Christine and Tom are coming back tomorrow. I can’t wait to hear about their trip. Summer is here in a little over a week, don’t forget that there are many garden resources in the store. There are books and virtual classes, prayer cards and reflections on gardening as a spiritual practice; go take a look if you have some time.
Last week Episode 9 of the Liturgical Rebels podcast aired. Christine and Forrest Inslee interviewed Brian McLaren, author of Life After Doom, covering hope, transformation, ecological overshoot and so much more. Last Thursday we reposted one of Christine’s spiritual practices: finger labyrinths. They’re lots of fun, and pretty easy to make and use. One of our Godspacelight writers, Rev Sheila Hamil, has published a new memoir, “Called”. As she says, “My book ‘Called’ documents my entire life from being a child growing up in the North East of England with the ever-present threads of family, friendship, and faith in God, all woven in.” You can access it on her website www.sheilahamil.co.uk. Christine’s Meditation Monday shared her visit to Wells Cathedral, there are lots of beautiful pictures. Yesterday we reposted Naomi Lawrence’s 2021 post for Yarnbombing Day; if you don’t know what yarnbombing is, go find out.
Now you’re caught up!
Melissa
Originally posted in 2021
by Naomi Lawrence
FLASHBACK to June 8th 2012
It’s about 9pm and I suddenly remember that tomorrow is the much anticipated International Yarnbombing Day and somehow it slipped my mind. I grab my tape measure, run to the corner of my Cambridge street, and measure a lamppost – its height and circumference. At home I scramble together some knit and crochet swatches then return to sew the piece on, take some quick pictures and then head home. There’s a flurry of excitement in the bakery the next morning on the opposite corner. I hear the staff gossiping about the press and when its my turn to be served I lean across the counter and whisper “it was me”.
I’m hooked and now there’s no going back.
Fast forward 9 years. I am now living in Harlem, NYC and I am known internationally for my ‘next level yarnbombing’ and one of the only fiber artists in the world making large scale 2d crochet flowers. I work with local fiber artists on collaborations, consult community groups who are wanting to make a yarnbomb, teach crochet in schools at the same time as making my art and working on private commissions. My ‘hobbie has turned into a jobbie’.
But it’s more than a job or vocation, this is my ministry and I feel this is where God is calling me to be right now. In the slow patient process of making art with others using the craft of crochet. In 2018 we joined a Christian order called InnerCHANGE ‘a family of Jesus followers whose lives are bound together by common rhythms, commitments and values’. Through this international community we feel better equipped to ground ourselves here and now in our 2nd year of a 3 year apprenticeship we are aiming to grow a team here in New York.
I meet regularly with a group of local women to work on a new piece to beautify the neighborhood and these pieces can take months to make. We work individually at home and keep in regular contact, sometimes meeting once a week in a local church or local community center. These relationships have grown over the years and the women have come to rely on each other as friends, mothers, wives, ex-wives. The emotional support that grows organically is beautiful to see. Then there are the seniors in the Bronx that have an art programmer who reaches out to me and asks if I could work with them to create their own floral mural on the fence of their housing. Four months later I spend 10 hours sewing the seniors flowers onto the fence with one of my local women and we laugh and cry all day. Isn’t God good. I have this life because I am created me to be the woman I am and have the gifts to transform and beautify. And in all this I AM CHANGED.
la flor de mi madre 1
I’m not the same woman I was when I installed that first yarnbomb in 2012. Boy am I not. I’ve given birth to twins, emigrated to the USA, lost countless friends to chronic illness and addiction and then there’s the whole transformation that comes from finding a way to channel that creative side of me that for so long lay dormant.
These days I’m pretty much working full time on fiber arts projects/yarnbombing and that incorporates all the ‘admin’ involved and there’s a lot of that these days.
Right now it’s Saturday afternoon and I’m just returning from a 4 hr drop-in workshop I run with a local friend at a community center in a NYC housing project. A few women stop by throughout the afternoon to drop off crochet & knit squares for a collective yarnbomb, to collect yarn, have a quick chat or sometimes a long chat. I enjoy the unhurried, slow brewing relationships that develop over time and through consistency. Yes, sometimes there are deadlines and they can be draining but we bounce back and sometimes they’re the ones that pay the bills and enable us to stock up on yarn for future projects.
A community activist and gardener from a community garden in the Bronx recently reached out. They have transformed DOT land into an oasis right beside the Harlem River Parkway and I am helping them to make a 7ft crochet monarch butterfly for the outside of their fence.
