The “Living Gold” conference for congregations and  priests from North and South America took place on Vancouver Island, July 21-29, 2012. The final number of participants was 196, which included fifteen priests, ten children and five Camphill companions. From Canada there were 75 (some only part-time), 53 from the USA, 32 from South America, and also a diverse group from Germany, the UK, New Zealand, South Africa, the Netherlands Antilles and the Philippines.

The venue was a private boarding school with beautiful grounds and ample room in the chapel, dining hall, classrooms and dormitories. Surrounded by this gracious setting, we could be grateful that such an institution feels a mission of service to the wider community, and generously offers their campus and facilities for rent to groups whom Shawnigan Lake School recognizes as serving “the greater good.”

As diverse as both the group and the daily themes were, there was an uplifting sense of overall harmony. The lectures built upon each other, which was remarkable when considering the speakers did not know what the others were going to say. We followed the role that gold has played in relationship to Man, society and the Earth. Read more

The Christian Community in North American congratulates and warmly welcomes two newly ordained priests!  Ann Burfeind and Darryl Coonan were both ordained this past March in New York, and we would like to introduce you to them here.

 Rev. Ann Burfeind was born in Chicago and grew up on a farm in the upper Midwest. She was a Waldorf class teacher in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and for many years worked, in various capacities at the Christian Community summer camp in the Midwest. Earlier this year she completed the Seminary curriculum in Stuttgart, Germany, and was ordained on March 18^th, in Spring Valley, NY. Rev. Burfeind is now returning to her roots in the Midwest as a priest in the Christian Community in Chicago. Welcome back Ann!

  Rev. Darryl Coonan is a native of Australia and lived there until he entered the Seminary in Chicago, in 2008. During his time in his home land, he worked as a nurse for 13 years. His experience working as a community health nurse led him to further his education to more effectively work with drug dependence and mental illness. He went on to complete  four graduate level programs, which he then utilized in his work in the field of addictions, major psychiatric conditions, and in his own private psychotherapy practice.

Rev. Coonan completed his Seminary studies and training at the Seminary in Stuttgart, Germany, earlier this year and was ordained in the Taconic-Berkshire Community in New York, on March 16, 2012. He is presently visiting with the Boston congregation and their affiliates in New Hampshire and Maine. A member of the Christian Community since 1997, Rev. Coonan has a 30 year old daughter and two grandchildren who currently live in Melbourne, Australia. Welcome Darryl!