EASTERN STAR

Wednesday (Boxing Day) was a day of complete rest for me - I slept in, ate a leisurely breakfast, read, napped, read, napped some more, went to bed early.  My body was telling me I needed to rest and so I did.  Completely.

I woke early on Thursday morning...around 4:30 am, feeling like I was ready for anything.  I was out the door long before daybreak to take a good long walk up the side road, to enjoy the stillness of a cold, clear, crisp morning.  At the head of the lane, I had my night vision and I could see everything quite clearly, especially in the light of a waning moon.  The sky was full of stars.

As I topped the first rise in the road, my eyes were drawn to an especially vivid star shining in the eastern sky ahead of me.  It was brilliant and so much bigger than the other stars, it shone like a beacon in the night.  Only the moon was brighter.

Seeing that star (turns out it isn't a star, but the planet Venus), made me think again of the visitors to the nativity scene - the shepherds from the field and the Wise Guys Men.  Just as we are tempted to think that Christmas is over on December 26th, there's a tendency to stop the birth story at the manger; but, some of the most fascinating parts come afterward.  The signs in the sky seen by the Wise Men-the Kings of the Orient-the Magi - what did they really see?  How did they give meaning or make sense of what they encountered?  When they saw the star in the east, were they looking at Venus like I was?  That would be really cool.

It's that sort of timeless personal connection that can make a story so special and give it life for thousands of years.  I only have to look at a new born baby or see Venus on a cold winter morning to feel more deeply the elements of Jesus' birth which continue to touch and cause me to wonder today.

May your days of wondering never end.

Pat

A Week's Worth of Gratitude

Saturday ~ Laura, Jonah and Georgia

Sunday ~ blessed are those that count the offering

Monday ~ singing with Stephen's daughters

Tuesday ~ heron feathers

Wednesday ~ a day of splendid, complete rest

Thursday ~ the eastern star

Friday ~ leftovers

Friday Prayer

Loving God, stay close to us as we

continue to celebrate the gift of Jesus.

Amen.

GO AHEAD AND CELEBRATE

You're probably tired of me telling you what to do...but I'm going to chance it one more time.

Advent has just about turned into Christmas and my wish for each and every one you is that you will find something to celebrate.  I really don't care what your reason is for celebration, and it doesn't matter to me what form your celebration takes - as long as you celebrate.  Loosen up and let that gratitude and joy out into the world.

Today is the winter solstice.  Rain or shine, we who live at 113 Kingston Beach are going to celebrate the shortest day of the year and the return to longer periods of daylight, with a fierce bonfire.  Okay, maybe that's and exaggeration.  But, the dancing flames of our modest backyard fire will raise our spirits, give us heart for the remaining days of winter and lift our eyes to the approach of spring...yes, SPRING!  If we get a chance to roast some bologna over the coals, that will be a bonus.  I'm not certain why I feel this need to celebrate the solstice; perhaps it's in my blood.  I can imagine long ago in my ancestry, there was an Irish clan of McDonagh's who danced around an open fire on this longest of nights.

A few days later, I'm going to celebrate again, a celebration that will last several days, taking me through Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and on to the New Year.  I'm going to celebrate by singing with you at church, eating (many times) with family, stepping back a bit from work and taking some special care of myself and those I cherish.  I'm going to celebrate the story of a baby born to the world and bringing a special love for each of us, even those of us who might think we are not deserving and that we cannot celebrate it.  Yes, we can!

Celebration is an expression of that sacred regard we have for life.  Create your own celebratory traditions for the people and memories you treasure.  Honour them and hold them up in a way that suits your circumstances - whether that's by silent prayer, a quiet walk with friends, a family dinner or a raucous party with all the neighbours.

Who are you grateful for?  What will you celebrate?

Pat

A Week's Worth of Gratitude

Saturday ~ a day of sunlight

Sunday ~ fishing with Thom

Monday ~ a good dentist

Tuesday ~ friends at the movies

Wednesday ~ the OSHaRE crew from First United

Thursday ~ Susan & Paul

Friday ~ winter solstice

Friday Prayer

I believe in the sun, even when it is not shining.

I believe in love, even though I don't feel it.

I believe in God, even when he is silent.

~ a survivor of Auschwitz ~

LIFE COMPASS

This is the compass I used when I was in the army.  It's a Silva Ranger 15T.  It's graduated in "mils" instead of degrees, a feature unique to military use.  6400 mils are equivalent to 360 degrees...so, one degree = 17.7 mils.  There's a mirror built in to the cover which allows for accurate shooting of a compass bearing.  The mirror is also handy for shaving when deployed in the field.  I keep that compass in my desk drawer.

In my basic training and early years of duty, I was a poor way-finder.  My problem was that I didn't trust my compass.  I was prone to letting my brain's sense of direction take precedence over the information that my compass was showing me.  Most human brains - my brain anyway - are notoriously poor and direction keeping and way-finding.  It was about 6 years before I put confidence in my compass and believed in its accuracy.  I came to accept that my compass was never wrong; it always knew where north was and accurately pointed which direction I needed to travel.  Once I learned to trust my compass, I became an expert navigator.

For most of my adult life, I have sought out some sort of "life compass" to guide me in my living.  I need something, or perhaps someone, as reliable as my good old Silva T15 Ranger.  I've tried many things, with varying levels of success.  I have discovered that whatever it might be that serves this purpose, its accuracy is invariably tied to my confidence in it.  If I trust it, the path is clear and direct; if I lose faith, I begin to drift and soon lose my way.

A recent message from Rev. Paul Ivany of Norval United Church reminded me of a valuable life compass for all of us.  He wrote, "How can God's love really be in us if we don't respond with compassion to people in need?  A compassionate heart is something worth having." 

That's it - that's a life compass.  A compassionate heart.  It's a reliable way-finder for our living, it's something that won't let you down...you can trust and treasure a compassionate heart.

Follow your life compass...it will help you find the Way.

Pat

A Week's Worth of Gratitude

Saturday ~ Betty Crocker

Sunday ~ music in all its forms

Monday ~ Chris & Agnes

Tuesday ~ Church Council team

Wednesday ~ sleeping in, resting up

Thursday ~ Don Sweatman

Friday ~ conversations that matter

Friday Prayer
May I live this day compassionate of heart,

clear in word, gracious in awareness,

courageous in thought, generous in love.

~ John O'Donohue, RIP ~

gift of original art from Sandra Bayne

GRATITUDE CHANGES EVERYTHING

My doctor tells me what to do about my diabetes and high blood pressure.

My dentist tells me what to do about my teeth and gums, how to brush and floss.

My accountant tells me how to manage money...Canada Revenue has thoughts about that as well.

My plumber/furnace tech tells me what I need to have water and heat.

My mechanic (he's a good guy) tells me how to keep my truck running.

That's just the tip of the iceberg...there are a lot of people telling me what to do.

It can be overwhelming at times.

Here's some advice I got recently from author Diana Butler Bass.  I think it's advice that is as important as any that I get from the folks above.  Her advice is about practicing true gratitude - the gratitude that surfaces when life is easy and when life is getting me down. 

Ms. Butler Bass has recently published a book titled, "Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks."  She says, "There's a different way to live that's really possible...and I think that gratitude is one of the gateways into that world."  She writes that when it comes to giving thanks, most of us tend to operate from a structure of debt and duty.  In other words, when being offered or when receiving a gift of any sort, I frequently think in terms of some benefactor to whom I will be in debt if I accept the gift.  That's a very transactional response, calculating, not at all grateful.  Instead of a sense of gratitude, my focus is on how I can discharge that debt, how will I return the favour.  There's no grace in that.

There's different way to live in gratitude.  Ms. Butler Bass reminds us of the story of Jesus in Luke's Gospel, about the dinner party and who gets invited.  It's not just family and friends and people who will likely return the favour; instead, the invitation is to guests who are poor, who are marginalized, who are likely never going to afford to repay the debt.  In that story, Jesus tells me to offer my gift without the expectation of payback in any form.  If I can offer and receive what life brings me in that way, it will lead me to abundant gratitude and that will lead to a grace-filled life.

