Our History --

The original FTSC group of women were mostly solitary students, just working at their own pace with the course's founder, Sister Ani Eden. Very few knew each other and did not know each other's real names, as the studies/lessons were done mostly via email and letters. The last year of FTSC, there was an online group of some Sisters, that I helped to 'moderate', although I did not own the list.

Most if not all the Sisters, were already Ministers and wanted to hone their knowledge and views... or they simply enjoyed the study. Most of our backgrounds were/are of very diverse religious nature... so take no implication that we were all Christians, despite our great use of the Bible in our study plan. More than a few were or are Goddess worshipping pagans, just so you know.

Really the only sure thing about us, other than that we loved the study subject, was that we were either women or lived as women. This was indeed a feminist course!

Because the surviving leadership did not have rights to the legal name, or the FTSC courses as given, after Sister Ani Eden's death... the old study group had to reorganize under a new name if it wanted to survive. At that point and for about a year afterwards, we in leadership positions really worked hard and fast, as we brought along students thru what was left of their individual courses. We did this freely just because we felt it was the right thing to do for these Sisters whose dues were paid up with our founder - however there was no further assignment of rewards or titles. For all intent and purposes, the old study group was/is gone, with no legal recourse for us to continue as it had been.

As the leading Sisters (Bless them!) gradually lost interest and patience in the 3 years or so following Sister Ani Eden's death... the work gradually fell to me, to either just let it die or do something with it all... so I decided to "grab the bull by the horns". My idea was to first create a memorial to our founder. I loved her and wanted to do as I did with my Granny's ideas... I didn't want Sister Ani Eden to be forgotten either.

So in that 'memorial' section of 0001-0400 Chapel pages, you will find a single page meant to honor our founder from each student of hers I could find, who was willing to make a contribution, as well as give me legal possession of that thought for this FREE website use. I also did most of that work, as you will see because few of my sisters were "webpage literate"... they gave me their thoughts and I made it happen until they were satisfied with the result. However these Sisters are no longer (as of this time) a "group", these pages are simply to honor our founder and are a gift to the visitor of each page.

I also wanted to make part of this ShiAbbey project a whole new study guide, created from my own decades-long studies, including my "Bible" section from my website, and those things I learned in the original FTSC course. It is a work in progress. It is based in my own opinions. It is also free.

And who am I? I am known within the old FTSC circles as "Sister Margaretta Nicodemus" (Sister Maggie) and worked my way up to Third Abbess before the group dissolved. However for nearly 20 years across quite a few Internet groups, I have been known as "DenElder" and so you may see that name about this site, too... as well as my photography under "Lyn Black". It's just like most people do, use a different name for various internet group associations.

Blessings! Sister Margaretta Nicodemus

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