by Christine Sine,
Last week for Pentecost Sunday I decided to walk around my garden photographing all the red flowers to fill my life with a little Pentecostal fire. It was so much fun. There were red roses and poppies, geraniums and lupines, and my stunning epiphyllum cactus orchid flowering in all its magnificence on my front porch. Then around the neighbourhood I saw red rhododendrons, camellias and lilies. Such a display, so much diversity. I couldn’t help but chuckle at these fiery displays that seemed to cry out “happy birthday to the church”.
Red rose
Red lupine
Red poppy
Red Epiphyllum cactus orchid
Celebrating the Trinity
This week, as we celebrated Trinity Sunday yesterday, I decided to look for flowers and leaves with a tripartite structure that reflected the three in one nature of the Trinity – God is One in three – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It was a great deal of fun and it emphasized for me yet again how much we miss out on when we don’t know how to connect the glory of creation to the story of our faith.
The most familiar trinitarian symbol is the Irish shamrock, Oxalis acetosella, with its three-lobed leaves, which St. Patrick supposedly pointed out to the Irish as a symbol of the true Trinitarian God of whom he preached to them, and in whose name he blessed nature to sanctify it. I prefer the brilliant display of this purple shamrock, however.
Purple shamrock
There are lots of other plants that bear the Trinity symbolism too, many of them with three-petaled flowers that represented Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
My favourite is Trillium grandiflorum, a native of north-eastern and north-western U.S. known as the Trillium lily because it is said to symbolize the Trinity. Both its flower and leaves are tripartite – talk about wonderful imagery for us to meditate on.
Trillium Lily – Jean Andrianoff
Other plants bear the Trinity symbolism too, from their three-petaled flowers. In Europe, the wild pansy, or johnny-jump-up, viola tricolor, was also widely known as Trinity Flower – for the three colors of each of its flowers, from which familiar present-day larger pansies blooms have been bred with one or two colors usually dominant.
hybrid pansy
An interesting aspect of bred pansy strains is that though one colour may dominate, the other two colors are always preserved at the centers of the blooms. Thus, pansies of yellow dominance may be seen to symbolize the glory of the heavenly Father; purple: the sorrows of the incarnate Son; and white: the light of the empowering Holy Spirit – with the other colors in each instance always retained at the center, serving to remind us that whenever one of the Persons of the Trinity is present the others are present also, in the unity of the Godhead of love. What a delight to walk around my pansy display and examine this aspect of their beautiful sunny faces.
Aloe Vera – a Different Trinitarian Symbol
I was amazed to discover that Aloe vera, that great healing plant, also known as a miracle plant, burn plant, first aid plant, lily of the desert, jelly leek, plant of life and plant of immortality because of its many uses can also be seen as a symbol of the Trinity. Its Trinity symbolism refers to the characteristic successive emergence of new foliage spears from the base of young plants in groups of three – first two beginning spears, and then a third one between them – reflecting the emergence of the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son in the interior of the Trinity.
Aloe vera
Today I discovered that the strawberry plant with its beautiful serrated tripartite leaf was another plant used to teach about the Trinity.
Strawberry leaf
There are many other plants that have Biblical significance – some of them because they are mentioned in the Bible, others because they have been associated with various aspects of the Biblical story, and now I find that every time I look at a flower or the arrangement of new leaves on a plant that I am looking for that trinitarian pattern. How about you? When was the last time that you looked intentionally at a plant with the hope of once more finding the imprint of our Triune God?
Maybe you don’t get as excited about garden plants as I do, but perhaps there are other symbols that speak to you of the nature of God and encourage you to draw close and worship. Even our finger with its three bones was used as a representation of the Trinity by Celtic Christians as is evident in this Celtic prayer.
I love connecting the symbols of our world and daily life to the biblical story and encourage you to do so too. If you have never done this before or even if you have, I encourage you to join us on Saturday, June 5th for our Sacred Summer retreat where we will explore other fun symbols through which we can enrich our relationship with God.
A contemplative service with music in the style-of-Taize. Carrie Grace Littauer, prayer leader, with music by Kester Limner and Andy Myers. Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-710-756
by Diane Woodrow,
I wonder what we would have thought of Joan of Arc today even in some of the more crazy charismatic churches. She doesn’t fit the stereotype of prophetic leader. She didn’t have visions of Jesus but of Michael, the archangel, Catherine of the “death by flaming spinning wheel from which the firework known as the Catherine-wheel comes from”, and Margaret who was tortured and murdered because she would not renounce the vow to remain a virginal bride of Christ when a pagan king wanted to marry her. Would we have been more like one source and just say “she claimed to have heard voices in her head”?