It sounds easy, but I know it isn't.  I've got bad habits that I need to break.  I need to pay attention to how my gratitude comes out - not calculating or controlling, not conditional...just deeply thankful.  I think it could change everything.

May we all be blessed in giving and receiving this season...

Pat

A Week's Worth of Gratitude

Saturday ~ being up and around

Sunday ~ music and friends

Monday ~ crashing waves and roaring winds

Tuesday ~ sunshine and blue skies

Wednesday ~ supper with friends

Thursday ~ the food bank

Friday ~ Ginger and Kathy

Friday Devotion
Christ invites us to a different life,

to a life not of payment and debt, but of God's grace.

God created us to practice a life of grace,

both freely giving and receiving,

until our time is finished and complete.

~ Andrew Yee, Stanwood, Washington ~

DOING WHAT'S RIGHT - FROM THOM MCDONOUGH

One day this past week, the waves were pounding our shoreline as strong northwesterly winds drove the water ahead of it.  I was hoping to get out fishing, but given that I have a twelve-foot boat, powered by a 5 hp motor, the wind and waves made decision making easy.  I did what was right and stayed ashore.

I wish every decision to do what is right, was so easy.  Unfortunately, life is complicated by the circumstances that we experience and by the people we encounter.

The writer of the Book of James, who writes about the way we should live in the world, says that "Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits a sin."   That's a lot of responsibility on us!

It's a lot of responsibility because we live in a time where there is not a lot of clarity as to what is right and wrong.  We live in a time when it seems that people are taking it upon themselves to determine what is right, using their own circumstances and judgement to make those calls.  Subsequently, what they feel is right, maybe hurtful to others.

I was raised in a Christian tradition that promotes loving one's neighbour, whoever that neighbour might be.  The problem comes in actually carrying out that love, giving it form, as we go through our daily living, trying to do what is right.

There has been a recent bit of debate over the playing of the 74 year old song, "Baby, It's Cold Outside".  Some find the song offensive in this era of #MeToo.  Others are saying that censorship of the tune, in our era of rap and a President of the United States not being sanctioned for his bragging about grabbing women inappropriately, is ridiculous.

What is the right thing to do?  Tough call, this.

What I try to do is know my neighbour.  I try to think about consequences.  I try to think about any hurt that I do might cause just as much as  I consider what good I'm trying to accomplish.

Knowing that I'm an imperfect human being, I also have to recognize when I have not done right and take the appropriate actions to seek forgiveness and make amends.

Doing the right thing isn't always easy, but we'll make fewer mistakes if we approach what we do with love in our hearts and a real desire not to hurt others.

Peace and be well, friends.

 Thom

WHAT DO I NEED?

As I sat down to write this article, I struggled for a while, trying to decide on the correct title.  I was wavering between, "What do I want?" and, "What do I need?".  As you can see, I eventually landed on the latter question, influenced mostly by my self-understanding that I want a lot of things...things that tend to be frivolous or superficial...while the things I need are few but essential to a good life.  That difference between what I want and what I need has become more important as I get older and perhaps a bit wiser.

Two things I think I need are relationships and community.  I'm pretty certain that I can't live a good life and be happy without being in relationship and being in community.  That sounds simple and straightforward; in fact, it's more complicated and difficult to achieve than say, having a big new home or an expensive, flashy car.  Relationships and community - good ones - are rarer than diamonds.

The community I'm searching for is a lot like First United Church, with a few differences.  The differences would be minor in scope but significant in impact.  For instance, there would be more people to share my enthusiasm for a communal table - preparing food together, sitting down to eat, engaging in discussion, spending unhurried time together.  I'm not talking about grand dining, just simple, thoughtful meals taken in the company of people who share (or perhaps don't share) common ground.  Another difference would be more people who are engaged, who see themselves as partners, co-workers and activists in the grand project of putting faith into action; that would mean lending their muscle, mind and heart to give meaning to our vision of becoming an open and welcoming community led by the Love of God.  A third difference in this community I need would be a prevailing sense of energy, determination and hope.  The community would be infused with the conviction that, God being our helper, there's much we can do to build "a house where love can dwell, and all can truly live."

