St. John's joins in supporting the New England BIPOC Festival, on Sunday, August 18, 2024 from 12:00-5:00pm at Strawbery Banke.
I invite you to pause for a moment and examine how you practice the presence of God. The tendency that I hear, see and experience is that people, (myself included), look for God “somewhere out there.” Brother Lawrence reminds us that God is nearer than we might think. Psalm 139 expresses this reality well when the psalmist asks ..
When things feel as though they are crumbling beneath or even all around us - where do we turn? I’d say that because of our faith, we are blessed with a grounding God to whom we can turn, and that we have the gift of Scripture, and perhaps in particular the Psalms to anchor our own practice of faith.
As I seek to process the events of this past week, in particular the results of the election, I look to Jesus' example, of one who is not simply going to name and decry bad behavior, but also one who is going to use his position of power to CONNECT. That our baptismal vows enable us to commit acts of good and faithful living, and that we do not have to walk the pathway alone. That we have God's help to guide, and galvanize us.
In these autumn days, with the changing of the light and the trees dropping their leaves and creatures big and small all around us settling into the cooler months ahead I can't help but think we are entering into a thin place, a holy and liminal space where heaven and earth feel almost within reach of each other.
The Rev. Callie Swanlund, Guest Preacher, visits St. John's to deliver the message that we are not alone. That in our wholeness, in our brokenness, and in all states in between, we can lean into our vulnerability, and be part of a community like St. John's, allowing ourselves to be seen, and yes, even allowing ourselves to be loved.
In this week's Gospel reading, the disciples ask “Who is the greatest?” Jesus, lifting up a child as a symbol of vulnerably and potential tells them that it is anyone who cares for a child. What if we saw the earth as a sacred trust from God, much like the vulnerable child Jesus calls us to protect in the Gospel? Would we care for the earth differently?
