This morning , being the first Sunday of the month, we brought different contributions to the bandstand. We’d had a special evening at Sarah’s on Wednesday night colouring in Celtic letters to introduce our favourite Bible verses and one of the things that we did today was to share what those verses were and why we so loved them. Various folk were away today and not everyone came with a contribution, but it was lovely hearing each other’s stories. Here are some of our favourite verses:
Isaiah 43: 1 ‘I have called you by name, you are mine’
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Psalm 16 :5-6 ‘Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup;
You make my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
Surely I have a delightful in heritance.’
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Two chose this same verse from Micah 6:8:
‘He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.’
Or in the paraphrase of The Message:
‘But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbour, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don’t take yourself too seriously— take God seriously.’
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Hebrews 12: 1 ‘Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…’
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Malachi 4: 2 ‘But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves’.
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Romans 12: 1 ‘Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.’
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And Sarah shared a blessing with us from the Irish Council of churches, as we contemplated the state of the world and all who need God’s goodness:
Lead me from death to life, from falsehood to truth.
Lead me from despair to hope, from fear to trust.
Lead me from hate to love, from war to peace.
Let peace fill our hearts, our world, our universe.
This morning in a very autumnal morning at the bandstand, we reflected onthe beauty of the trees and Julian of Norwich’s emphasis on God delighting in us and in the ever-close idea of being in a thin place, joined by the communion of saints, in the company of all heaven!
We heard read the opening verses of Hebrews 12 in both the NIV and The Message – about running the race and not giving up before I shared that a few months ago Steve and I had gone to Sheffield to see the stage production of Chariots of fire. We hadn’t been able to imagine how it could be pulled off – yet it was frankly one of the most powerful, moving and best pieces of theatre we have seen. I found myself in the standing ovation involuntarily saying out loud (and a little tearfully) ‘Thank you’ – I think to those who had made this story public again – and to Eric Liddell. I came home to read up more on Eric Liddell – mostly from Wikipedia (!) and various aspects got me reflecting on my own story / faith journey /race.
I shared a reminder of Liddell’s story and then everyone walked with the following words – without direction – but to allow any of them to lead to prayer – for ourselves or ThirdSpace or others:
Liddell was described as ‘Entirely without vanity’ and ‘the finest Christian gentleman it has been my pleasure to meet. In all the time in the camp, I never heard him say a bad word about anybody… absorbed, weary and interested, pouring all of himself into this effort to capture the imagination of these penned-up youths… overflowing with good humour and love for life, and with enthusiasm and charm…’
Liddell was inspired by someone writing him a note and, no doubt, by the band playing for him outside the stadium. That made all the difference.
‘He that honours me I will honour.’
In the play, ‘Chariots of Fire’, Harold Abrahams is repeatedly asked what his motivation is for running. It seems he doesn’t know how to answer that until he says to Liddell, ‘To win’. Eric’s reply is ‘To win what?’ He himself speaks of honouring God by using the gifts God has given him, saying, “God made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.”
Liddell said, “It has been a wonderful experience to compete in the Olympic Games and to bring home a gold medal. But since I have been a young lad, I have had my eyes on a different prize. You see, each one of us is in a greater race than any I have run in Paris, and this race ends when God gives out the medals.”
‘A huge cloud of witnesses is all around us. So let us throw off everything that stands in our way’. Hebrews 12:1
We returned to pray. Just as Eric Liddell and Hebrews 12 urge us not to give up, Luke 18: 1 says, ‘Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.‘ So we brought the needs of the world and of individuals, to God, not knowing what difference our prayers can make but doing it anyway! At the risk of sounding like I was hosting The Weakest Link (!) I asked
Who would we like God to honour?
Who needs Jesus now?
We spoke of the floods in Nepal, war in the MIddle East and Ukraine, of folk known to us i need and wrote these things on individual cards, headed Always pray, don’t give up! The we received bread and held that bread on those names and prayed for Jesus to be close. We drank wine too – sustenance for the journey – for the race, for ourselves and for others.