I wonder if she had come forward today, a young girl of 16 or so, and said she heard voices of an angel and two martyred women and that she wanted to lead her country to victory, she would be taken to a psychiatric ward? Or, if one of our children said they heard voices, would we tell them to hush and maybe get them checked out for autism? Or, what about ourselves? What would you do, what would I do, if we were sure we could hear voices telling us to do something bold and brave? I wonder if we would just keep quiet and wait for our voices to be “confirmed”.
As I pondered Joan of Arc, Greta Thunberg came in to my head, the teenager who has stepped up to the mark to try to lead the world to another place. I wonder if there were other young people who felt the same but whose parents, teachers, or churches, told them not to be so silly and the whole thing was too big for them. Greta, I believe, has only got as far as she has because her parents didn’t stop her. There is nothing to say what Joan of Arc’s parents thought but it was her relative who was bold enough to take her to a local garrison and from there she made it to the French court.
Joan experienced lots of opposition but preserved because of her total belief that this was what God was telling her through his messengers; Michael, Catherine and Margaret. How often do we hear something, and hear it very clear, and yet when we hit opposition, or lack of support from others, we give up? This doesn’t mean that we should power on through because we think this is what we should do but sometimes, like both Joan and Greta, we need to listen to what we are hearing, listen with our hearts, and keep on keeping on even if it means we lose our reputation, our livelihoods, and in Joan’s case, our lives.
I don’t think Joan cared what other people thought. I don’t think Greta cares much either. This isn’t to say I think either of these young women lack emotion at all. I think they both believe/believed that what they were doing is/was so right that they just can’t/could stop.
From pondering Joan of Arc, and as a result of that Greta Thunberg, my hope is that when I hear a voice or voices telling me to go and do something I won’t hold back whatever opposition I face, or however much it might damage my reputation. But also when I hear of some young person talking about a dream, a vision, voices speaking to them, that will change the world I will be willing to encourage them rather than hinder them.
Our world needs to change to stop it going back to the same pre-covid patterns where those who have stuff and status, fear of losing out to those who do not, and where those who do not have status are treated with disgrace and live in fear of having the little they have taken from them. We need to change and I believe we need younger people to help us with that – with more energy, more determination, more of an innocent belief that things can change.
I would like to be like Joan of Arc’s relative, helping to get someone young person to where they believe they should be, helping and encouraging them to see the change they believe in.
Don’t want to repeat your same old habits this summer?
Join us for a virtual retreat experience Making Time for a Sacred Summer with Christine Sine and Lilly Lewin to prepare for a better summer!
By Lilly Lewin
Grab a cup cake or a cookie and blow out a candle! Pentecost is here and we celebrate the birthday of the Church!
The day the Holy Spirit was poured out on the people, God’s promise Fulfilled. The Holy Spirit arrives with wind!
The Holy Spirit arrives with fire!
The Holy Spirit arrives with Power
And the People are never the same! Open your heart today!
Allow God to speak to you!
Open your heart, be willing to receive more of the Holy Spirit!
AND
Like the people in ACTS 2,
Be Open to the Great Adventure that lies ahead!
ACTS 2:1-21 NIV
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?
9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,[b] 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 “‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:
1.The Disciples and Followers of Jesus were beginning a whole new season, a NEW adventure in their lives with Jesus. They were never the same after Pentecost…they were no longer uncertain about who Jesus is. They were no longer afraid. They were ready for what was next.
How are you feeling as you start this new season?
What are the fears you need to lay aside?
What are the uncertainties that you need to give to Jesus?
Spend time talking to Jesus about these things and invite the Holy Spirit to FILL YOU AGAIN.
2.These Followers in Acts 2, received the Holy Spirit and were able to speak in other languages. The people in the streets heard the news of God’s love for them in their own language and were amazed and changed.
Who in your life needs to know about Jesus? What “language” do you need to know in order to tell them about God’s love for them? What things and what ways could you personally use to tell others about the love of Jesus? Not just words.
