It was with great pleasure that the guild recently added Pete Majendie (Christchurch, New Zealand) and Ted Lyddon Hatten (Indianola, Iowa) to its membership. Both initiations took place in New Zealand and involved the fabulous NZ grown Zealong tea. Pete’s initiation took place at Festival One when we took our Tea-in-a-Suitcases out among the punters, offering a choice of Zealong Black or Zealong Fire and Ice teas, under the shade of trees at the Marketplace pond.
Ted’s initiation took place over two works of art-as-liturgy – the first work in the Hope precinct at Festival One being followed by a piece formed during the morning service with the Rhythms of Grace community yesterday. Both involved ritual deconstructions of the ephemeral work. Teas were Zealong Green, Oolong and Black.
At Rhythms of Grace he started work just before the service and continued until the Benediction with people invited to wander up and watch him at any time during the service. Ted spoke briefly about salvific beauty and his approach to ephemeral art. During the extended Benediction the community engaged in deconstructing the work. True tea liturgy.
Pete and Ted double the membership of the International Guild of Tea Liturgists.