The cards have gone home with each of us for prayer throughout the week. We finished with words from Julian of Norwich:
‘So, when we are finally brought face to face with God, we shall behold in God with clarity and the mysteries presently concealed from us, will be uncovered. And no-one will want to say then, “Lord, if only things were different, it would have been well’. Rather, shall we shout with one accord ‘Lord, blessed be your name!”’
Amen to tthat! Thanks be to Eric Liddell and Mother Julian – cheering us on in that great crowd of witnesses!
Fiona kicked off proceedings in our time of celebration and thanksgiving:
Welcome!
I can now confirm that as one gets older – time really does speed up – it definitely was only a couple of months ago that we celebrated 10 years of Third space – but here we are today celebrating that we’ve reached the ripe old age of 15.
We are officially adolescent – which presumably gives us permission to … (various adolescent rebellions weere shared here!)
15 years ago we tentatively stepped into a metaphorical coracle and to ‘being’ Third Space – the name to reflect that it was a space that was shared but ‘other’ to home and work space. The place -outdoors -this park, this bandstand ; a sense that Church could and should not be behind doors – a place where every week, (whatever the weather, ) the Glory of God would be demonstrated by the ‘Big Book” of creation. We would have no walls – no premises – no statements of belief that must be signed up to, no leadership teams and no 5 year plans. What kind of church do you call that?
Third space is My Church – a church that has blessed, challenged, taught, delighted, comforted and unsettled and widened my narrow vision – sometimes all at the same time. Saints, pigeons, lamid vavniks (and tattoes that nearly got me a divorce) , shepherds crooks, bread and wine and the creativity, insight , prayers and Christ-like examples of everyone here today, have been for me a life-saver and a life changer. I don’t know where I would be ‘at’ if I had remained in a regular church – I suspect it wouldn’t have been a good place or a God place – and although I am naturally risk averse, I am so glad we took that leap of faith (hanging onto the caveat ‘we could be wrong’! to begin Third space so please join with me in the Litany of thanksgiving that I’ve mucked about with to make it specific to today.
Litany of thanksgiving
For this time, this place, this day, these people
We give thanks to God for he is good
For the changing seasons, light and weather,
For the trees and birdsong and the river and skies
For needless beauty and endless diversity…
That the sun sings and the earth hums…
If we were silent the very stones would sing his praise
Holy, holy, holy is God Almighty, the whole earth is full of his glory
For those we love, for those who love us For those we struggle with and those who struggle with us
For old friends and new ones, for friendships yet to be made and for reunions in this world and the next
For all human goodness that speaks of your presence
For our frailty that drives us to acknowledge our dependence on you
It is you who made us and we are yours
For the shalom you promise
For your foundational underpinning, support, comfort, direction and strength
For your constant presence – your very name spoken with each breath we take
For Jesus – for all he has done, all he does, all he will yet do for us
For loving us
Amen! Amen! Amen!
…
Paul took over then, introducing something symbolic for us all to do:
So, from the concept of stones singing that we’ve just read, we’re going move on to the biblical practice of placing stones as memorials.
Bethel was the place Jacob had his vision of angels on the stairway to heaven and received the promise God made to him about his descendants, so he set up the stone he had used as a pillow into a pillar.
Gilgal was where Joshua commemorated the Israelites’ long-delayed entrance into the Promised Land by taking 12 stones from the bed of the miraculously-parted Jordan river and setting them up at their camp site that night.
Samuel erected the Ebenezer stone of help, after God thwarted a Philistine attack.
So today we’re going to set some stones, and we are going to do it in the context of those Third Space experiences we asked you to bring which have resonated for you over the years, be it remembrance, gratitude, faithfulness or ongoing support.
Some created glued cairns of stones, others wrapped stones in twine.
Harry read a poem by Godfrey Rust, which he felt spoke hugely of ThirdSpace
‘God is a verb’
Church mice, church music and church history all tried to tell us it’s an adjective.
Others have chiselled or boxed it into a noun: a building or a social club, even an event that’s set in stones – but don’t be fooled: church is a verb.
