June 18, 2015

Triennial or bust!

We made it! Our 8 hour travel from Colorado, across Wyoming to Midway, Utah was filled with laughter and stories.

As we stopped at the Zermatt Hotel, the host hotel for the Senior Daughters of the King, it was evident that something big was going on.  There was a lot of activity at the main doors with bellmen taking luggage in from buses and cars. 

Groups of women stood talking with each other, hugging and laughing.   A wonderful spirit of welcome and spontaneous joy!  I am thrilled to be here!

The Zermatt Resort and their sister site, The Homestead will welcome more than 525 women from all Provinces across the United States, and 24 International Daughters.  The Homestead resort will also house all Junior Daughters who will be joining in the Triennial gathering.

I’m excited to dive deep into this sisterhood of women, committed to “Shining the Light of Christ” throughout the world!  It is an overwhelming feeling to know that our hearts are united in this common mission. 

While the Triennial starts in earnest on Saturday morning, each Province will gather for dinner on Friday.  I’m looking forward to meeting Daughters from Province VIII, my new home province.

I’d like to share a favorite poem by Alden Solovy, a Jewish poet and liturgist who has written a profound book Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.  

Let G-d

Let G-d

Hold majesty before your eyes,

And mystery before your heart.

Let G-d

Place strength in your hands

And radiance in your soul.

Let G-d

Lead you to awe and wonder

And redeem you from fear and shame.

You are cloud and horizon,

A bird in solo flight,

Seeking your flock,

Seeking your journey,

Seeking your place.

Let G-d

Put healing in your hours

And rejoicing in all of your days.

Let G-d

Find you in the open sky

And lift you in joy and grace.

© 2015 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

For His Sake,

Lori

When the opportunity presented itself to attend Triennial 2015 I quickly registered.  I want to see for myself what a Daughters of the King gathering is all about and I want to take you with me!

First off, a bit about me. I’m Lori Geres and mom to John who’s just turned 19. I work in non-profit management, currently within a comprehensive non-profit health care community.  I have been a Daughter of the King since 2011 when I vowed to uphold the Rule of Life and commit my life “For His Sake”.

I was enfolded into the Mary Chapter of the Holy Comforter Parish.  I became active in both my parish chapter and with Province VI, becoming the Province VI “Streams of Living Water” editor.  I moved home to Portland, Oregon at the end of February 2015, but remain tied to Province VI responsibilities until the Triennial gathering.

I will be driving to Triennial from the Denver area with two Daughters from my former parish in Broomfield, Colorado.  I am looking forward to seeing friends from Province VI and making friends in my new Province VIII. 

I have reviewed the workshop schedule for Triennial and am excited to see such a wonderful selection of topics.  I am drawn to the topic of prayer and contemplation so I am eager to sign up for those sessions.  This blog will offer a glimpse into a variety of workshops that will be presented, as well as some study ideas for chapter meetings.

After reading over the biographies of our general session speakers, Canon Andrew White and Reverend Becca Stevens, I know we will be moved by the way God is working in our world, and will hold up these special guests and their ministries in prayer.  I am hoping to get a chance to interview our speakers and bring you their words and images.

I am also most intrigued to meet with our International Daughters and celebrate the remarkable growth of the Daughters of the King throughout our world.  I had the good fortune of working for an international development organization and have seen first hand how hard life can be in developing countries.  Many International Daughters struggle with issues that we in the United States can’t fathom.  I look forward to bringing you their stories through this blog.

What gathering would be complete without the joyful reunions of friends and the happy occasion of making new friends.  I will bring you stories from Daughters far and wide as well as give you a glimpse into the vendor market place.

You’ll get a chance to be a part of the DOK business meeting and get a "behind the scenes" look at the important election of National Council members. 

Whew! This will be an intense 6 days in Utah, even without the altitude!  I look forward to taking all of you with me on this journey through Triennial and look forward to your feedback.  Please feel free to ask any questions or make me aware of activities or events I should attend.  Feel free to contact me through my email geresl@msn.com

As always, I ask for your prayers for

- those preparing for Triennial

- all those who travel to be with us

- speakers and workshop presenters whose ministries we hold up

and, as we gather together, that the grace of our Father be with each Daughter, wherever each one may be, as we strive to do all “For His Sake.”