Author Archives: deacondawn

It is no vacation holiday to spend time on Iona as a volunteer. You will work diligently and purposefully for the privilege of spending an extended period here. Sure you receive room and board but in exchange you will work 7.5 hours 5.5 days a week.. For some, like me, it is an escape fromContinue reading “Not wasting time”

Saying farewell to the vollies last week was particularly difficult. These were folks I had spent an entire four weeks with and a few were ones that I had known on journey’s past. I have recounted previously how well we say goodbye here. We realize that it is inevitable. We actually begin saying “so long”Continue reading “The goodbyes grow more difficult”

So you come to Iona as a volunteer and you will spend 6, 8, 10 weeks in community with people from all over the world (my current roommates include an Italian, German, Canadian and Finn). Who, you begin to realize, you may never meet again when you wave farewell at the jetty. I am thankfulContinue reading “Past meets present”

I am a definite introvert. My Myers Briggs indicator barely has a blip of extroversion. So how does an introvert live in community? By learning to pick your interactions, and being very aware that you need time apart. At first I felt completely overwhelmed and drained, there was always someone somewhere. I physically felt asContinue reading “Living in Community V: Still you need time alone”

Imagine this. You are living on this tiny island. You have no access to television. You have no immediate or continuous access to the Internet. There is no shopping complex or cinema. You must walk or ride a bicycle anywhere you want to go. Are you thinking BORING? NOT. You simply never have enough timeContinue reading “Living in Community IV: I’m bored — NOT”

Those of you that live in shared housing with a spouse or a child or other family members have to extend courtesies to those you live with. Now you may not even think about it or you may wonder why others don’t extend more courtesies. Living in a home with 14 others, many of whomContinue reading “Living in Community III: Common Courtesies”

Despite what it may seem I don’t actually come to Iona for a holiday or retreat. This is not hours upon hours of prayer and meditation. I work, WORK, physical labor 5 and a half days a week for up to 7.5 hours a day (it is Scotland, you get a proper tea break). InContinue reading “Living in Community II: Keeping House”

One of the things that draws me back to volunteer on Iona is the privilege of living and working with so many amazing young people. Granted I teach predominantly young adults, but they are quite different than the young folks I encounter on Iona. First, these are folks who are confident enough or brave enoughContinue reading “Living in Community I: God in Community holy and one”

If you have been following my blog for any length of time you are probably aware of my love/hate relationship with porridge. All that is about to change. For the unaware, porridge is a Scottish breakfast dish, and although made from oats it bears only a passing relationship to its North American cousin, oatmeal. PorridgeContinue reading “Porridge”

10. Since the difference between events and movements is that movements involve sacrifice which also connects to the true meaning of religion and what makes for social change– ask yourself what is important enough to give your life to and for. Talk about in depth and hardcore this sort of cuts to the chase. LetContinue reading “What is important enough?”