It’s something that we do. It won’t work in the singular. I can’t church, you can’t church he, she and it can’t church. It only takes the plural: even God can’t church alone. We church (and they can do it too, whatever we may think of what they do).
It works best in the present tense and not with a prefix like un- or re-. Don’t say Let’s church again, like we did last summer. It happens now, not then.
It’s not a complicated verb. It comes in simple sentences like How are you? and Can I help? and Let us pray.
It’s often passive, and just sits and listens.
It’s a highly irregular verb and won’t do what it’s told. It turns up anywhere with the most unlikely subjects.
It can be said in any language or in none.
We can’t easily go to look at church. We only find the evidence that church has happened somewhere. Something broken has been mended. Someone is alive. Two are at one. More is here now than there was before.
In one case only, this verb is transitive: God churches us and also churches through us. When we ask Christ to be among us or make him known to someone it’s then that we are churching.
There will come a time for church to get dressed up ready for its marriage, ready to settle down and become a noun – but until then church is the living Word spoken in verbs.
…
Steve then read something he had written for the occasion:
15 TODAY!
We are heliocentric creatures it seems
Intent on marking the day when
15 earth circuits ago…
We gathered first to make the Celtic twig cross – not knowing
Launching the coracle – not knowing
Awaiting the divine dove in pigeon attire – not-knowing
Defiantly hoping companions – not knowing
Restlessly searching doubters – not knowing
Looking back to whence we came and looking forward – not knowing
Yet yearning still and weeping and rejoicing and journeying towards…
Perhaps we are, hesitantly, theocentric creatures
Discontent with a silent universe
Seeing the world charged with the grandeur and mercy of God.
And so we commune, in our tradition, with Jesus
…
And we finished sharing bread and wine with the following words:
Far We have Come, Far we Must Go
(with thanks to “Grace-pocket liturgies)
We stand on the threshold of another year of Third Space
We offer you our thanks for the last 15 years – years full of good things.
Gifts of friendship, laughter, creativity and imagination
We give you our memories of times when there has been struggle and sadness
The loss of people dear to us
Times of disappointment and frustration
We recognise that you continue to call us on.
We offer you our hopes, aspirations and plans
God of transformation, we look forward to what you will do with our lives and with Third Space.
And once again, we climb into our coracle and wait for the Spirit.
This is the bread of Christ.
The bread of community,
It is bread for the journey
and it is bread for celebration!
This is the wine of Christ.
The wine of community,
It is wine for the journey
and it is wine for celebration! Cheers!
And then it was off to Cool River for a marvellous celebratory breakfast and much chat and laughter and gratitude. 15 wonderful years. Thanks go to those who joined us over the years – those who are still in touch, those we have lost touch with…. and to Ian Adams and Michael Mitton for wise advice and support in early years (Outdoor church, meals, Sabbaths…. Emulating St Brendan in his coracle…) we are indebted to you!
Barbara led us at in the park, beginning with these words:
Live Simply
Compassionate and loving God,
you created the world for us all to share,
a world of beauty and plenty.
Create in us a desire to live simply,
so that our lives may reflect your generosity.
Creator God,
God of peace and justice,
You give us the capacity to change,
to bring about a world that mirrors your wisdom.
Create in us a desire to act in solidarity,
so that the pillars of injustice crumble
and those now crushed are set free.
Amen.
Linda Jones / CAFOD
I have been thinking a lot about the Kingdom of God recently and although I understand something of what Jesus means when he talks of the Kingdom, to me it is still something of a mystery.
When I first became a Christian, I thought you joined the Kingdom of God automatically and pledged fealty to God. As someone who loves history, I knew people in the past knelt at the feet of the king and pledged to serve him, and in doing this they became faithful members of his kingdom. As a new Christian I thought my task was to bring as many people as possible into that Kingdom.
That was my simple way of understanding what the Kingdom of God is.
So, what about the mystery?
Well Jesus says a lot of things which to me seem to say it’s more than just doing evangelism.