Who are the people it is hard for you to tell about the love of Jesus? Talk to Jesus about this. Pray for this person/ persons or this group of people.
3. When we celebrate a birthday, we make a wish and blow out the candles.
Since it’s the birthday of the Church, What is your wish, your prayer, for the church this year? What is your wish, your prayer for your church community and the Church at large? Take some time to pray for these things.
What is your PRAYER/WISH for the Church?
Watch my husband, Rob Lewin’s video on his new insight from ACTS 2…What is your response?
Check out Rob’s website Confessions of a Racial First Grader and join first grade.
©lillylewin and freerangeworship.com
by April Yamasaki,
After twenty-five years of pastoral ministry, I sensed a new wind of the Spirit blowing in my life, leading me to invest more deeply in my writing and speaking beyond the local congregation. I still loved the church and still loved pastoral ministry, but I also knew from the movement of the Spirit that it was time for me to move on.
Yet I knew that my husband and I would still need a Christian community around us. My writing had always been grounded in the church and for the church—both my local congregation and the church at large. I was grateful for the opportunity to test ideas in sermons and in small groups, to know that church members were praying for my ministry both within and beyond our congregation.
So when the time came for “our” church to become “our former” church, I’m grateful that we found a new church home. Instead of pastoring full-time, I now serve as resident author for a smaller congregation where I preach just once a month, plus another two or three times a month for other churches and in other settings. I continue to write for both online and in print publications. And I continue to be grateful for a church community that responds to sermons and prays for me, and so helps shape my writing and speaking ministry.
At the same time, I realize that my community is bigger than my local congregation. As a writer, I’ve heard over and over again that I need to know my readers, to write directly to them, to go where my readers are on social media. That standard advice to connect with readers has been invaluable to me over the years. I love the readers who leave comments and likes, who send emails, who share the blog posts and books I’ve written with others. And I love the quiet ones too, who I may never hear from directly, but who read and ponder and think deep thoughts of their own. As I write, I think of them as part of my community too.
Lately I’ve also been thinking about how much I value having a community of writers. Writing can be a lonely occupation, with hours spent alone each day with pen and paper or in front of a computer screen, not knowing whether anyone will ever read or hear or appreciate the thoughts I struggle to put into words. But somehow knowing that other writers share this same journey encourages me.
I haven’t met many of the people listed as part of the Godspace Writers’ Community, but I sense their kindred spirit around the themes of spirituality, sustainability, and social justice. I look forward to their reflections, prayers, poetry, and other contributions on the Godspace blog. They nourish me, surprise me, challenge me. As Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
Thank you, God, for the gift of community—in the church, as readers, as writers, in person, online, around the world. As we seek to love you and love our neighbor, let us do so in community with one another.
If you’re interested in being part of the Godspace Writers’ Community, please check out the themes and contributor guidelines.
Build community with other Godspace readers during this virtual retreat experience Making Time for a Sacred Summer with Christine Sine and Lilly Lewin!
Poem and photo by Ana Lisa de Jong,
Love is what we wake up to,
her hovering face.
We, birds in the nest,
cubs in their lair,
are protected
by warmth of fur,
interweaving of feathers.
Love is what enters us as morning breath,
that our shallow gasps upon waking,
our endless aches
are relieved by her mouth
giving sustenance,
her lifegiving attendance.
That we are without help,
is not the message of the morning.
This love note in sip of tea
sweetened by honey,
rush of warmth in the limbs,
freshness of recharged air.
And the everlasting arms which embrace
to set us anew upon our feet
with another chance at the day.
With her kiss upon the cheek,
her whispered encouragements,
her eternal faith.
And this day,
which is love also,
as a winding road stretching forwards –
now sunlit,
and rising up
as the birds.
For more poetry by Ana Lisa, please check out LivingTreePoetry.com.
Join us for Making Time for a Sacred Summer virtual retreat with Christine Sine and Lilly Lewin!
by Carol Dixon,
There is not in the world a way of life more sweet nor more delightful than continual converse with God. (Brother Lawrence)
I always enjoy the long days of summer when the light in the north seems to last forever and I put together some worship resources that help me to celebrate summer. I hope you enjoy sharing them with me.