I could just make it for them but from day one I invited THEM to make the 200 orange 5” squares and then sew them together at a workshop they hosted in the garden. I see the joy and pride that creators have when they have contributed to a yarnbomb and I want them to feel that. Not just show up and say they love this piece of fiber art created by me but to truly be able to say “I made that” and also “I made this for you” to their neighbors. It will be installed on the outside of their garden facing a busy intersection of a neighborhood inhabited by people who live below the poverty line. Maybe someone will pass by that garden fence one day and will see that butterfly and will feel that they too are loved. These are the stories we retell and maybe those that hear them will wonder if there is a way that they can do something small in their neighborhood. A random act of generosity…
Bio for Naomi Lawrence
Naomi Lawrence
Naomi Lawrence is a British Fiber Artist based in East Harlem, NYC. Working with acrylic yarn to create oversized 2-Dimensional site-specific installations.
Spirituality of Gardening Online Course
The garden has seemingly unending lessons to teach us about God and what it means to be a person of faith. We read about the miracle of the fish and the loaves but experience a miracle every time we harvest God’s bounty. Join us as we discuss connections between community, spirituality and gardening. Explore the wonderful ways that God and God’s story are revealed through the rhythms of planting, growing and harvesting. Spiritual insights, practical advice for organic backyard gardeners and time for reflection will all enrich and deepen our faith. This series is based on Christine Sine’s popular book, To Garden with God.
by Christine Sine
On Thursday last week Tom and I enjoyed the wonder of a visit to the magnificent Wells Cathedral which sits on the western slopes of the Mendip Hills in the medieval city of Wells. It is an absolute masterpiece. Built in the 12th century it is both beautiful and historic and still attracts pilgrims and visitors from all over the world. What amazed me was the calm serenity of the space, so much in contrast to other great cathedrals which are often far more crowded and bustling with noisy activity.
I was inspired by the unique scissor arches in the nave, a stunningly beautiful design that one can be forgiven for mistaking to be a frivolous flourish to the already awe inspiring architecture. They were actually added in the 14th century as a medieval solution to sinking tower foundations. As well as that there is the incredible vaulted ceiling which I could have stood and admired for hours. Extremely beautiful but also very functional. How often I wonder do we dismiss artistic masterpieces as frivolous and with little value because they seem on initial examination to have little functional purpose? I think that God intends beauty and functionality to go hand in hand. In fact it seems to me that when we lose sight of God and move away from an understanding of the sacredness of all things, we often design for functionality at the expense of beauty.
I vividly remember three visits I made to Budapest during the 80s and 90s when Hungary was moving away from the Soviet Union and the iron hand of communism. There was a growing interest in spirituality amongst the people we talked to and part of the way it seemed to be expressed was in a moving away from the drab greyness of Soviet architecture to a joyous use of colour and vivid designs. Maybe one sign of our closeness to God is our appreciation and creation of beauty in every possible aspect of our life.
Would love to hear your opinion on this.
Another aspect of the cathedral that intrigued me was the West Front with one of the largest galleries of medieval sculptures in the world. The lower niches are filled with biblical scenes but as we look higher we move through images of kings, bishops and angels to the twelve apostles with Christ reigning overall. It’s amazing to think that these figures, carved more than 800 years ago are still in such good condition though it is probable that back then they were even more resplendent as some of the carded figures were probably adorned with red, white, blue and green paint.
Much as I admire these incredible sculptures, I struggle with the hierarchical view of our world and of God that they seem to depict. Christ is a distant, untouchable figure. Definitely not the loving, compassionate companion and friend I have come to see him as. Nor do these images draw me closer to the God of love whom I increasingly see as a down to earth, garden loving, vulnerable God who is intimately entwined through every aspect of our world and deeply concerned for every part of it.
Another spectacular part of Wells cathedral is the chapter house, the place where church authorities met to discuss ecclesiastical affairs of supervise legal proceedings. Octagonal in shape and with a fine ribbed-vaulted ceiling, it has been described as “architecturally the most beautiful in England. “ Along its perimeter walls are 51 seats or stalls for named dignitaries and the steps that lead up to it are well worn by the passage of hundreds if not thousands of feet over the centuries. This is a well used structure, though I must confess I would not have enjoyed the stone seats to sit on.