“The kingdom of God is at hand.”
“The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed that grows into a huge tree”
“The kingdom of God is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
“The kingdom of God is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
What is Jesus saying?
To me, he seems to be saying that being part of God’s Kingdom means we should act to spread something of God’s love in all that we do. It might mean we have to sacrifice; it may only be little things; we might not even realise we are having an effect.
I came across a Dave Tomlinson video on Work of the People which I found interesting. He calls the Kingdom of God “The Quiet Revolution” and talks about the butterfly effect.
He says, “part of the programme of God’s Kingdom is to be devoted to a programme of change, both within ourselves and in society as a whole.”
Yeast put into bread and mustard seeds planted are small things that grow. We must embrace our smallness, ineffectualness and hopelessness, and give our widows mite so that it can be part of something greater.
We think of movements that started small and grew into something great. The ending of Apartheid, the fall of the Berlin wall. Lots of people committing themselves to doing little things who brought about massive change. When Rosa Parks refused to sit at the back of the bus, I don’t think she could imagine the effect that had.
Desmond Tutu said:
“The biggest defining moment in my life was when I saw Trevor Huddleston and I was maybe nine or so.
I didn’t know it was Trevor Huddleston, but I saw this tall, white priest in a black cassock doff his hat to my mother who was a domestic worker.
I didn’t know then that it would have affected me so much, but it was something that was, really – it blew your mind that a white man would doff his hat.
And subsequently I discovered, of course, that this was quite consistent with his theology that every person is of significance, of infinite value, because they are created in the image of God.
And the passion with which he opposed apartheid, and any other injustice is something that I sought then to emulate.”
The Kingdom of God comes in littleness but can have great impact in the end. As with the chaos theory – small things have a greater effect down the road. Having faith should lead you to doing little things, knowing that something can come of this.
Task
If we remember the “Love is” cartoons …
My task is for you to come up with your own saying to follow on from The Kingdom of Heaven is …
Take some time and write it on the butterfly shaped paper.
Prayersbased on the prayer of St Frances.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Like that of Christ, our mission on earth is to bring to others God’s peace. God’s state of “perfect well-being” and completeness. Shalom is the Hebrew word for this rich concept of “peace.” Often used as a greeting of peace, Shalom is a wish that those so greeted will find healing and fullness of life.
Pray that you can bring Shalom to those you meet this coming week.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love, Saint Francis tells his followers, “Our Lord says in the Gospel, Love your enemies (Matthew 5: 44). If we feel offence, injury, anger, hurt or rejection how do we handle that is the light of loving our enemies.
Pray for those we know who need to know love.
Where there is injury, pardon, During the violence-ridden Crusades, Francis discovered a path of peace, pardon and non-violence. The “little poor man” went to Egypt to engage in a peaceful dialogue with the sultan, a meeting in which a spirit of forgiveness, respect and understanding prevailed. Francis would have the same message for those in our times who are so quick to see violence as the only cure for terrorism.
Pray for the miracle of God’s peace to be in the hearts of those who lead in our world.
Where there is doubt, faith,
Pray for those who have lost faith or who have their faith sorely challenged ask God to show you ways that can restore faith to those people.
Where there is despair, hope/Where there is darkness, light, Think of Saint Francis following Jesus example and embracing lepers and lovingly washing their sores. Surely, many of those suffering souls felt an inner surge of hope and human dignity when they experienced care.
Pray for the strength to show care and love in difficult situations
And where there is sadness, joy. Francis used to say that he wanted his followers to go about the world like strolling minstrels, “to inspire the hearts of people and stir them to spiritual joy.” They give us an example to follow in our own day!