Over the next weeks and months, we are all going to have an opportunity to think about and respond to questions about the sort of community of faith we need and want.  It's important work that we need to do individually and together.  You've read what I need...I'd like to hear what you need. 

Pat

LISTEN...GOD IS CALLING

There is a hymn titled, "Listen, God is Calling".  The Choir has sung it before.  The first few lines go like this:

Listen.

Listen God is calling.

Through the Word inviting.

Offering forgiveness, comfort and joy.

I wrote last week about how trying events had been for me.  Somebody must have been listening.  I came to church on Sunday morning and it was like the worship service was designed for me.  It had everything I needed to help me get back on the Way.

What was so special?  Three things.

There was the baptism of Hayven Waukey.  I don't know Hayven or her family beyond the short time I spent with them Sunday, but I think there is no sacrament that we celebrate that is as uplifting to me as a baptism.  This may sound uncaring - it doesn't matter to me whose child it is, a baptism is full of hope, promise and joy.  I'm certain that it is an important event for the family.  It's really important for me to be part of the community that surrounds that blessing and welcoming of a child.

Then there was the telling of a tale - the Stone Soup story.  The story was told as it will never be told again.  Who could ever duplicate the accent of the storyteller?  Was he from the Caribbean or somewhere in Eastern Europe?  And the immersion of the children, their complete and utter belief in a magic soup stone.  You all saw it - you were watching them, as I was watching all of you.  For a moment, we all believed in magic too.

We wrapped up with a communal meal - a warm, hospitable offering of donated soups.  There's no more certain sign of community than a shared meal...the sound of slurping, the clinking of spoons on empty bowls, the return for seconds and thirds.  I was well fed.

I think most of the time, I hear what I want to hear.  Last Sunday I heard what I needed.

May the Lord bless us and keep us, be gracious to us and give us peace.

 Pat

Quote for the Week

"Light. Sun. Shining. Rays.

Compassion. Wisdom. Radiance. Grace.

Joy. Hope. Kindness. Love.

These are the things we are made of.

~ Mary Davis ~

A Week's Worth of Gratitude

Saturday ~ Will Shakespeare

Sunday ~ Jessica Misener

Monday ~ people who work for the common good

Tuesday ~ healing energy

Wednesday ~ the sound of snow crystals on fallen leaves

Thursday ~ flu shot

Friday ~ clean drinking water

Friday Prose

"Move in the direction that brings you closer to Creator in all things.

The trail will be revealed and the helpers will come to you."

~ Richard Wagamese, Embers, 2016, Douglas & McIntyre ~

JUST SETTLE DOWN

If I had to choose a single word to describe the last seven days, it would be "trying".  I mean trying in the sense that my patience has been tried, my equanimity has been challenged, and my sense of "what will go wrong next" has been heightened.  It's been a week of unwelcome events.  I'll confess that there have been times when I just wanted to crawl back under the covers and shut it all out.  I won't bore you with the details - I've told the story several times this week to different people and even I'm getting sick of hearing it.

Throughout these trying times, I've been lucky to have people around me who have helped me to reflect on what I am experiencing.  Those people have helped me gain perspective and understand that my trials and tribulations are minor compared to what other people are experiencing.  At most, what I've had to endure has been inconvenient and frustrating.  Nothing (so far) has been life threatening or even life altering.  I am grateful for that - or rather, I should be grateful for that.  I'm working on it.

Misfortune, minor or major as it might be, has the potential to awaken me to the mercy and blessings that often accompany it.  It's only in reflecting on the past week that I recognize the gifts that came to me through some adversity.  When the power went out at my home, I played Yahtzee with Thom and Marnie around the table by candlelight - a game I enjoyed more than 50 years ago when camping at Berford Lake.  When we could not cook a turkey dinner in our oven (again, no power), our neighbours stepped in to cook it for us.  The next day, my sister and brother-in-law hosted us for a wonderful supper.  When the electrician and hydro workers visited to get things sorted out, they were prompt, competent and generous with their help.  My house didn't burn down and no one was hurt.  In the midst of minor turmoil, life went on...as it should and must.

