de Young

During the academic year I meet with five others for Education for Ministry (EfM) at St Aidan's Episcopal Church in San Francisco.  EfM is a four-year program of study in the Episcopal Church of the USA that explores the Christian faith through studying the Bible and church history while providing thought-provoking theological reflections.  EfM is based and managed from the University of the South in Sewanee, TN.

We just completed Year Three, which is on church history.  Regardless of whether we are Roman Catholic or Protestant we can take little pride (to put it mildly) in what our ancestors did to "the other" during the Reformation, especially the English Reformation.

We are open to doing things outside of the study group.  We enjoy art exhibits, music, theater and lectures on philosophy and theology.  We decided to take a little field trip to visit the M.H. de Young Memorial Museum in Golden Gate Park, since some of us (like me) had yet not been.  While at the James Turrell structure at the de Young we planned to read from texts and sing hymns that inspire us.  Two women who were also visiting joined us.

How's them apples?

James Turrell (b. 1943) designed this chamber,

using concrete, plaster, stone, and neon lighting.

It is called Three Gems, 2005

The acoustics are such that you can hear the sound of your own

voice (i.e., as others hear it) by standing on the lapis lazuli

circle in the center and speaking.  It produced a very odd
auditory experience.  It was strange to hear myself as 
through a tape recording.

Betsy

 Doug

Group Picture # 1

(l-r) Barbara, Betsy, Harlean, Leonor, and Doug

Group Picture # 2 with moi

Harlean

"Biggest safety pin I've ever seen!"

Exhibit by Claes Oldenburg (b. 1929) and Coosje van Bruggen (1949-2009).
Corridor Pin, Blue, 1999
Stainless steel, aluminum, polyurethane enamel

We ended up in the dining room where we had a little coffee break.  We enjoyed our field trip.  We'll likely do it again.