Pray that we will be like those strolling minstrels and inspire the hearts of people we meet who feel sadness
For ourselves we pray
Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand and to be loved as to love
Pray for awareness that
It is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned , and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Bread and Wine
Jesus – bread breaker, wine pourerTable sharer, life giver, poor blesser, storm sleeper, blame taker,Scroll reader, mask exposer, sheep steerer, wave treader,Tempest calmer, truth wielder, light extruder, crowd amazer,Life enhancer, peacemaker, grace ladler, Spirit breatherTruth teacher, friend maker, bread breaker we remember you. Food blesser, cross bearer, law revealer, temple cleanser,God revealer, story weaver, hurt healer,Desert victor, death drinker, justice bringer,Sight restorer, sin forgiver, wine renewer.Death defeater, foot washer, wine pourer we thank you.
I don’t have the examples everyone came up with for their ‘The Kingdom of God is like…’ but they were amazingly creative and thought-provoking. Have a go! The morning left us freshly inspired and we agreed later in the week that we were still thinking about it! Thanks Barbara.
We began our time at the bandstand listening to the birdsong and sounds of people and vehicles as we stilled ourselves before Steve spoke the following words:
We have learnt that as we gather in the bandstand each Sunday,
We meet with God
We meet with God’s Creation
We meet with God’s People
We need to slow ourselves to become aware of this,
We need to slow our breathing, to focus our thinking, to attune our spirit – otherwise we will miss the thinness of this time and place
Great and wonderous is God
Great and wonderous is God’s Creation
Great and wonderous are our companions here and elsewhere
Blessed be our Father/Mother God
Blessed be Jesus
Blessed be the holy and wild Goose Amen
We then read the following:
On Sauntering…..
There are always some people in the mountains who are known as “hikers.” They rush over the trail at high speed and take great delight in being the first to reach camp and in covering the greatest number of miles in the least possible time. They measure the trail in terms of speed and distance and difficulty and time.
One day as I was resting in the shade, Mr. Muir* overtook me on the trail and began to chat in that friendly way in which he delights to talk with everyone he meets. I said to him: “Mr. Muir, someone told me you did not approve of the word ‘hike.’ Is that so?” His blue eyes flashed, and with his Scottish accent he replied: “I don’t like either the word or the thing. People ought to saunter in the mountains – not hike!
“Do you know the origin of that word ‘saunter?’ It’s a beautiful word. Away back in the Middle Ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going, they would reply, “A la sainte terre,’ ‘To the Holy Land.’ And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not ‘hike’ through them.”
John Muir lived up to his doctrine. He was usually the last man to reach camp. He never hurried. He stopped to get acquainted with individual trees along the way. He would hail people passing by and make them get down on hands and knees if necessary to see the beauty of some little bed of almost microscopic flowers. Usually, he appeared at camp with some new flowers in his hat and a little piece of fir bough in his buttonhole.
Now, whether the derivation of saunter Muir gave me is scientific or fanciful, is there not in it another parable? There are people who “hike” through life. They measure life in terms of money and amusement; they rush along the trail of life feverishly seeking to make a dollar or gratify an appetite. How much better to “saunter” along this trail of life, to measure it in terms of beauty and love and friendship! How much finer to take time to know and understand the men and women along the way, to stop a while and let the beauty of the sunset possess the soul, to listen to what the trees are saying and the songs of the birds, and to gather the fragrant little flowers that bloom all along the trail of life for those who have eyes to see!
You can’t do these things if you rush through life in a big red automobile at high speed; you can’t know these things if you “hike” along the trail in a speed competition. These are the peculiar rewards of the man who has learned the secret of the saunterer!
We walked without words to read, then, sauntering and observing and lingering… before returning to prayer and then sharing bread and wine with our Companions liturgy
Prayers
As we saunter on our pilgrimage, we open our eyes to the needs of this world, to the needs of others and to the transforming power of God around and amongst us. We offer our prayers to be agents of change even when we feel powerless to be so. And so we ask:
God of love and justice comfort us where we are unsettled and unsettle us where we are comfortable
…
We offer you those we know who need Jesus now… (we name them now)
God of love and justice, comfort those who are unsettled and unsettle those who are comfortable
…
We offer you our planet, its health, its life, its turmoil and we pray for all those affected by climate change, for those working to reverse the damage that has been done and for those in positions of power and influence
God of love and justice, comfort those who are unsettled and unsettle those who are comfortable
…
And we offer ourselves. Send us out to be Lamed Vavniks in the places we find ourselves and for the people we encounter. That we might live abundantly, generously, gratefully and openly. We invite you, Mother-Father, Saviour-Friend, Spirit-Companion to work in us, through us, for us, despite us.
