It is a grey drippy day in Seattle, more like what I expect of March than May. In spite of the inclement weather we managed to plant our tomatoes yesterday, 28 beautiful plants now ready to grow into the sky. We have found that a post hole digger is the perfect implement to dig deep holes for the plants so that they can form good root systems. It was a very satisfying accomplishment.
Last Sunday was Pentecost Sunday and we are now in what is known as ordinary time a term that I must confess I hate. I know that all it means is that there are no major feasts to celebrate in this season but it still seems a misnomer. To me this is extraordinary time, the time when we are out fully engaged in God’s world. Perhaps you are planning a special vacation over the next few months, or are involved in working with the marginalized or with the preservation of God’s good earth.
At least we do have some things to celebrate during this season. I love that the first Sunday of this season of the liturgical calendar is Trinity Sunday when we celebrate a doctrine that is at the very centre of our faith – the triune nature of God. This theme was particularly important for Celtic Christians who embraced the Trinity as a family, and each human family unit (be it family, clan or tribe) was seen as an icon of the Trinity. The Trinity was a very real presence in all aspects of life and creation, and an almost tangible Comforter and Protector who could ward off evil forces. We see this theological perspective reflected in the simple prayer above and I love the implication that this triune nature of God is reflected in the created world around us. Maybe you would like to go out and see how many tripartite flowers and leaves you can find.
Today we published the 8th episode of Liturgical Rebels podcast. This is a fascinating episode with Tony Jones about his new book The God of Wild Places. Tony shares his journey from being a pastor in the Emerging Church Network to finding solace and connection with God in the wilderness. Tony emphasizes the importance of nature in spiritual experiences and how it can be a place to interact with God. The conversation explores the hunting and eating of animals, and the role of hunting in conservation and the importance of respecting and caring for creation.
My Meditation Monday – The Spiritual Practice of Remodeling really seemed to strike a chord with many of you this week. Many of us experience God’s desire to repurpose, recycle and reuse the challenging experiences of the past as something we find compelling to reflect on. “What is your vision for the transformation God would like to accomplish in your life?
What do you think God wants to refurbish, preserve, repurpose or fix now to avoid disastrous consequences in the future?”
My Friday post on Substack Spiritual Practice: Look Up and See the Lights continued my thoughts on the aurora borealis and my sadness at discovering that “light pollution prevents nearly 80 percent of people in North America from seeing the Milky Way in the night sky. Our home galaxy is now hidden from more than one-third of humanity.” What would our world look like without all these artificial lights I wonder? I hope you took opportunity to go outside at night and gaze up at the awe inspiring beauty of the Milky Way.
On Godspacelight, in the spirit of repurposing, we reposted Lyn Domina’s fantastic post from 2018 Foolish Diversity in honor of International Diversity Day. “What was God thinking, creating us all so different and yet so opinionated? We argue about baseball teams, cookie recipes, whether the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son or only from the Father, daylight savings time, guns, beer, abortion, rock and roll or rap, and who makes the best pancakes. Why didn’t God just create us as more similar and more agreeable?”
On Saturday Joy Lenton’s post was a great preparation for Pentecost Sunday. I found her meditation exercise to be particularly powerful.
On Friday, Lilly Lewin’s Freerange Friday https://godspacelight.com/
Next week Tom and I are heading to Britain for a couple of weeks. We begin our journey in Brighton and London then to Malmsebury near Bristol and on to Durham and then Edinburgh. We are looking forward to catching up with friends and learning more about what is happening in the church in Britain. Because of our travels, Melissa will compose next week’s Keeping Up With The News.
We appreciate your prayers for our travels.
Many blessings
Christine Sine.