Today was the 8th meeting and the final meeting of 2019 of Bamboo Encounter, an outdoor worship service that is part of the Wild Church Network. We had 11 people in the bamboo today, 3 of those were from out of town (2 from CA and 1 from KY-- all 3 with local ties). Some of the regular folks were out of town and/or unable to attend. For a Saturday during the holidays, it was a good-sized group of folks to hang out with in the bamboo. The weather was warm for December. No rain, though there were some clouds. The sun did come out at some point. There was a breeze today, so we were able to listen to the leaves blow and hear the bamboo clack a little.
The sharing time is always encouraging as different people share what's on their hearts and minds, reflecting on the readings or sharing what came to mind during the silence. That always adds to our time.
Every Saturday, a quote is shared on the Bamboo Encounter FaceBook page. Today's quote was by Katrina Mayer: "Time spent amongst trees is never wasted time."
That is how I feel about the time in the bamboo each month. It is never wasted time for me as I enter into the bamboo. I come out of my time in the bamboo more relaxed and more at peace than I went in. Always. I know that part of it is the physiological aspect of being covered by the trees. Another part is the making time to slow down, to breathe, to be silent, to listen.
Below is the service for today, along with an additional reading from Ram Dass that came up during our sharing time after the silent reflection time.
Opening prayer (unison):
Let there be
respect for the earth
peace for its people
love in our lives
delight in the good
forgiveness for past wrongs
and from now on a new start.
(“The Millennium Resolution”, Churches
Together in England, Earth Gospel, page 123)
Readings:
Psalm 104:3-4
“You ride on the wings of the
wind, You make the winds your messengers.”
Quote by Thomas Merton:
“Let me seek, then, the gift
of silence, and poverty, and solitude, where everything I touch is turned into
prayer: where the sky is my prayer, the birds are my prayer, the wind in the
trees is my prayer, for God is in all.”
Reading:
Mary Oliver “When I Am Among the Trees”
[Thirst, page 4)
When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.
I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow
often.
Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.
And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,
“and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”
Communion passage: Matthew 26: 26-28 (MSG)
26-28 During the meal, Jesus took and blessed the bread, broke it, and
gave it to his disciples:
Take, eat.
This is my body.
This is my body.
Taking the cup and thanking God, he gave it to them:
Drink this, all of you.
This is my blood,
God’s new covenant poured out for many people
for the forgiveness of sins.
Ram Dass quote (shared here because it came up during the sharing time after the silent reflection and someone looked it up to share with us):This is my blood,
God’s new covenant poured out for many people
for the forgiveness of sins.
“When you go out into the woods, and you look at trees, you see all these different trees. And some of them are bent, and some of them are straight, and some of them are evergreens, and some of them are whatever. And you look at the tree and you allow it. You see why it is the way it is. You sort of understand that it didn’t get enough light, and so it turned that way. And you don’t get all emotional about it. You just allow it. You appreciate the tree.
The minute you get near humans, you lose all that. And you are constantly saying ‘You are too this, or I’m too this.’ That judgment mind comes in. And so I practice turning people into trees. Which means appreciating them just the way they are.”
Joy
to the world, the Lord is come!
Let
earth receive her King; let every heart prepare him room,
and
heaven and nature sing,
and
heaven and nature sing,
and
heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.
Blessing: from Earth Gospel: A Guide to Prayer for God’s Creation by Sam Hamilton-Poore, p. 92)
Based on Hosea 14:7
May you rest beneath God’s shade,
flourish like a garden,
blossom like a vine;
and your soul become as fragrant
as the finest wine.
Additional pictures taken by me and by Joel Tippens (his have credit).
May you enjoy the pictures of the bamboo and the readings from our time outdoors.
Join us on the 4th Saturday of the month, starting in January!
Debra
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| Photo by Joel Tippens |
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| Photo by Joel Tippens |
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| Photo by Joel Tippens |
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