Amen.
A gentle, reflective morning which felt very special.
Sarah B led us in a wonderful evening of creativity and reflection. We began reading the following words: breath Genesis 2 v 7 Then the Lord God formed a human from the dust of the ground and breathed into their nostrils the breath of life, and the human became a living being.
Then with a pen in hand, we drew lines up and down as we breathed in and out, helping us to be aware of our breathing…
On a new piece of paper we drew a straight line a third of the way up. Taking 2 pens, one thicker and one thin, we drew 5 thin loose lines across the top and 10 heavier lines below the horizon, adding water colours
lights in the vault of the sky
And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.
Then we added to the piece made before to add stars and lights using spatter metallic paint
the light shines in the darkness and the names of god (NIV degendered John 1) in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. They were with God in the beginning. Through them all things were made without them nothing was made that has been made. In them was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Instructions were:
Write a list of words that you feel are connected to God, the spirit, characteristics, don’t overthink it, just jot down what comes to mind.
Art – centred circle painted in water and colour, loosely draw round with a black fineliner allowing the lines to loop and overlap in a loose form
Now go back to your word list and select three that pull you most strongly. Select and area in the art and slowly with care write the letters of the word – add colour if desire.
An amazing evening – heartily recommend doing this!!
Julie and Steve led us this last Sunday in a very special time together. Here’s their stuff!
RULES FOR VISITING AN OUTDOOR CATHEDRAL (POEM) Dorothy Woods
Please remember to leave your anxieties
As you make your first foot step on the path Feel the warm greeting
The sun’s got your back.
Listen to the birds sing:
They’re pleased to share life with you
Don’t be surprised
If you seem to understand their voice
It’s the joy of living.
Walk with rhythm,
pace and purpose
Remember many feet have touched
Where yours do now
Silence your thoughts
And let your Maker
Fill your ears with
the language of his love
Receive this, soak it in
Let you eyes feed on
Lime and emerald greens,
and cerulean blues,
brown and chestnut ochres
nature’s dazzling hues
Fill the pockets of your
hungry soul with spring’s abundance.
Taste the air – breathe it deeply
and receive again the glad invitation to the dance,
in step with God beside.
(with acknowledgement to Andrew Rudd, ‘Rules for Visiting a Cathedral’ 2018)
Spring is finally arriving, gardens need tidying, plants need feeding, shoots are poking through and blossoms are beginning to show. So today I want to think about nurture, feeding, pruning, watering and preparation for growth.
The last two times I have shared with you I have used ‘the woman at the well story’ and guess what: I’m going to start with it again today.
John 4 10-15
10 Jesus answered, “If you knew the generosity of God and who I am, you would be asking me for a drink, and I would give you fresh, living water.”
11-12 The woman said, “Sir, you don’t even have a bucket to draw with, and this well is deep. So how are you going to get this ‘living water’? Are you a better man than our ancestor Jacob, who dug this well and drank from it, he and his sons and livestock, and passed it down to us?”
13-14 Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again and again. Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst—not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life.”
15 The woman said, “Sir, give me this water so I won’t ever get thirsty, won’t ever have to come back to this well again!”
Song of Songs 2:11-13
11 See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.
12 Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.”
So I have a visual aid- “The tree of life” to help us think about our thirst and our hunger.
The tree of life (and the rivers flowing from the throne of God) mirrors the original tree in the garden of Eden, providing hope of sustained life with Yahweh. In this way, the tree both recalls the garden story and also provides an expectation of future hope.
So take ten minutes to walk or stand
Be brave and try taking your shoes and socks off to stand on (holy ) ground. Feel your roots going down deep connecting with Gods good earth.
Know that you are unconditionally loved.
