This is a Shaker community house - symmetrical, precisely crafted, ingeniously practical from the kitchen utensils to the foldaway beds. I mentioned the other day these remarkable people called The Shakers. Below is probably their most famous community song. You can find out more about them easily on the web.
My interest isn't in telling their history, but in trying to make sure such a radical community-oriented Christian sect isn't simply forgotten. They are categorised by sociologists as a utopian sect - maybe they were, but sociologists also need to learn the word eschatological - because they were forward looking in hope of the return of Christ, and for them utopia would be the community gathered to God. Their worship drew its energy, originality and movement from that hope - gathering to God. They still have important things to teach us - about simplicity, about community, about delight in practical things made into spiritual occasions, about choreographed worship (liturgical dance long before it became recently fashionable), and about going against the stream as an act, indeed a lifestyle, of witness, obedience and communal otherness.
When we were in New England for a holiday some years ago we went to the Shaker Revels. Every summer local people re-enact the life and times of the local Shaker community. Up on Mount Pleasant, which was reached by taking us in an open, horse-drawn hay-cart, in period costume a full cast act, sing and tell the story. The preacher was magnetic, electrifying and utterly convincing as he roared and pleaded and warned about judgement; the haymakers had their scythes and rakes in rhythm to the work song; families enacted the simple communal life, and the whole evening ended down on the meadow where a fire was lit. Then the cast walked round it singing, while each took a branch, or some hay, or some other fuel, and added it to the fire. Then we were invited to come and joine hands with them, bring our fuel, and share the making and the warming of the fire - and all to the music of the song Simple Gifts.
This was community performed before our eyes; this was symbol, fire and fuel, warmth and togetherness, heat radiating at the cost of being consumed, each with their gift of fuel for the fire and hands to hold. Whatever else church is - it is this. Only a couple of other times I can think of, was my heart so thrilled with the possibility of human closeness, to each other, to the hill, the stars, the fire - such an elemental, can I say sacramental, and simple gift - and that hand held dance around the fire, so that evnetually, we turn, and turn, and turn round right - how's that for enacting repentance, turning round - and conversion. A beautiful event, commemorating a beautiful people....and here's their beautiful theme song:
'Tis the gift to be simple,
'tis the gift to be free,
'tis the gift to come down where you ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
It will be in the valley of love and delight.Refrain:
When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed.
To turn, turn will be our delight,
'Til by turning, turning we come round right'Tis the gift to be loved and that love to return,
'Tis the gift to be taught and a richer gift to learn,
And when we expect of others what we try to live each day,
Then we'll all live together and we'll all learn to say,Refrain:
'Tis the gift to have friends and a true friend to be,
'Tis the gift to think of others not to only think of "me",
And when we hear what others really think and really feel,
Then we'll all live together with a love that is real.Refrain:
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