The last feature that caught my attention was the astronomical clock, circa 1390 which is one of the oldest mediaeval clocks in the world. And it still works. How is that for craftsmanship? It was wonderful to watch the jousting knights go round as in a tournament while above and to the right, Jack Blander chimes the quarters with his heels and strikes the bell in front of him for the hours. I am amazed not just by the detail and the whimsy (one of the knights gets knocked of his horse time and time again) but also by the endurance of this incredible clock. The loving work of the crafters who created it is incredible. I can imagine the pride taken in its creation and the delight it would give to its creator to see it still in use today.
Wells Cathedral gave me much to reflect on. I rejoiced at this symbol of faith and worship that gave glory to God hundreds of years ago and still today. It has endured for so many years, through good times and hard. and still stands as a testimony to the greatness of God. However I also grieved the journey into wealth and prestige taken by the heads of the church and the images that show how church leaders separated themselves and their impressions of God from the common people. Is it surprising that people find it hard to draw close to our loving God today? What I wonder can I do to change that and to introduce others to a God who craves intimacy with all of us?
I would love to hear your thoughts on this.
by Rev. Sheila Hamil
“Put down the hoover, go into the bedroom and pray!”
This time the words seemed more emphatic, more urgent
I seemed to sense that if I ignored this command a third time, I would not hear this voice again. So, with feelings of both curiosity and annoyance, I marched into the bedroom, thinking ‘What harm will one little prayer do, anyway?’
My book ‘Called’ documents my entire life from being a child growing up in the North East of England with the ever-present threads of family, friendship, and faith in God, all woven in.
Sheila shares how in the very ordinary things of life, and death, relationship and work, there is treasure to be found, and the hand of God at work. It is a masterpiece of memories.
(Revd Rachel Hudson: Vicar of Scremerston, Spittal & Tweedmouth at Diocese of Newcastle, Church of England)
I don’t think I’ve read an autobiography that weaves so many threads (including, but by no means limited to: spirituality, family, history, current affairs, politics both national and international as well as ecclesiastical!) into one lovely tapestry.
(Tim Binder, co-author of Walking with the Wise)
Author’s Note:
What better time to reminisce and jot down memoirs than when you have time on your hands, say during a period of ‘lockdown’. A familiar word, even more common these days, has been bequeathed to our world since the month of March 2020.
Off and on, since then, the entire human race has been following rules concerning our need to isolate in order to prevent the spread of the virus Covid-19. Which has led to a cornucopia of unfamiliar words such as ‘social distancing’, ‘bubbles’, ‘pandemic’, ‘zoom bombing’, ‘key workers’, and ‘covidiot’. It’s all been quite puzzling and scary for us, and lonely and strange. We grieved and fretted, as death rates and hospital admission statistics rose alarmingly.
And so, we inhabited a ‘brave new world’ in our everyday lives, with very little human contact or touch, outside of the family circle. We so missed our full-on tight hugs. Initially, to use my time wisely and take my mind off ‘the bug’, I began making videos of all my songs; some of my friend’s compositions among them. My second project was this — a book of memoirs, and how I came to faith in God.
My book entitled ‘CALLED’ has just become available on Amazon Kindle Edition and paperback. In CALLED you will find family, friendship, romance, history and faith in God, all woven together.
Kindle is the better buy, as photos here are in colour and it contains links to all of my songs and a few dramas, whereas photos in the book are in black and white; links referenced here can only be obtained through my website: www.sheilahamil.co.uk
A couple of days ago a friend sent me this photo of a finger labyrinth at the cathedral in Lucca, Italy which was built in the 11th century. The labyrinth is on the wall under the portico on the right side. The day after that I put together my spiritual travel kit with the knitted finger labyrinth as an important element. When I woke in the middle of the night a couple of days before we started travelling, I sat in the dark and pulled out one of my finger labyrinths to help me relax and calm my mind. All of this made me realize that finger labyrinths needed to be the spiritual practice for this week and so I adapted this article which I wrote several years ago.
Jesus, friend, companion, lover of my soul,
The One who walks beside me,
Wherever I might go.
The One who hold me close,
When despair lurks at the door.
Who comforts me
When the way is rough,
And I stumble over rocks
I did not see.
Walk with me now,
Through all the twists and turns of life,
When clouds obscure the way.
When what once seemed close,
Now looks so far away,
Walk with me,
Down paths of light
And trails of night,
Help me paint rocks,
To glow in the dark.
No longer obstacles but markers on the Way.
Walk with me till I trust in you,
And journey towards the life,
At the centre of your love.
