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Earth's crammed with heaven, and every common bush afire with God; but only he who sees, takes off his shoes - the rest sit around and pluck blackberries.
Elizabeth Barret Browning |
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 Welcome to the Ithaka Fellowship website!
Ithaka Fellowship is an agrarian centre for Christian growth and study. Under the care and direction of Rev. Duane Otto, the centre is currently being planted on an historic family farm near Bloomington, Illinois. Individuals and families who come to the centre can expect a L'Abri style environment with an emphasis upon living relationally and intentionally with Christ, Man, and the Created World.
The name and purpose of the centre is best depicted by Homer's classic tale, The Odyssey. As you may recall, the story begins in a world consumed with uprootedness, aggression, relativism, and unbelief; a world very much like our own. But as the story unfolds, a man by the name of Odysseus breaks free and triumphantly returns to his home in Ithaka. It is there among his family, community, and terraced fields that he finds timeless values (love, truth, goodness, and beauty) affirmed and lived out. Ithaka Fellowship is simply the retelling of this redemptive story in the language of Gospel truths and grace-centered living. More specifically, it is a place to experience a way of life that is shaped by devotion to Christ, a reality of prayer, dependence upon God, the power of restored relationships, and the daily rhythms of work, rest, and play.
We invite you to begin your journey with us by exploring our site.
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June 25, 2010, 7 PM
Toward a Christian Family Culture in the 21st Century
by Tom and Becky Becker
Tom and Becky live in the city of Lancaster, PA where they enjoy walking or using two-wheeled transportation to do most things. They are not Amish. They celebrated their 25th anniversary in May. Their oldest daughter Katie was wed on June 13th to a fine young man from Lancaster County who also is not Amish but has experience in breeding cows.
Becky is the founding teacher of The Poiema School, a neighborhood co-op based on the teaching philosophy of Charlotte Mason. She has home-schooled five children, two of them still at home.
Tom is a minister at large in the Presbyterian Church of America, having served for 21 years as a college pastor and the past four years as Chaplain and Liberal Arts Instructor at Veritas Academy. He earned the Master of Divinity from Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis.
Tom is currently developing beckervox productions, an on-line, at-home, in-town, out-there, in-time communication outreach, bringing the Gospel to bear upon popular arts and community building.
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Christ Church Men's Retreat
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First United, Gridley, IL
June 20, 2010
Prairie View Church, Gridley, IL
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Salem Church, Gridley, IL
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Salem Church, Gridley, IL
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Westminster PCA, Paxton, IL
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Christ Church PCA, Normal IL
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First Presbyterian, LeRoy, IL
March 21, 2010
Hannah City PCA, IL
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First Presbyterian, LeRoy, IL
March 7, 2010
First Presbyterian, LeRoy, IL
February 14, 2010
First Presbyterian, LeRoy, IL
February 7, 2010
First Presbyterian, LeRoy, IL |
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