November 24, 2024 Reflection

If you are reading a copy of this, please remember it is written for me to speak it…so grammar is not correct. The section on “review slide” for explanation of Peace is not written out here. I’m happy to show you if you want to see it.

Start: Helpers today Alexis, Susan, Jeffrey come on up

Pray: Loving God, May the words of our mouths, mediations of all our hearts and minds, and our actions together be touched now by your transforming and loving spirit.

Action: Join together with the scarves…

Start: In all the troubles (and joys)  of the world today…and there seems to be lots…could be personal challenges you may be experiencing (grief, illness, uncertainty) …right up to the scale of international and global challenges.

In all these trouble and pains…joys and woes

I believe-trust there is a thread of goodness/life/creation running through…

Poem by Willian Stafford  The Way It is

There’s a thread that you follow. It goes among

things that change. But if doesn’t change.

People wonder about what you are pursuing.

You have to explain about the thread.

But it is hard for others to see.

While you hold it you can’t get lost.

Tragedies happen; people get hurt

or die; and you suffer and get old.

Nothing you do can stop time’s unfolding.

You don’t ever let go of the thread.

The thread that connects us all…there is thread that connects…we experience it now…but also a thread that connects us over time and space…(as well as joys and woes, ups and downs)

Judea Christian tradition we have scripture that is a thread that runs through time (and is interpreted for the current time we are in). We practice this each week when we read scripture and interpret for today.

-How is God in the world today? In my life today?  

-What is this Holy presence nudging us, nudging me to say or do?

And we have the Holy Spirit…breath- spirit that is experienced in us today that is a thread linking us together over time…with the saints and loved ones that have gone before us).

Omit (with our God of creation, and with the breath and life of God yet to come)

Genesis 2:7 One of our Creation stories…there is 2…(so we can’t take them literally) “Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being”

Links with our scripture today. After Jesus says to the frightened disciples “Peace be with you.” He breathed on them…breath is the same breath from Genesis creation story…the thread of life/ breath that links us over time and space (and joy and woe.)

Peace (Jesus says Peace be with you)

Breath (Genesis creation)

Thread  (holding now)

Closer at “Peace” – Review Slide

“We welcome those who consider themselves to be Christians, those who are part of other faith traditions, and all who seek to explore the mysteries of life and serve the ideals of compassion, justice and peace.” Mount Seymour United web page 

Speakers:

Susan – Inner

Jeffrey – Outer

Alexis (Manager of the Mount Seymour United Thrift Shop) – Community

Summary and wind up after speakers

Amen