Taize Community / Cluny

Finding an internet connection is tricky here ... so there has been some "quiet time" -- a good way to begin the next monastery segment of this journey. We flew back to Gatwick airport (London) and then on to Lyon, France. We slept at an airport hotel, and yesterday picked up another rental car and headed for the little village of Cluny, about 7 miles from the amazing Taize Community, which I have wanted to visit for many years.
Our hotel adjoins the 10th Century ruins of an abbey here! The village is really charming, and reminds me much of Cortona, in Italy, where we spent 5 weeks in 1995.
The Taize Community is truly ecumenical, in a most exciting way. Founded by Brother Roger in the early 1960's, somehow it has garnered official Vatican sanction to welcome EVERYONE to the altar and community. I am enjoying the daily bible study and prayer services-- the swelling music in spontaneous 4-part harmony is incredible.
There are about 2,000 people at Taize this week... down from the normal 4,000! Of those, only about 200 are over 30!! (They keep us carefully segregated so we won't pollute the others.) This is definitely an expereinced aimed at youth.
Each week here has a theme; this week's is the Gospel of John, chapters 14-16, on which I preached from the lectionary this Spring. It is very interesting to hear it from a totally different perspective. There are many things I have heard that I am aching to explore with someone... we shall see.
I will try to post some picture if I can get back on-line from here. Onward!