Think about what you hunger for, what you thirst for and ask Jesus to be your nourishment and the Holy Spirit to fill you with living water.
Do we need to be pruned in order for our roots to go deeper to allow us individually and as a group to flourish ?
What might our flourishing look like ?
You might want to look around for symbols of God’s nourishment to attach to the tree of life on your return or you might like to choose a symbol from the box to stick on the tree or write on a post it to share your thinking with the group.
Time for feedback
Prayer for ourselves and others
Communion
Blessing
Open hearted God
Who welcomes with arms flung wide
Like doors slung open in excited haste,
We pray you may bless this place,
That it will be a space of open doors and open hearts. That it may be a place of welcome, love and hospitality and that it may offer sanctuary.
Open our hearts
That we may be a people of welcome, love and hospitality. That we may offer sanctuary.
That we may bless others.
Keep our hearts and our doors open to your Spirit
In the name of Christ
Who stands at the door and knocks willing us to open up.
This morning Jeremy led us in glorious sunshine, surrounded by blossom on the trees and it felt wonderful! We began with these words from Philippians 4:
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Like the practice in yoga, it is good to identify one’s Intention, and here it is being content in the good and the bad. As Jeremy said, St Paul can be very annoying – it is easier said than done to be content in all circumstances – but it is a place to aim for.
Rom 12: 15 says: Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
Recognising that we are all having very different experiences of life at this time, Jeremy reminded us that when we come together, we all come from different places with different needs. One to speak of joys, one to speak of woes, one not wanting to speak but wanting to just listen, one unsure quite where they are at. One of us finds our voice in a psalm like this one:
Psalm 30
1 I will exalt you, LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me. 2 LORD my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me. 3 You, LORD, brought me up from the realm of the dead; you spared me from going down to the pit.
4 Sing the praises of the LORD, you his faithful people; praise his holy name. 5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favour lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
6 When I felt secure, I said, “I will never be shaken.” 7 LORD, when you favored me, you made my royal mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed.
8 To you, LORD, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy: 9 “What is gained if I am silenced, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
10 Hear, LORD, and be merciful to me; LORD, be my help.”
11 You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, 12 that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. LORD my God, I will praise you forever.
Whilst another of us finds our voice in a psalm like this one:
Psalm 42
1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” 4 These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One[d] with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.
6 My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.
8 By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?” 10 My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
11 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.
So we turned to prayer realising that our prayers bring us together as we own one another’s situation without judgement
In turn we shared where we have seen God at work this week and where we would like to see God at work next week. That proved very special… We spent some time in silent prayer after that.
And we concluded with the breaking of bread, remembering that the broken bread represents brokenness (Christ completely broken is with us in our brokenness), while the cup of wine represents blessing (celebrating the good and the coming good that resurrection speaks of).
1 Cor 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation[e] in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation[f] in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread
It was good to be reminded of all of these words, of each others’ hopes and needs and of the relevance of the bread and wine for all of us. Thank you Jeremy!
We met in pouring rain – glad of the shelter of the bandstand – to celebrate St Patrick yesterday, beginning with a Trinitarian prayer in honour of his Shamrock analogy:
We meet today in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
In the name of our Mother, Lover and Friend
In the name of the Lover, Beloved and Love
In the name of the Creator, Saviour and Companion
In the name of the Source of all being, the Eternal Word and Empowering presence of God
And in the presence of Saint Patrick, the saints of old and ThirdSpace saints resurrected
Thanks be to God, the Three in One, the Divine Dance and Community of love!
We heard the story of St Patrick – how he was abducted at the age of 16 and sold into slavery in Ireland and how there he came to faith and learnt to pray through the day and night whilst watching over sheep. Using The Message we read from 1 Thessalonians about the need to encourage one another and to pray
We heard the story of St Patrick – how he was abducted at the age of 16 and sold into slavery in Ireland and how there he came to faith and learnt to pray through the day and night whilst watching over sheep. Using The Message we read from 1 Thessalonians about the need to encourage one another and to pray at all times , before saying together St Patrick’s breastplate. For some time, we shared how we pray, these days and then the situations and folk we were aware of that need our prayers today. Then we used an adapted version of Patrick’s prayer to pray for them:
As we arise today, I name those who need God’s presence and answers now…
May the strength of God pilot you, the power of God uphold you,, the wisdom of God guide you
May the eye of God look before you, the ear of God hear you, the word of God speak for you.