I won't go so far to say that I'm glad to have experienced the events of the past week, but I will readily admit to gaining deeper appreciation for the gifts of hospitality, friendship, competence, and assistance freely offered.  It has been an experience that gives deeper meaning to the blessing that follows below.

May the Lord bless us and keep us, be gracious to us and give us peace.

 Pat

Quote for the Week

"I've had a lot of worries in my life,

most of which never happened."

~ Mark Twain ~

FRIDAY QUESTIONS

Who do you love?

Whom do you serve?

How wide is your circle of compassion?

~ Omid Safi, Tapestry on CBC Radio One, October 16, 2018  ~

GOD AS LIFE

The new season for the First Editions Book Club commenced last month.  I hosted the study of a book by Father Richard Rohr, titled "Falling Upwards".  As I told the group gathered in the upstairs lounge, I came to that book in a roundabout way, led to it by previously-read books by Rohr and other writers who challenge and encourage me to wonder about faith and spirituality.

I had five pages of notes prepared for the book club discussion and used few of them - time was too limited to go deeply.  But, one phrase from the middle of the book stayed with me.  The phrase was, "God comes to you disguised as your life." 

The words were spoken by a woman named Paula D'Arcy, who is a well-known and widely travelled author, speaker, playwright and a former psychotherapist.  In 1975, while three months pregnant, she survived the loss of her husband and young daughter in an accident.  Six months later, she gave birth to another daughter and became a prominent female voice for peace and healing.  From that brief bio of her, I can't claim to know Ms. D'Arcy, but I have a glimmer of understanding of why she would see God in life and life in God.

I spend most of my waking hours busy with work of one sort or another: paid work, volunteer work, fun work, unpleasant work...all types of busy-ness.  I usually feel that my work is rewarding.  There are times though, that I realize that being busy feeds a part of me that is always hungry.  I could call it ego, or pride or self-esteem - it really doesn't matter what I name it.  It isn't the best of me and it isn't what my life should be about.

During the rare and fleeting moments when I am fully awake to the world around me, when my head is not filled with busy-ness, I have a deeper appreciation for what is divine and sacred in my life.  Life is not about deadlines, to-do lists, goals and objectives.  It's about how I treat others, how I relate to creation, and where I find my Way in daily living. 

I wish I could stay in closer, more continuous touch with that sense of sacredness and to know more of God in life, in everyday life.  Now that would be worthwhile work.

May the Lord bless us and keep us, be gracious to us and give us peace.

 Pat

Quote for the Week

"The discipline of gratitude is the explicit effort

to acknowledge that all I am and have,

is given to me as a gift of love,

a gift to be celebrated with joy."

~ Henri J.M. Nouwen ~

A Week's Worth of Gratitude

Saturday ~ hockey game with Philip

Sunday ~ membership, communion and celebration

Monday ~ Larry Henry

Tuesday ~ golden forests

Wednesday ~ mercy

Thursday ~ music and song

Friday ~ Larry Henry

I'M A HAPPINESS JUNKIE

Intuitively, I know that life is not exclusively about happiness.  I know that the pursuit of happiness can, at times, be a selfish and shallow endeavour.  I know that, but...I really like to be happy.  So, being an admitted happiness addict, I do my best to temper my hunger for happiness by making certain it's not all about me.  Usually, I fail at that because, well, I'm the one experiencing the happiness and it's hard for me not to think I'm at the centre of it all.

This past week, I've been very happy, most of the time.  I was happy to be together with Philip Cochrane, Sue Bos and Jacob Shaw (our student intern minister) as we met for the first time as Jake's Lay Supervision Team.  We spent two hours after worship last Sunday, talking about how we are going to support Jake's ministry at First United, how we will work together and what we each want to get out of the experience.  We shared a meal together.  That was a happy experience.