Summer Solstice
June is the month of summer solstice, the month of the sun. Sol + stice come from two Latin words meaning ‘sun’ and ‘stand still’. As the days lengthen, the sun rises higher and higher until it seems to stand still in the sky. The Northern hemisphere celebrates in June, and the Southern hemisphere celebrates in December. While the druids worship at Stonehenge and other ancient stone circles, many Christians celebrate with prayers that honour the Creator rather than creation. As St Francis wrote in the 13th century in his Canticle for Brother Sun:
Praise be to you, my Lord, in all your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun,
Who makes the day and enlightens us through you.
He is lovely and radiant and grand, and he heralds you, his Most High Lord.
St Patrick also offer praises to God in his prayer God in All:
He inspires all, He gives life to all, He dominates all, He supports all,
He lights the light of the sun, He furnishes the light of the sun,
He furnishes the light of the night, He has made springs in dry land,
He is God of heaven and earth, of seas and rivers, of sun, moon and stars,
Of the lofty mountain and the lowly valley, the God above heaven,
And in heaven and under heaven. God of all, God in All.
The Psalmist many centuries before sings praise to God in Psalm 19 (Living Bible)
The heavens reveal the glory of God;
they are a marvellous display of his craftsmanship.
Day and night they keep on telling about God.
Without a sound or word, silent in the skies,
their message reaches out to all the world.
The sun lives in the heavens where God placed it
and moves out across the skies
as radiant as a bridegroom going to his wedding,
or as joyous as an athlete looking forward to a race!
The sun crosses the heavens from end to end,
and nothing can hide from its heat.
God’s laws are perfect: They protect us,
make us wise, and give us joy and light.
God’s laws are pure, eternal, just.
They are more desirable than gold.
They are sweeter than honey dripping from a honeycomb.
For they warn us away from harm
and give success to those who obey them.
May my spoken words and unspoken thoughts
be pleasing to you, O Lord my Rock and my Redeemer.
A Modern Prayer for Midsummer
(by Jan Berry – from Barefeet & Buttercups publ by Iona Wild Goose publications)
We give thanks for the joy of creation:
for all that is made and given;
for all that we shape and create;
for the springing forth of new vision.
WE CELEBRATE THE FLOWERING OF HOPE
WE GIVE THANKS FOR THE FRUITS OF THE EARTH
WE PRAISE GOD FOR THE GOODNESS OF GROWTH.
We give thanks for the vitality of re-creation:
for times of rest and stillness that renew us
for time of play and laughter that refresh us
for all that nourishes and restores our spirits.
WE CELEBRATE THE FLOWERING OF HOPE
WE GIVE THANKS FOR THE FRUITS OF THE EARTH
WE PRAISE GOD FOR THE GOODNESS OF GROWTH.
We give thanks for the depth of passion:
for the vision that inspires our longing
for the love that brings strength and tenderness
for all that touches our deepest core.
WE CELEBRATE THE FLOWERING OF HOPE
WE GIVE THANKS FOR THE FRUITS OF THE EARTH
WE PRAISE GOD FOR THE GOODNESS OF GROWTH.
We give thanks for the rhythm of the seasons:
for all that grows, blossoms and fades
for the seeds that are buried and spring again
for the constant renewal of life from the earth.
WE CELEBRATE THE FLOWERING OF HOPE
WE GIVE THANKS FOR THE FRUITS OF THE EARTH
WE PRAISE GOD FOR THE GOODNESS OF GROWTH.
And A Poem
(by Hilary Allen – from Barefeet & Buttercups ed Ruth Burgess publ by Iona Wild Goose www.ionabooks.com)
The lake was still, tranquil in the morning light.
I too was still, watching and listening,
What would God say to me today?
A dragonfly danced and darted,
Then rested beside me,
Amber -iridescent in the sun.
Being not doing.
God said I could be like that,
Being not doing,
Receiving his love.
[You may like to ask yourself:: What makes summer shine with God for me?]
A Midsummer Blessing:
(by Carol Dixon)
May God the Light-maker be with us
from the onset of the dawn chorus to the rising of the evening star,
May God the Night-bringer be with us
and grant us peace in our sleeping,
May God the Light of Life illuminate our hearts and minds
in sunlight and shadow, from the longest day to the shortest,
and forever. Amen.
And finally, a Song:
All creatures of our God & King (W H Draper 1855-1933 based on St Francis of Assisi)
A great way to prepare for celebrating your summer is by signing up for Making Time for a Sacred Summer retreat experience with Lilly Lewin and Christine Sine!
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