Chapter 6: Faith and Community Service

Willa Cather’s writings greatly inspired me as a young girl when I discovered her novels in English class. Her feminine style spoke of the pioneer’s lives in Nebraska. Her characters were connected to the landscape and emulated the pioneer spirit that I have felt lift me.
Here are links to articles about Cather’s literary work, the museum in Red Cloud, Nebraska, as well as other references that connect to this chapter on faith and community service.  I showcase women’s ways of being in the world. Each culture develops practices to care for their communities. Our lives are a performance. In this chapter I share how I was brought up to faithfully serve. I also bring in voices that have inspired me and modelled ways to coordinate complexity, imagining new possibilities.
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Here are pictures of my great-grandmother Savidge’s quilts:

Here is the link to The National Willa Cather Center in Red Cloud, Nebraska:
https://www.willacather.org/about-willa-cather
 
An article in the New Yorker gives insight into the importance of Cather’s work and ongoing legacy.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/10/02/a-walk-in-willa-cathers-prairie
 
In this article, Willa Cather’s Women, the importance of place and gender in the context of Cather’s writing in analysed :
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1646&context=greatplainsquarterly
 
Here is a book chapter that gives important references and insights for teacher Willa Cather’s book My Antonia:
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1155&context=englishfacpubs
 
Here is a book review that gives voice to Willa Cather’s writing and historical importance in American culture.
https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2013/07/11/willa-cather-hidden-voice/
 
Here is an article in the Omaha World Herald that recounts the history of the Aksarben Ball and coronation: https://www.omaha.com/events/celebrating-tradition-and-the-future--year-old-aksarben-ball/article_6a9b3bfc-8463-5d9e-9e64-3d2ad28fa4c9.html#8
 
This video shows you the 2018 Aksarben Ball Coronation to give you an idea of the pageantry:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_I3hb6-4D8
 
Here is a video of Lilou Mace interviewing Dr. Raymond Moody about Near Death Experiences:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLDARDErQ2U
 
Sheila McNamee explains her position on radical presence in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n04Vbhg7PJY
 
Here is a website with beautiful pictures of Nebraska:
https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/andrea-kelley?tab=artwork&page=2