Later in the week, Church Council met for the first time since June and we had a packed agenda - I was dreading the load of business we would have to get through.  At the end of the evening, three hours later, I was a happy person.  We did really good work as a group; our discussions were meaningful, our decisions were well considered and our intentions were faithful.  I was happy to get back together with that group of dedicated ministers and lay leaders. 

Mid-week, I drove to Toronto and back with a couple of friends.  We were off to a meeting at Toronto Conference and the best part of the experience was the chance to talk for the two-hour ride down to the City and to resume those discussions for the return journey.  In this day and age, the opportunity to pay undivided attention to other people for that length of time is rare.  We covered a lot of ground, literally and figuratively; I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Yesterday, everywhere I turned I encountered happiness: I was at the celebration of life for Terry Moore and learned things about Terry that I never knew.  I met many of his friends and family.  I helped the women who were hosting the reception in Griffith Hall following the service - I was the dishwasher - and being with those ladies made me appreciate the benefits of being part of a team that is engaged in offering generous, heart-felt hospitality.  Later that day, I sat in the choir loft for the first full choir practice of the new worship season.  We welcomed each other, prayed for those who were not able to be there and we sang for the next 90 minutes.  We sang old songs and new songs, we sang our hearts out.  to top the evening off, when I came out of choir practice, I emerged into our lobby and it was chock full of Guides and their parents - a beehive of excitement and happiness.  What a way to end the day!

There's enough grief in this world for all of us.  I'm grateful that there is an equal measure of happiness.

May the Lord bless us and keep us, be gracious to us and give us peace.

Pat

TEAMS AND TEAMWORK

Twenty years in the army taught me the value of teamwork.  It was drilled into me when I was an officer cadet in basic training and it was a major component of my work for the next 20 years.  As a leader, part of my responsibilities was to ensure that all members of the team were working together to accomplish the mission.

The bad news is that, through my middle age, I have lost some of my appreciation for the importance of teamwork.  The good news is, it's not irretrievably lost...I'm learning all over again, that things turn out  better when I work as part of a team.  I am reminded every day of my limitations, physically and mentally.

About a month ago, I announced to my fellow residents of Kingston Beach that Thom and I would be tearing out the old, crooked and sagging mailbox stand at the head of our laneway.  The plan was to replace it with something solid and serviceable. One of the neighbours responded quickly with an offer to help.  He is an active 76 years old and quick to volunteer, so I told him yes.

The work started Thursday morning at 9 am sharp and we finished at 2:30 pm - including a hour's break for lunch.  I was pleased with the end result; and, it was deeply satisfying for me to work with others and to share in the outcome of our labours.  You know that feeling...a deep, contented sigh at the end of a demanding job.

This may come as a surprise to you, but I get the same satisfaction from working with you at First United - whether it is on Council, or at coffee time, or a community dinner or book club or Choir.   While it is true that I able to do many things by myself, working with partners or as part of a team brings significant rewards to my heart and soul.  The strange thing about teamwork is that the object of the effort often doesn't matter as much as the experience of being alongside others in a common cause.  And the added bonus of teamwork as a Christian, is we are always able to call on God as our helper.

If you think that you don't have any special gift or talent to contribute, take this small piece of advice from someone who is re-learning the value of teamwork.  Just give your presence, your being as part of a group of others - believe me, that's a gift.

May the Lord bless us and keep us, be gracious to us and give us peace.

 Pat

Quote for the Week

"We rise by lifting others."

~ Robert Ingersol ~

WHAT RICHARD WAGAMESE KNOWS - BEAUTIFUL

I know mountains because I have stood on precipices and breathed.

I know prairie because I have lain on my back and been absorbed by the sky.

I know the ocean because I have immersed myself in it and felt the pull of its current. If I want to know life, I need to experience its wonder and breathe it in with every breath.

If I want to know possibility, I need to see its immensity and allow it to absorb me.  If I want to know faith, I need to surrender to it and feel it pulling me in its unseen direction. 

