Jun. 10th, 2010

hermionesviolin: (moon house)
At the end of Rest and Bread, before the Blessing&Benediction, we have Announcements, which include, "We have 4 services...," and last night a guy who was at Rest and Bread for the first time asked Keith (who had given the announcements) about the other services -- and so I got to talk about Thursday morning prayer, because Keith has never actually been :) Keith mentioned that during the summer, people are often away on weekends, so we often get people at the Wednesday night services who couldn't make it on Sunday, and the guy commented that that was true of his family (they came fairly regularly in March, April, May, but June is suddenly full of weekends away) and so he may continue coming to Wednesday nights -- and he may do Thursday evening prayer too, 'cause they have a young'un so at 7am he's already up anyway :)

Earlier that day, FCS-Ian had emailed us Thursday morning prayer folk asking if someone could open up the church and set up and lead the service -- he and his wife needed to go to Connecticut for a memorial service for her uncle -- and I said I'd be happy to but I don't have a key to the church.

Keith got me a spare key from the office -- which he suggested I hang on to for a bit, because he'll be away next week, and while Jason D. will help lead service, this guarantees I'm not locked out of the building :)

So I got to church extra-early this morning and set up and it was getting close to 7 when I remembered to put on music and I was about to start lighting candles, wondering if maybe no one would show up (Ari, I was reminded of you and your cricket) but then this girl from Tufts came in (apparently she knows Jeff V. from Tufts, and I guess she was here this past Sunday?), and Tim D. (who's mostly been in NJ 'cause of work) also showed up. I'd forgotten that I also had to lead the music, so I asked NewGirl if there were any songs she particularly liked -- which I quickly amended to "any songs you know" when she, flipping through the booklet, commented that she didn't know a lot of these songs -- so we sang "Morning Has Broken," softly and not necessarily in tune, but it was fine.

And while I was on the phone with [livejournal.com profile] cadenzamuse this morning, someone I knew in high school facebook messaged me: "Hey are you a priest or a minister? Just wondering"

***

I was possibly more stressed about giving the Reflection last night than I realized. Yesterday I was feeling tired and etc. and trufax deferred phonecall with Denzi, and I'm not any more well-rested today (why do I keep waking up ~5am?) but I feel much cheerier and more energized.
hermionesviolin: (moon house)
I was already tempted to do Sunday at FCS this weekend when I saw the signboard that Molly would be preaching on "Are You Proud of Who You Are Becoming?" (wrapping up their series on Pride) but now I am tempted to do the full summer, rather than church-hopping with Roza.  (When we voted for topics for summer small groups, this was one of the options I voted for -- the book has been on my To Read list for some time.)  Aww, I'll be out of town for Incarnation Sunday :(  So I have of course ILLed a copy of the book to aid me with this discernment process :)

[FirstChurch Mailing List] Summer Reading not to miss: an altar in the world
From: Molly


Beloved,

I feel so close to you, and a little far away. I'm still right next door, haven't missed a Sunday in church, and yet all the sturm und drang has put a lot of distance between me and the everydayness of church. I know it's just the way of things right now, and my focus is where it needs to be, and where it needs to stay for a while, but I just want to say:  I miss you.
 
While we continue to look for a supply pastor who will work with me and guide our church with a strong hand during my chemo treatment, we don't have to wait for a strong thread to hold us together this summer. This Sunday we're wrapping up our sermon series on Pride (I get to preach! and we'll be confirming Josh, and saying goodbye to Joe--lots doing this Sunday, and a Friday email is forthcoming about that).

But next Sunday, June 20, we'll be starting a 12-week summer series based loosely on the Barbara Brown Taylor book, "An Altar in the World." It's a wonderful little book of essays, to be read in any order, about how God can drop a ladder down anywhere, not just in church (of course, numerous previous appearances at FCS make going to church in our community if not a sure thing, at least a good bet, so don't let her dissuade you from traditional methods of seeking the divine :).

Each week through Labor Day, the preacher du jour will look at a different spiritual practice suggested by the book:  Incarnation, Wilderness, Sabbath, Breakthrough, Physical Labor, et alia.  You can read ahead--alone or in a group. Two copies are left in the church office, $10 each, help yourself. Or buy it from Amazon, or your local bookstore. Or wait for Jamie to print a copy of the following week's chapter, and pick it up on the way into church the Sunday before. I promise you--it's a good, easy read. Lots of dogeared pages in my copy. Lots of wisdom and epiphany. And it will be yet one more tie that binds us together.

Below is the rough order in which the series will likely be preached.

Christlove,
Molly


June 20: Vision: The Practice of Waking up to God.

June 27: Reverence: The Practice of Paying Attention.

July 4: Groundedness: The practice of walking on the earth.

July 11: Wilderness: The Practice of Getting Lost.

July 18: Molly Preach:  Incarnation:  The Practice of Wearing Skin.

July 25: Sabbath: The Practice of Saying No.

August 1:  The Practice of Carrying Water. Communion.

August 8: Prayer: The Practice of Being Present to God.

August 15: Breakthrough: The Practice of Feeling Pain.

August 22:   Community: The practice of encountering others.

August 29: Benediction: The practice of pronouncing blessings.

September 5:  Vocation: the practice of living with purpose.

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hermionesviolin: an image of Alyson Hannigan (who plays Willow Rosenberg) with animated text "you think you know / what you are / what's to come / you haven't even / BEGUN" (Default)
Elizabeth (the delinquent, ecumenical)

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