To be honest when I first read about finger labyrinths while working on my book Return to Our Senses, this seemed a very strange way to pray. Most of the articles I read suggested that the best way to trace out a finger labyrinth is with a finger from your non-dominant hand. It seemed weird but evidently research suggests that our non-dominant hand has better access to our intuition.
Much to my surprise, I found that it really did help me focus and often brought intuitive inspiration when I was grappling with challenging questions. As I “walk” my labyrinth I still often recite the prayer above which is one I adapted from a previous one I wrote for Return to Our Senses.
Since then, I have gone a lot further and allowed the labyrinth to inspire my journalling, my preparation for Holy week and Easter, my problem solving for challenging questions. Sometimes I sketch a crude labyrinth in my journal then write the words impressed on me over the previous few weeks as a pathway for me to follow through the coming weeks. Out of this has come new practices for the following season.
In the Middle Ages, it is believed that walking the labyrinth was often used as a form of pilgrimage for those who could not afford the time or the money to leave their homes for an extended time to walk to the Holy Land. Though this usually involved walking a labyrinth in the church or its grounds, finger labyrinths were evidently used in the same way. People walked the labyrinth with the same intentionality that pilgrims did. The inward walk was a journey toward a closer sense of the presence of God, the outward walk, a journey back into the community, taking the benefits of the walk into the ongoing journey of our lives.
In its simplest form a labyrinth walk is used as a simple form of meditation for individuals and groups. Because it requires no figuring out, one can simply walk, allowing the mind to quiet, and let the body or the finger to take over. We may walk, dance, or crawl the path, doing what the body calls forth; there are no rules, there is no right or wrong way.
Many churches and religious institutions, including Calvin College I know encourage their congregations and students to walk the labyrinth during Lent and Holy Week as a meditative walk toward the Cross – an alternative to Stations of the Cross for many people. Here are some ideas on how to do this and pilgrim paths in the U.K. has produced this excellent brochure for a Holy Week labyrinth walk.
Finger Labyrinths.
Some of you probably noticed that my finger labyrinths often feature prominently in the background to my sacred space. I have 2 in particular that are permanent fixtures. One is an 11 circuit Chartres style labyrinth, so named because it is modeled after the labyrinth set in the stone floor in the nave of Chartres Cathedral in France. The other is a Celtic labyrinth given to Tom and I as a gift for our years of service with Mustard Seed Associates. These labyrinths sit, prominently displayed and ready to be taken down and used whenever I get writers block or puzzle over a challenging question.
Finger Labyrinths for Questioning.
While modern hospitals and nursing homes now advertise large and visible outdoor labyrinths, many more healing institutions are quietly bringing finger labyrinths inside. One simple reason is that many patients are confined to beds or wheelchairs. Finger labyrinths have advantages beyond convenience and accessibility. People use finger walks not just for prayer and healing, but also to get ready for meetings, break through writer’s block, cure insomnia, and for many other reasons known only to them. They provide a legitimate path for questioning and problem solving.
I love finger labyrinths – both walking and creating them and would heartily recommend them to you. They are great because of their portability. I even have one I can carry in my pocket at times. There are many patterns to these so you might like to download a few and experiment with how they might help you find solutions to the questions you are grappling with you. You might just like to color your labyrinth in different colors or write the words that come to you as you walk it along the pathway.
If you have time, create your own finger labyrinth, this is a meditative exercise in itself. Part of what I love is that we can create labyrinths using whatever art medium inspires us. Here are instructions on creating a simple labyrinth, a very inspiring practice I often use in workshops.
One of my favourite set of instructions for making a finger labyrinth is from Heather Plett who has made labyrinth design a piece of art. Other method I have not tried yet is making a finger labyrinth with play dough or out of fabric. Or you might like to use this method which uses yarn, tissue paper and glue to create a very beautiful decorated labyrinth. A fun activity with kids. Alternatively, try knitting a labyrinth . There are lots of patterns out there for knitting. Here is another that looks intriguing.
What Is Your Response?
Here is a simple finger labyrinth exercise you might like to experiment with. If you don’t own a finger labyrinth, download or draw a simple pattern. The whole process of creating your own labyrinth is meditative too.
Sit in a quiet place with your hands in your lap, palms facing upward. Take a few breaths in and out until you feel at peace in your soul.
Recite the prayer above several times and relax into the presence of God
Form a question you are grappling with or use the one I suggested during Lent a few years ago: What am I afraid of? Place a finger from your non-dominant hand at the entrance to the labyrinth. Prayerfully ask your question. Invite the holy spirit of God to guide and instruct you on your journey.