~ Richard Wagamese, Embers - One Ojibway's Meditations, Douglas & McIntyre, 2016  ~

GREAT GIFTS OF COMMUNITY

I've known for quite a few years now, the blessings that I receive as a member of this community.  Community is something that I often take for granted, until a day comes along when I am reminded what a precious and priceless gift it is to be one in the circle of lives in our faith community.

I've had a few of those days recently and I hope you have too.  If you haven't, take a chance and come to church some Sunday.  That's where the gifts of community have found me.

Gifts, you ask?  What kind of gifts do we receive by coming to church?

I can't speak for you, but I can tell you what my experience has been.  The gifts start in that 15-minute segment before the service begins, when I meet people I haven't seen for a while.  Sometimes it been a week since I last saw you, and sometimes it's been longer; but, however long it's been, I'm joyful to see you again.  We talk about the weather, your children and grandchildren, your aches and pains, the things that are good in your life and those that aren't.  There will be music playing in the background to remind us we are in church.

Then, someone will bring us to attention and we worship together.  There are announcements, there is prayer, there is more music - music of the best kind, that we sing together.  If we are lucky, some folks offer a personal gift of music and we can just sit there and enjoy that together.  Every time we gather like this, we hear stories told, stories from long ago about how people lived in their world and with God.  Someone will also stand up and tell us a personal story...a minister or someone who just has a story to share.  At some point in our time together, we all get a chance to offer up gifts of time, talent and treasure and no matter what we offer, we are blessed and thanked for what we can give.

On most occasions, we have a chance to eat and drink together - this is a very special gift of communion-ity; it might be a tiny glass of grape juice and a miniscule square of bread; or, it could be coffee and tea and sweets - or if it's really a special occasion, we'll have a full meal of some sort.  However and whatever we eat, the important thing is we will do it together.

The most precious of blessings that I receive in community is when someone shares something deeply personal with me.  It might be something that terrifies or hurts them - but they want me to know what they know.  It might also be something that is wonderful in their life and they just want me to understand how thankful they are to be part of it, or to laugh with them.  Whatever it might be, the core of what they are sharing is vulnerability.  I understand that it is because we are in the circle of community that it can be shared.

Come to church and share in the gifts.

May the Lord bless us and keep us, be gracious to us and give us peace.

Pat

WHEN THINGS FALL APART - THE DANFORTH

I’m writing  about what happened on the Danforth a month ago...because I know a mother and a daughter who were close to that event.  Mother and daughter were both feeling the aftermath of the shootings and I didn't need to be told how distressing and upsetting that was.  It was close to home in many ways.

I’ll admit up front, this is one of those occasions when I feel deeply the poverty of words.  I can’t begin to understand the experience; being at safe arms-length from the tragedy, I am uncertain and searching for what I should be thinking and feeling.

I have a sense that it’s too easy to offer the standard condolences...”my thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of those”...that sort of thing doesn’t seem to do the job.  It might make me feel better, but it is a fleeting relief at best.

I’ve been thinking a lot about what my reaction should be.  As in most things of this significance, I go to trusted sources – often books – that can shine a light on what’s important.  It’s not a matter of learning lessons, although that’s important.
For me, it’s the need to find my roots again, to regain my capacity for hope.
Hope is a great antidote for fear.

And in reading, I was reminded once again, that hope and love are linked.
If it is true that love is greater than hope, it’s because we cannot have hope without a degree of love.  Love has the power to project hope out into the world and out into the future.

What I felt after the shootings, in addition to fear, was the lack of love and hope.
The fear is lessening now (time will do that), and hope is leading me back to solid ground.
Hope and love will be necessary because we have to go on living in a world that is constantly and intensely challenged by fear.

So here we are, just a month after the fact, still seeking to make sense of everything...and it comes down to love and hope.  I’ll set aside the fact that hope remains vulnerable to disappointment.  I’ll regain the degree of hope that will let me imagine what better times might fall into place again.  I’ll think about what I can do bring that about.

It’s a good thing we have our family and friends at this time.
I hope that you can stay close to yours.  They’re a source of love and hope.

Pat