I am currently a little over halfway through my time here at the Guild. That sentence conjures up both feelings of restlessness and anticipation.

Grappling with the reality that this is the last summer of my college career (and maybe life) has been an unexpected challenge that I have had to overcome this past month. A reality that, in the scheme of things, is wildly unimportant but nonetheless a challenge I have felt deeply. At the start of the summer, I was excited to explore the vastness of the nature surrounding me. My time was often consumed with various tasks that had to be completed before Summer Programming began, so I never really had the time to dwell on this revelation. As tasks died down and a once-foreign daily routine became my new normal, I started to have more time to miss the people that I would usually fill my downtime with. While being away from those that I love has been emotionally taxing, the supportive and uplifting community that dwells within the Guild has helped ease that discomfort.

A part of the week that I have come to look forward to is arrival day. Every Sunday afternoon a new group of participants arrive at the Guild. Welcoming them into the comforting spaces that we have prepared a day prior is always a rewarding experience. While preparing those spaces it is easy to feel as if the work I am doing is insignificant or that it leaves no real impact. However, seeing the smile on people’s faces when they are welcomed into a clean room with a blessing left on their pillow, either by the Guild staff or by the participant who stayed in that room the week before, helps make turning over rooms worth it. The constant flow of new people arriving bringing their excitement and anticipation for their upcoming retreat brings a rejuvenating feeling that I am grateful I get to experience every week.

A tradition that I also anticipate each week is closing ritual. At the end of every week, participants are invited to share a piece of their time at the Guild with the rest of the group. This can be done in various ways. Whether it be placing the project that they created that week onto the center table or verbally sharing an experience/feeling that they encountered. Hearing about the healing that people come across in this space as well as the overwhelming feeling of belonging they are left with has been such a blessing to witness. Something that I admire about the Guild is its ability to hold people and meet them where they are which often provides participants with a sense of comfort.

An additional aspect of the Guild that I have enjoyed participating in is watching Richard Caemmerer’s recorded masterclass lecture series that focuses on the history of Christian Art. We have been holding a viewing of the first episode of the series in the middle of the week so participants can encounter some of Richards’s teaching, whether it be for the first or the hundredth time. I thoroughly enjoy Richard’s viewpoints as he always seems to open my eyes to a new perspective every time I have the privilege of hearing him speak. The discussions afterward have also given me insight both on the artwork that was shown as well as on Richard himself. I cherish the knowledge that I gain from these conversations.

Something that I have noticed during my time at the Guild, is that people talk of Richard and Liz with a mix of reminiscent joy and grief. Sentiments regarding them and their impact on the Guild remain constant throughout every group of participants. Recognizing this emotion in visitors has been an eye-opening experience that has revealed a great deal about the lasting impact that kindness and compassion can have. Richard and Liz are loved by the Guild community. The fact that this place – often referred to as their passion project – is still thriving, brings comfort to those who knew them. Watching people leave with a sense of peace that their friend’s and role models’ legacy is being well taken care of is an inexplicable feeling. I’m glad I am able to play a small role in uplifting the large and important mission of the Guild.

– Erin Murphy, Grunewald Guild