Trace the circuit with your finger. Stay open to whatever presents itself: feelings, sensations, memories, ideas. Pause at any time to breathe, focus on a thought or memory or just to relax into the labyrinth and your questioning. At the center of the labyrinth, sense your connection to your own centre and to the the centering presence of God. Acknowledge the Holy Spirit, the heavenly counselor directing your thoughts and exploration. Relax, pray, sing. Repeat your question and wait on the Holy Spirit to guide you.
Trace your way out, staying open to whatever comes up for you. Now you might like to change you question to What would I do if I was not afraid? When your walk is done, place both hands on the labyrinth, take some deep breaths in and out, and give thanks to God for whatever you learned and experienced.
Godspacelight Community Cookbook
Godspacelight Community Cookbook Digital Download
This downloadable PDF version of the Godspacelight Community Cookbook is filled with recipes created by readers, authors, and friends of Godspacelight. Contributors from the U.S., Canada, Australia, the U.K., Norway, Malta and South Africa provided not only recipes but also lots of fun stories and anecdotes to go with their recipes. These stories are inspiring to read as they give us insights both into the contributors’ lives and their cultures. And the recipes themselves are delicious.
In this episode of Liturgical Rebels, Christine Sine and Forrest Inslee interview Brian McLaren.
A former English professor, Brian D. McLaren was a pastor for twenty-four years. Now he’s an author, activist, public theologian, and popular public speaker. His work has been covered in TIME Magazine, Newsweek, USA Today, The New York Times, Washington Post, and CNN. The author of more than 15 books, including Faith After Doubt, Do I Stay Christian? and A New Kind of Christian, he is a faculty member of The Living School at the Center for Action and Contemplation.
As we look back at 2023 it seems the year was full of wars and mass-shootings, massive floods and unprecedented heat waves. No wonder we all feel an “un-peaceful, uneasy, unwanted feeling” every time we watch the news and end up doom scrolling every time we go online. For Brian D. McLaren, doom is the emotional and intellectual experience shared by all who realize the dangerous future into which we are presently plunging ourselves, our descendants, and our fellow creatures. So, in the face of that dangerous future, what do we do?
Life After Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart is an attempt to provide a path for all of us, whatever our backgrounds, to process our feelings of doom and let them become fuel for wise and courageous action. Blending insights from philosophers, poets, scientists, and theologians, Life After Doom explores the complexity of hope, the necessity of grief, and the need for new ways of thinking, becoming, and belonging in turbulent times. This book is for those who want to help themselves, their families, and their communities to find courage and resilience for the deeply challenging times that are upon us.
You can find Brian’s blog, social media links, and contact information on his website, brianmclaren.net; his insta handle is @brian_mclaren.
It’s finally June and it just keeps raining here. The creek in my backyard has been running high and fast for at least 2 solid weeks and winds have been bringing limbs crashing down onto power lines and streets – that’s not usual for Seattle! Hopefully Tom and Christine are keeping drier in the UK than our gardens are.
This last week we had some new posts from June Friesen on Thursday and Saturday reflecting on the challenges of moving and staying connected – literally and figuratively! In Why Move Before the Repairs are Finished June reflects on when and how to move – in life, in seeking help, and whether we’re ready or not. Later in How’s Your Cable Connectionshe reflected on the Jonah story – I always remember how funny Madeleine L’Engle thought that story was, but, I never linked it to cable connections before. Lilly Lewin encourages us to add rest to our summer in her FreeRangeFriday: Make Rest A Part of Your Summer To Do List. There are so many reasons to prioritize rest – practical, holy, sacred reasons. Christine sent along a Meditation Monday about Malmesbury Abbey sharing pictures, reflections and a prayer not to mention some interesting history. Yesterday in Pondering the Cost of Peace Carol Dixon shared some thoughts in the form of a liturgy just in time for the anniversary of D-Day this Thursday, June 6.
Today we released the ninth episode in Christine’s Liturgical Rebels podcast, an interview with Brian McLaren by both Christine and Forrest Inslee. Brian is the author of Life After Doom and has much to say about civilization and church, hope and doom, ecological overshoot and what’s next. Please give it a listen, and as always, please share freely in your social media networks if you’re so inclined. Bringing more people in keeps the work going!
Peace,
Melissa Kelly
for Godspacelight
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