May the hand of God protect you, the way of God lie before you, the shield of God defend you, the host of God save you. May Christ shield you today.
(Name again those who need Jesus close… and visualise them as you use these words:)
Christ with you, Christ before you, Christ behind you, Christ in you, Christ beneath you, Christ above you, Christ on your right, Christ on your left, Christ when you lie down, Christ when you sit, Christ when you stand, Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of you, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of you, Christ in every eye that sees you, Christ in every ear that hears you.
Thereafter, we returned to share bread and wine, using words Steve had written:
Bread and Wine with Patrick
We follow in the footsteps of so many, in meeting in the name of the Trinity.
The Source of all Being, the Eternal Word, the Empowering Presence.
May the bread – which tells its own story of love and redemption – bless you three times.
In bringing restoration and sustenance and companionship for the journey.
May the wine – which tells its own story of love and redemption – bless you three times.
In bringing joy and inspiration and vision for the journey.
We are sent and surrounded and upheld. We bless those who have travelled this way before us and those who are to follow. May ThirdSpace be a faithful link in the chain. Amen.
We finished by reading some further verses from 1 Thessalonians as a blessing of one another:
3-24 May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he’ll do it! 28 The amazing grace of Jesus Christ be with you!
Then it was off to coffee at Ostello Lounge for more chat and putting the world straight!!
This Sunday we met at Barbara’s – just 2 weeks after her hip replacement and not yet ready to be at the bandstand. It was a leisurely and special time when we were able to share all kinds of things and concerns for one another and for others we know and care about.
Barbara gave us each copies of the Beatitudes both from The Message and the NIV and we sat with those words and reflected on them before she shared the following version:
The Beatitudes – Brian McLaren & Rob Bell
The poor and those in solidarity with them – God is on your side.
Those who mourn and feel grief about the state of the world – God is on your side.
The non-violent, gentle and humble – God is on your side.
Those who hunger ad thirst for the common good – God is on your side.
The merciful and compassionate – God is on your side.
Those characterised by sincerity, kindness and generosity- God is on your side.
Those who work for peace and reconciliation – God is on your side.
Those who keep seeking justice – God is on your side.
Those who stand for justice and truth as the prophets did, who refuse to be quiet even when slandered, misrepresented, threatened, imprisoned or harmed – God is on your side.
It was good to talk about them and how they linked to people near and far – feeding into prayers.
We prayed using words from Lectio 365 – allowing us to hear messages of hope from Revelation 21’s vision of an end to tears and suffering and St Paul’s words about all creation straining for the day of God’s salvation… with time to hold those in need now…
And we shared bread and wine using words written by Steve on a previous occasion, focusing on how we are all interconnected:
Bread and Wine
We like to think of ourselves with Enlightenment eyes as Individuals Authentic choosers Freewill warriors Single autonomous souls
But what if we are community? But what if I am a community? A host of many More multitudinous than we can imagine Living in bewildering symbiosis Part of a greater interdependent whole.
What if that rich bio-chemical soup makes up me? I am my microbiome.
It is integral to my selfhood, my decisions, my likes, dislikes, values and my shalom?
What if I am formed and nurtured in the crucible of generational love and struggle? That others whose names I only distantly recognise or whose names are inscribed upon my heart, have a part to play in my story.
So we might say, “Though we are many, we are one body.” Gathered today through choice around the bread and the wine with their story of sacrificial love, redemption and renewal.
So we eat the one body… And drink the one wine…
And we are jointly and severally co-missioned as artists and prophets, as lamed vavniks and kingdom seekers. Blessings. Amen
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