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-default .wpv-sort-list-item a{color:#444;background-color:#fff;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-default a:hover,.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-default a:focus{color:#000;background-color:#eee;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-default .wpv-sort-list-item.wpv-sort-list-current a{color:#000;background-color:#eee;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-grey > span.wpv-sort-list,.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-grey .wpv-sort-list-item{border-color:#cdcdcd;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-grey .wpv-sort-list-item a{color:#444;background-color:#eee;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-grey a:hover,.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-grey a:focus{color:#000;background-color:#e5e5e5;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-grey .wpv-sort-list-item.wpv-sort-list-current a{color:#000;background-color:#e5e5e5;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-blue > span.wpv-sort-list,.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-blue .wpv-sort-list-item{border-color:#09c;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-blue .wpv-sort-list-item a{color:#444;background-color:#cbddeb;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-blue a:hover,.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-blue a:focus{color:#000;background-color:#95bedd;}.wpv-sort-list-dropdown.wpv-sort-list-dropdown-style-blue .wpv-sort-list-item.wpv-sort-list-current a{color:#000;background-color:#95bedd;}:root{--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--square:1;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--4-3:4/3;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--3-4:3/4;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--3-2:3/2;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--2-3:2/3;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--16-9:16/9;--wp--preset--aspect-ratio--9-16:9/16;--wp--preset--color--black:#000;--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray:#abb8c3;--wp--preset--color--white:#fff;--wp--preset--color--pale-pink:#f78da7;--wp--preset--color--vivid-red:#cf2e2e;--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange:#ff6900;--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber:#fcb900;--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan:#7bdcb5;--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan:#00d084;--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue:#8ed1fc;--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue:#0693e3;--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple:#9b51e0;--wp--preset--gradient--vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple:linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(6,147,227,1) 0%,#9b51e0 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan:linear-gradient(135deg,#7adcb4 0%,#00d082 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange:linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(252,185,0,1) 0%,rgba(255,105,0,1) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red:linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(255,105,0,1) 0%,#cf2e2e 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray:linear-gradient(135deg,#eee 0%,#a9b8c3 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--cool-to-warm-spectrum:linear-gradient(135deg,#4aeadc 0%,#9778d1 20%,#cf2aba 40%,#ee2c82 60%,#fb6962 80%,#fef84c 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--blush-light-purple:linear-gradient(135deg,#ffceec 0%,#9896f0 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--blush-bordeaux:linear-gradient(135deg,#fecda5 0%,#fe2d2d 50%,#6b003e 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-dusk:linear-gradient(135deg,#ffcb70 0%,#c751c0 50%,#4158d0 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--pale-ocean:linear-gradient(135deg,#fff5cb 0%,#b6e3d4 50%,#33a7b5 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--electric-grass:linear-gradient(135deg,#caf880 0%,#71ce7e 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--midnight:linear-gradient(135deg,#020381 0%,#2874fc 100%);--wp--preset--font-size--small:13px;--wp--preset--font-size--medium:20px;--wp--preset--font-size--large:36px;--wp--preset--font-size--x-large:42px;--wp--preset--spacing--20:.44rem;--wp--preset--spacing--30:.67rem;--wp--preset--spacing--40:1rem;--wp--preset--spacing--50:1.5rem;--wp--preset--spacing--60:2.25rem;--wp--preset--spacing--70:3.38rem;--wp--preset--spacing--80:5.06rem;--wp--preset--shadow--natural:6px 6px 9px rgba(0,0,0,.2);--wp--preset--shadow--deep:12px 12px 50px rgba(0,0,0,.4);--wp--preset--shadow--sharp:6px 6px 0px rgba(0,0,0,.2);--wp--preset--shadow--outlined:6px 6px 0px -3px rgba(255,255,255,1),6px 6px rgba(0,0,0,1);--wp--preset--shadow--crisp:6px 6px 0px rgba(0,0,0,1);}:root{--wp--style--global--content-size:800px;--wp--style--global--wide-size:1200px;}:where(body){margin:0;}.wp-site-blocks > .alignleft{float:left;margin-right:2em;}.wp-site-blocks > .alignright{float:right;margin-left:2em;}.wp-site-blocks > .aligncenter{justify-content:center;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;}:where(.wp-site-blocks) > *{margin-block-start:24px;margin-block-end:0;}:where(.wp-site-blocks) > :first-child{margin-block-start:0;}:where(.wp-site-blocks) > :last-child{margin-block-end:0;}:root{--wp--style--block-gap:24px;}:root :where(.is-layout-flow) > :first-child{margin-block-start:0;}:root :where(.is-layout-flow) > :last-child{margin-block-end:0;}:root :where(.is-layout-flow) > *{margin-block-start:24px;margin-block-end:0;}:root :where(.is-layout-constrained) > :first-child{margin-block-start:0;}:root :where(.is-layout-constrained) > :last-child{margin-block-end:0;}:root :where(.is-layout-constrained) > *{margin-block-start:24px;margin-block-end:0;}:root :where(.is-layout-flex){gap:24px;}:root :where(.is-layout-grid){gap:24px;}.is-layout-flow > .alignleft{float:left;margin-inline-start:0;margin-inline-end:2em;}.is-layout-flow > .alignright{float:right;margin-inline-start:2em;margin-inline-end:0;}.is-layout-flow > .aligncenter{margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;}.is-layout-constrained > .alignleft{float:left;margin-inline-start:0;margin-inline-end:2em;}.is-layout-constrained > .alignright{float:right;margin-inline-start:2em;margin-inline-end:0;}.is-layout-constrained > .aligncenter{margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;}.is-layout-constrained > :where(:not(.alignleft):not(.alignright):not(.alignfull)){max-width:var(--wp--style--global--content-size);margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;}.is-layout-constrained > .alignwide{max-width:var(--wp--style--global--wide-size);}body .is-layout-flex{display:flex;}.is-layout-flex{flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:center;}.is-layout-flex > :is(*,div){margin:0;}body .is-layout-grid{display:grid;}.is-layout-grid > :is(*,div){margin:0;}body{padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}a:where(:not(.wp-element-button)){text-decoration:underline;}:root :where(.wp-element-button,.wp-block-button__link){background-color:#32373c;border-width:0;color:#fff;font-family:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);text-decoration:none;}.has-black-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-color{color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-black-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-background-color{background-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-black-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--black) !important;}.has-cyan-bluish-gray-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-white-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--white) !important;}.has-pale-pink-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--pale-pink) !important;}.has-vivid-red-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan) !important;}.has-vivid-green-cyan-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-pale-cyan-blue-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue) !important;}.has-vivid-purple-border-color{border-color:var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple) !important;}.has-vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple) !important;}.has-light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange) !important;}.has-luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red) !important;}.has-very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray) !important;}.has-cool-to-warm-spectrum-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--cool-to-warm-spectrum) !important;}.has-blush-light-purple-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--blush-light-purple) !important;}.has-blush-bordeaux-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--blush-bordeaux) !important;}.has-luminous-dusk-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-dusk) !important;}.has-pale-ocean-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--pale-ocean) !important;}.has-electric-grass-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--electric-grass) !important;}.has-midnight-gradient-background{background:var(--wp--preset--gradient--midnight) !important;}.has-small-font-size{font-size:var(--wp--preset--font-size--small) !important;}.has-medium-font-size{font-size:var(--wp--preset--font-size--medium) !important;}.has-large-font-size{font-size:var(--wp--preset--font-size--large) !important;}.has-x-large-font-size{font-size:var(--wp--preset--font-size--x-large) !important;}:root :where(.wp-block-pullquote){font-size:1.5em;line-height:1.6;}.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+4):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload),.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+4):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload) *{background-image:none !important;}@media screen and (max-height: 1024px){.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+3):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload),.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+3):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload) *{background-image:none !important;}.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+3):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload).nitro-lazy,.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+3):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload) *.nitro-lazy{background-image:none !important;}}@media screen and (max-height: 640px){.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+2):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload),.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+2):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload) *{background-image:none !important;}.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+2):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload).nitro-lazy,.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+2):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload) *.nitro-lazy{background-image:none !important;}}.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+4):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload).nitro-lazy,.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+4):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload) *.nitro-lazy{background-image:none !important;}.css-events-list thead{display:none !important;}.css-events-list table.events-table td{border:hidden;padding-left:10px;padding-bottom:20px;}.css-events-list table.events-table h4 a{margin-bottom:-2px;line-height:1em;color:#71963d !important;font-family:"Alegreya Sans",sans-serif;}.event-image .attachment-100x100{border-radius:100px;}@media only screen and (max-width: 768px){.event-image{width:110px;}}#em_widget-3{color:#e0d09e;}.content-box-green{background-color:#71963d;padding:15px;border-radius:10px;}.tb-button__link{color:white !important;background-color:#71963d;}.wp-block-verse{font-family:"Alegreya Sans",sans-serif;}