Today was the 7th meeting of
Bamboo Encounter, a
Wild Church Network church, and the 2nd meeting in rainy weather. We had to use our windshield wipers while driving in, yet surprisingly, the rain began to ease off near the time of the worship. However, in case of another band of rain, we met in the pavilion above the bamboo. The screened in windows allowed outdoor access to hear the sounds of falling rain, to feel the breezes, as well as to see the views of the surrounding trees and the nearby bamboo.
When it was time for the reflection time, it has stopped enough to get outside and walk during our silent reflection. I chose to do that, enjoying the light misting that was still present.
After the service was done, the sun started to break through the clouds. Oh, well. One cannot control the weather. There was beauty in the rain, the wet leaves, etc. Before we headed out, I did go into the bamboo to see it and to experience it. I also took a moment to remember my baptism and to remember that I am a beloved child of God, using the pooled water in the hole of the rock.
There were three of us again today for the service. Here is the order of worship that we followed:
Today's readings:
Opening Prayer (read in unison):
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world and those who live in it.
Let the floods clap their hands;
let the hills sing together for joy.
(Earth Gospel, page 93)
Scripture and additional readings (read by volunteers):
Psalm 36:8-9
“They feast on the abundance
of your house, and you give them to drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life, and in
your light we see light.”
Isaiah 58:11
“God will guide you
continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones
strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose
waters never fail.”
Reading: Herman Melville
“Say you are in the country; in some land of
lakes. Take almost any path you please,
and ten to one it carries you down in a dale, and leaves you there by a pool in
a stream. There is magic in it…. Yes, as
everyone knows, meditation and water are wedded forever.”
Quote by Philip Britts: “Faith is like water at the roots.”
The sharing time after the reflection time was insightful, as always. We spent some time talking about the Philip Britts' quote on faith. We talked about watering the roots and how plants become accustomed to being watered daily, at a top level if the roots aren't allowed to grow deeply. The roots will grow down as far as the water goes. How deep does the water go?!?! Oh, how I enjoy the sharing time and the opportunity for minds to engage in deep conversation as faith unfolds. Sitting back and watching the Holy Spirit work is a privilege.
After sharing time, we moved into Holy Communion. Today we used the same passages as we've used prior, but read from The Message translation. After reading the Scriptures and blessing the elements, we served each other the holy meal of bread and fruit of the vine.
John 6:33,35 (MSG)
33 The Bread of God came down out of heaven and is giving life
to the world.
35 Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life. The person who
aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever.
1 Corinthians
10:16-17 (MSG)
When we drink the cup of blessing, aren’t we taking into
ourselves the blood, the very life, of Christ? And isn’t it the same with the
loaf of bread we break and eat? Don’t we take into ourselves the body, the very
life, of Christ? Because there is one loaf, our many-ness becomes
one-ness—Christ doesn’t become fragmented in us. Rather, we become unified in
him. We don’t reduce Christ to what we are; he raises us to what he is.
Today's song was "Father, I Adore You":
Father,
I adore You
Lay my life before You
How I love You.
[Jesus,
Spirit]
At closing we shared this prayer in unison:
(from Earth Gospel: A Guide to
Prayer for God’s Creation by Sam Hamilton-Poore, p. 98)
Based on Song of Solomon 8:6-7
May Christ set you as a seal upon his
heart,
as a seal upon his arm;
for his love is as strong as death,
his passion as fierce as the grace.
Many waters cannot quench his love,
neither can floods drown it.
Nature was abundant today. On the drive in, there were wild turkey and deer. Both sets decided to cross the road in front of us. On the way out, by the nature center, there was a turtle going against the flow of traffic. The coloring matched the coloring of the fall leaves and the turtle seemed a little skittish and camera shy.
I look forward to going into the bamboo each month. Though today's service was in the pavilion, it was still as serene and peaceful, listening to the sounds of nature/creation and seeing them too. I enjoy putting together the prayers and Scriptures each month and gathering with whoever is able to make it to worship in the space.
As the quote by Stephen Chase goes, "Nature is spiritual practice."
Peace,
Debra Dickerson
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Additional photos from today:
