I was priviliged to have my presentation accepted, for the site of my Alma Mater of my Master’s, Ambrose Univeristy (though when I was a student it was at Canadian Theological Seminary and its location was the old MRC builidng in downtown Calgary), though always feels a little bit good to be back in the learning environment. Also was the last place I had been a learner at that I had yet to teach at. Anyways enough side quests on this meander.
I closed off the four papers presented on Friday, which shared theology exploring what church could practically do with our buildings to engaging with to leaning into a renewed understanding of community extending into online community (which ties into moments from the grad weekend as a prof I was able to attend last weekend that saw exclusive online students being active participants in community but again a side quest). I know as I type this it is not my best, I also came to the realization this weekend if I was to use spoon theory, since about spring 2022 I have been running on about 1/2 to 1 spoon exclusively, and though I feel the amount growing as authentic rest begins to settle in, I know I do need, as one of the speakers, Rev. Morgan spoke of this weekend, saying yes to less so that there can be joy (a paraphrase I know), and Dr. Carl sharing on his friendship community on campus of intentional monastic style community was also a growth.
Okay time to end the rambles, here are some great resources, met a long-time online friend, and I encourage you to check out his site, and if you feel led engage in the upcoming book club: https://atthebottomofthewell.com/
As well, there is a new press out of Ontario, in the justice and theology work around disabilities (and yes not just books but a journal as well): https://www.madandcriptheologypress.ca/
What follows is just sharing the summary of my reflective research and key resources from Friday night (and yes can you tell the Shrekfluence?).
Everybody Poops:
The Dignity of Belonging
-A Summary-
Dr. Ty Ragan
Deep and Wide:
A Conference on Ecclesial Engagement with Disability across Canada
Ambrose University Site
March 10-11, 2024
Everybody Poops: The Dignity of Belonging
A Summary
This presentation grows out of the theology of lived experience practical and academic theologians and clergy, and research on the concepts of Imageo Dei (created image), diversity, intersections of socioeconomics, culture, race, gender and justice. It looks into how the church has created a process of segregation and degradation, but what the local church community can do to speak the truth and work on authentic reconciliation. An ability to move into authentic accessibility of facilities, inclusion (creating the space) and belonging for individuals of the diverse mosaic that is the created image.
What is the Imageo Dei to you?
In this part we reflect on where we begin the journey. What is your understanding of the image each of us is created in? Where are your apprehensions? Your spaces of unwelcome.
Visible or Invisible
This research looks at the concepts of mental health, neuro-diversity, and physical disabilities. Areas that some use person first language for. Concepts of trauma that can intersect, including medical.
Accessibility
Buildings are one of the most uncomfortable things to discuss. Churches can conflate their identity with historic builds and miss the point that the building itself can be the barrier. It can lead to exclusion, and even inhospitality. Yes, even if the building is to “code” it can not meet accessibility standards. One aspect of this, is bathrooms, for those who toilet not being designed for all mobility aids, gendered washrooms that create barriers for staff who support those who need help, and lack of change benches for those that do not toilet so they have to remain soiled, leave, or be changed on the floor hoping that no one walks in.
Inclusion
Inclusion is ensuring there is a welcoming space. Space being the key word, that regardless of how we are created there is space for us to exist in once we are able to enter the building. Yet it stops short as it does not mean we are known.
Interlude: Government Services
The challenge of proving worthiness is the story of government services. Each province is different, but a tale of Alberta, and having to show that you need, and then reprove when transitioning to adult services. The clawback due to other revenue sources, can one ever leave poverty? Do churches know the silent struggle of constant advocacy? The pain inflicted of caregivers being informed of the release of burden when the loved one passes and it not being a burden, but authentic grieving of loss.
Belonging
Practical Theologian, John Swinton’s work can be summed up as the greatest risk, for you are allowing connection, purpose, and belonging. You are allowing an openness of exchange that when they are not there you will grieve. You will feel. Belonging, and why we avoid it, is because we do not like to mourn and yet we can transform this.
“Each person with a disability, no matter how serious, severe, or even profound contributes something essential to and for the body, through the presence and activity of the Spirit; people with disabilities are therefore ministers empowered by the Spirit of God, each in their own specific way, rather than merely recipients of the ministries of non-disabled people” (Yong, 2011, p. 95).
References
Christensen, S. (2018). From Longing to Belonging: A Practical Guide to Including People with
Disabilities and Mental Health in Your Faith Community. Inclusion Innovations.
Dingman, M. (2022). Your Brain Explained. NB Publishing.
Eiesland, N. (1994). The Disabled God. Abingdon Press.
Hardwick, L. (2021). Disability and the Church: A Vision for Diversity and Inclusion. IVP
Praxis.
Kenny, A. (2022). My Body is not a Prayer Request: Disability Justice in the Church. Brazos
Press.
Lehman, I. (2014). All you Need to Know about Disability is on Star Trek. Mind Meld Media.
Melcher, S.; Parsons, M. and Yong, A. (2017). The Bible and Disability: A Commentary.
Baylor University Press.
Reynolds, T. (2008). Vulnerable Communion: A Theology of Disability and Hospitality. Brazos
Press.
Schneider, M. (2022). God Loves the Autistic Mind: A Prayer Guide for Those on the Spectrum
and Those Who Love Us. Pauline Books and Media.
Silberman, S. (2015). NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity.
Avery.
Swinton, J. (2016). Becoming Friends of Time: Disability, Timefullness, and Gentle Discipleship.
Baylor University Press.
Swinton, J. (2020). Finding Jesus in the Storm: The Spiritual Lives of Christians with Mental
Health Challenges. Baylor University Press.
Yong, A. (2011). The Bible, Disability and the Church: A New Vision of the People of God.
It is an intriguing time of the journey. Navigating change. Navigating a reignition/recycle of severe health symptomology, and then feeling the drain away. High stress, the gig economy of academia, into release and relax. Exploring the holistic for far to much, especially in the West, we silo each aspect of our whole self (this is physical or psychological or emotional or spiritual) and miss that all pieces are integrated, and impact one another.
Yet as the rain comes down, in a dry and drought ridden prairie, one ponders, if the dirt being washed away, and the probability and possibility of new life it brings.
Takes me into the learning opportunities I have experienced over the last several weeks, from an educational Passover Meal, that engaged with the stories of the Hebrew Bible, and the concept of Amalekites. Those that had to be removed, for Israel in the story to flourish in the Promised Land (yes I am probably overly simplifying), a story that has been used as a weaponization of sacred literature in the current acts of Genocide by the Israeli government labelling the Palestinians as Amalekites. Though Hamas, inserting their own drive from the land call to action as well. Missing the colonial/settler dynamic of a world trying to cope with their own anti-semitic guilt out of the Holocaust that created and continued to perpetuate what is now a horror show, and needs not only a cease fire, but a true solution for truth, reconciliation and peace.
Then intersecting with a blessed graduation weekend this past weekend, where the exploration of the speakers on the parable from the Christian Testament, of the builder who builds on rocks, and bringing the story into context, context, context, of the Sermon on the Mount, and what it means to shape and re-shape our life and journey. To be open to moments of cyncism, to know there may be times we are going through the motions or show, but what happens when we authentically engage?
To the workshop on neurodiversity students before the graduation weekend at another school, that stirred emotions and remembrances of my own lore if you will. I have always exhibited traits, and before my micro-strokes, and ongoing ones, have a brain that works and processes differently. Some of this caused by anti-convulsant medication, some by just biological/neurology. I chose to excel at academics, and my creative pursuits– why? Simple, enter into my geeky fandoms, and be the brain, so when bullied it was for that, and not the wonderful world of 80’s and 90’s kids who decided to use the “r word”, but shifting gears, there was moments and probably not as bad, as I was also a well developed smart alyc 🙂
But still the remembrance opening.
And brings me back around to Passover, which produced the reflection of Caregiver Fallacy
A piece of what this part of the dinner reflections after the sharing of the story of the Amalekites, and then as was shared to me, from the teachings of Conservative Rabbi Moses Brandises of Minz, from the Hasidic notion of Amalekite as metaphor/allegory for things such as gluttony, laziness, discouragement and how this functions in our own lives…which leads to this idea of a simple poetic form:
What discourages?
When one’s mind fog rolls on
and simple to complex words and ideas easily shared
is it not easier to simply be quiet?
Can their be healing?
Not always the medical cure
but rather the communal justice
that shatters barriers
sees costs lower
and roll
equity, equality, diversity, acceptance
release
as physical environment shifts and change
as relationships grow
others end
cessation can cause healthy release
the physiological system still reflects the emtoinal and neurological health
weariness
constantly seen and felt
yet, begins to ease
though constantly dopey or simply tired
can their ever be enough rest?
Can relationships renew?
Grow anew…
As the spring rain, replaces the April Snow– sleet
It is weird to use the term Good for an execution, and I understand many will lean into the substition theory for what happens today in our journey. We see the betrayal, the denials (loss of connection, community abandonment): https://www.bible.com/bible/3633/JHN.18.FNVNT
Creator Sets Free, dared to challenge the Empire, the controlling powers that of political and religious might and oppression and control. Pontius Pilate and the false installed leaders…hmmm… any analogy to Alberta or America in this set up possibly?
Think it through to this moment though. Hundreds of crucified were hung on the roads into Jerusalem to remind the non-people the wage of speaking out of their caste, (do we not jail or ticket the poor in our own cities instead of solving the issue, UBI anyone?)? What is the rising death toll of drug poisonings but not road side crucifixions because we refuse to live as created? What is the rising use of MAiD for loneliness and poverty but us creating other caste’s of non-persons? We have our own road of crucified this week in Alberta and are ignoring, just as those aligned with Empire easily could walk in and tsk tsk those that risked, those that sought to only be person (think of the co-morbidity myth that was used for deaths during covid? Because of Wings and Beer my peeps).
A trial, where many fallacies flowed, where Empire deflected their responsibility, and let the appeal to emotion (that being fear and anger)– if this humble labour, that we know isn’t his father’s son, and the one who was betrothed was so unholy he did not stone his betrothed to death for her infidelity or cast her outside to be trafficked (oh my, seeing an arguement from analogy here for how religious families are supposed to treat their 2SLGBTQ+ children, and the constant gossip and attack when they do not cast out?).
The populist rage against the churning change, that which Jesus so radically pushed against in his non-violent protest and actions. Showing radical belonging, created interdendence of the Imageo Dei, and true egalitarian equity.
True Healing
The great sin that had to be silenced for if the masses caught hold, and realized they had been played and rose up against the overstretched minority oppressors—
And so the mock trial.
The playing on fear of being on the crosses.
The populist fuse of hatred lit.
And the mass murderer released to ensure the silencing of Creator Sets Free (imagine being so powerful in simply the use of Hope, that the greatest Empire in the history of the Western World, had to play a political game to execute you?).
The mocking, beating and dehumanizing found in John 1 9as linked above and here to remind:
Processes of torture and humiliation, used to break not necessarily Creator Sets Free spirit, but to ensure his followers would understand it was over and time to go away. How often do we see this happen with movements? Leveraging legalities to ensure compliance and silence (hmmm… Alberta government’s new Trans policies anyone? The anti-human right breaking of encampments? Non-investment in affordable housing? Allowing coal mining which will poison our water? Not understanding or refusing to acknowledge we have damaged creation, that is dominionism is a fallacy, like colonialism, and a sin to be told the truth of and reconciliation work to be done while we still have air to breath and food to eat)…but how often are these tactics used? Reinvigorated in our gamification of war and playing with terms of genocide, yet not holding to account powers in the world and allies for acts of terror and genocide?
Yet this humiliation was meant to do what it did (and the Easter Sunday story shows who was courageous…but we do not know that yet so know reading ahead in this mystery).
And before Creator Sets Free breathed his last, he speaks, most likely gasping, blood burbling in his lungs with water as he was drowning, struggling through pain, dehydrated, most likely soiled himself several times over. Twisted and broken.
And yet, his final plea to the Beloved Disciple:
the much-loved follower of Creator Sets Free (Jesus), was also there with them.
When Creator Sets Free (Jesus) looked down and saw them, he said to his mother, “Honored woman, look to your son.” 27Then he said to his follower, “Look to your mother.”
From that time the follower took Bitter Tears (Mary) into his family and cared for her.
On this Friday, what does this request and calling mean to you?
Okay maybe pluralizing was a touch sensationalizing, but when we think of red herrings, it is like a murder mystery. That thing (or clue) tossed in there that sounds credible or relevant but falls flat. That is, it is an irrelevant premise to prove an argument. These exist in the last gasps of Christendom as embodied in fundamentalist mainline and evangelical to Christian Nationalism.
The red herring du jour, is the one that they are using their last political flex in populism for, the “parental choice or rights” bills, the “don’t say gay” or “anti-trans its just a phase” that our world gives a pass to, because it is couched in the concept of “phobia”. A phobia is an irrational fear like we see of clowns, or heights, or the marketplace or spiders to name but a few. The idea of hatred conflated with an actual mental health diagnosis is both disheartening, and shows the power of media. For the rise of this hatred turned phobia, started with the Ricki Lake trial, where they did the “you have a secret crush” only the crush turned out to to be the male neighbour for the gent and the argument went his irrational fear led to the murder. A true red herring.
And it perpetuates as we, even allies or those in the community, continue to lean into the phobia language- homophobia, transphobia. Sorry, its not an irrational fear driven by anxiety, you have just found a way to straw man hatred. And our citizens, neigh, for those who have read the stories of Jesus in the Christian Testament, our neighbours, are paying the price for it being used as power (no the majority does not get to decide if the minority enjoys full human rights that is not how that works).
For those who profess to follow Jesus, just think of the fallacies (possible false dilemmas or faulty analogies) you are falling in to. Our creator is genderless or genderfluid, we know this because in the Hebrew Bible it states we are created in their image, not a plural reading, but rather the singular use. Jesus renamed friends constantly, if you read St. Paul, and not Saul of Tarsus, or know St. Peter is at the gates of heaven, but not St. Simon, you get the concept of preferred names. If you actually read Saul, with the proper socio-historical context he is not the misogynist current literalists would frame him as (sorry, my bad no speaking evangelical, complimentarian). Rather within the letters of Paul, you discover egalitarianism, and equality, and even equity for the body of Christ (think how he callenges the labels and caste system of the day, how would that read today? What imposed insider/outsider dynamic have we created).
The early church, was equitable and equal, Jesus’ followers had as many women in power as men, oh and let’s not forget in Acts, Mary of Nazareth (that woman who bore the peasant rabble rouser) ascented to who would replace Judas, and the beloved disciple was asked from the cross by Jesus to care for his Mumma.
We see gender, orientation, falling away, what we see is practices of degradation, oppression, hatred, and explooitation as he challenged the powers of his day of Empire and religion. Today it would be political, populist, hate groups cloaked in religion, and capitalistic.
So yes, as you hear of “parental rights” to cloak harm to an image of God (and yes the Imageo Dei is robust enought to wrap around all humanity, including our trans siblings) and put their lives at risk as hate, oppression and dysmorphia can lead to suicide, hate can lead to violence against, educate yourself a bit: https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/hormone-blockers-puberty-1.7113626
If you sit there wondering how the church could be part of colonialism and genocide and slave trades, and then remain silent as other groups are attacked, rights are removed, or the atrocities of the past like colonialism, genocide and the slave trade (as well as the Holocaust) are denied… you have answered your own question. Because you are the answer in your silent culpability.
The Christendom to maintain power, and what it perceives as relevance through power has found another group to continue to target and harm. Instead of, allowing the Holy Spirit to blow through. The question for us is will we let the vocal hatred become us?
Or will we, take the stand to tell it to be quiet and sit down?
I for one am tired of the false narratives, the hate. The concept of a phase, so what if a person on the journey of discovery explores the robust and infinite image of the Creator and then comes back around to how they were identified at birth? So what if they go on the same journey, and live into how they were created? By continuing the narrative of control and choice in these matters, we dishonour our Creator whose image we are in, and we dishonour the beautiful diversity that is the mosaic of that image on creation.
Oki, Âba wathtech, Danit’ada, Tansi, Hello and welcome to worship at Centennial. I would like to acknowledge we gather as first peoples and settlers on the traditional territories of the Treaty 7 peoples that include the Stoney Nakoda First Nations including Chiniki, Bearspaw and Good Stoney First Nations, the Blackfoot Confederacy that includes the Siksika, the Piikani and Kainai First Nations, and Tsuut’ina First Nations, and the Metis Nation Region 3. With the living love of Creator, we commit to the hard calling of truth and reconciliation together here on Turtle Island.
We are in the season of Lent, a time to embrace the mystery of faith, and listen deeply to the still quiet voice calling us.. Please join in our call to worship.
Call to Worship
Come, all who desire to know God.
We come, for we want to see Jesus.
Come, all who thirst for the Spirit.
We come, for God is in our midst this day.
So let us praise God’s holy name.
We will worship God with heart, mind, strength and soul,
and declare God’s goodness to us.
(From PCC Worship Resource for the day)
Time of Praise:
1) SB 104 Open Our Eyes Lord
2) BP 146 Thy Word is a Lamp Unto Our Feet
Prayers of Adoration and Confession (From PCC Worship Resource):
Creating God, Loving Christ, Guiding Spirit,
With the promise of spring and new life awakening,
you wake us from our slumbers.
You are faithful to us through every season of the year
and every season of life.
The hope you offer in Jesus Christ draws us together,
as your Spirit rises within our hearts.
Even as the cross looms on the horizon,
we praise you for Jesus’ courage and compassion,
which bring renewal to us in the midst of all our challenges.
We praise you, O God, for such love that will never let us go.
Gracious and Loving God,
as we draw closer to the Cross,
we recognize ways we fall short of your hope for us.
We get lost in our own concerns
and neglect to show love, even to those right beside us.
We find some people too difficult to care for.
We think others unworthy of your love and ours.
Forgive us and renew a right spirit within us,
so that we find the courage to go on
and the compassion to reach out in your name. Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
(Version 4 from the New Zealand Prayer Book)
Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, Source of all that is and that shall be, Father and Mother of us all, Loving God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echo through the universe! The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world! Your heavenly will be done by all created beings! Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us. In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us. In times of temptation and test, strengthen us. From trials too great to endure, spare us. From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and for ever. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
Jesus said, Come to me all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Friends, trust that peace and forgiveness are God’s gifts to you this day. Be renewed by the power of the Spirit that moves with you into each new day.
Announcements – Elders
Church Family Celebrations (Birthdays, Anniversaries, Welcome Song)- Elders
Children’s Time:
Today, is the last Sunday before next week we start something called Holy Week, it opens with like a party for Jesus on one side, and a party for those who didn’t like Jesus on the other side. So I thought you could tell the adults here, what we know about Jesus?
And what gift did Jesus give the world?
Instead of praying, together as you go out, we’re going to sing a song that means quite a bit to my family, it was my Mum and Nan’s favourite, sung to all the kids, and is our prayer today to remind and live as you go out to share love.
Along with the Tribal Members of Wrestles with Creator (Israel) who came to participate in the Passover festival, there were also many outsiders from other nations who would come.
20There were people from these nations who came to celebrate the festival from Land of Wisdom Seekers (Greece).
These were people who often prided themselves in their study of wisdom and knowledge.
21They went up to Friend of Horses (Philip), who was from House of Fishing (Bethsaida) in Circle of Nations (Galilee). Knowing him to be one who walked with Creator Sets Free (Jesus), they said to him, “Honored friend, we would like to see Creator Sets Free (Jesus), your Wisdomkeeper.”
22Friend of Horses (Philip) did not know what to do, so he found Stands with Courage (Andrew) and asked him what he thought. Then together they both went to see Creator Sets Free (Jesus) and told him that the Wisdom Seekers (Greeks) wished to see him.
23He answered them, “It is time for the True Human Being to be lifted up to his place of honor. 24I speak from my heart. If a seed is unplanted, it remains only one seed, but if it dies, falls to the earth, and enters the ground, it will then grow and become many seeds.
25“The ones who love the kind of life this world gives will lose the life they seek, but the ones who let go of their life in this world and follow my ways will find the life of the world to come that never fades away, full of beauty and harmony.
“Tell these Wisdom Seekers (Greeks)to walk the road with me. 26Anyone who wants to serve me will walk in my footsteps, and I will take them to the same place I am going. If they give up their lives to serve me in this way, my Father will honor them.”
THE TIME OF HONOR HAS COME
A look of sorrow came over the face of Creator Sets Free (Jesus).
27“But now I am deeply troubled and in anguish!” he said. “Should I ask my Father to rescue me from this hour that has now come? No! I came into the world for this time and for this purpose.”
He then lifted his face, looked up to the sky, and sent his words to the Great Spirit.
28“Father,” he prayed, “honor your name and show the world the beauty of it.”
Suddenly, a voice from above spoke out of the sky, “I have honored my name, for it represents who I am, and I will once again honor and show the beauty of it.”
29Some of the people standing nearby heard the voice and said, “Was that thunder?”
Others said, “No, a spirit-messenger has spoken to him.”
30Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said to them, “This voice you heard was not for my sake, but for yours. 31It is a sign to you that it is now time for the Great Spirit to make his final decision about this world. The evil one who now rules this world will be defeated and thrown down. 32But I, the True Human Being, will be lifted up from the ground and nailed to a cross. This is the way I will bring all things, in the spirit-world above and the earth below, to myself.”
33Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said this to show the kind of death he would die and what his death would accomplish.
This is the word of the Lord,
Thanks be to God.
Sermon
“Waiting on our world to change”.
Little known psychological fact, whenever we go through change our system, that is whole person-physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual enters the process of grieving. It may be instantaneous like when we can’t find our favourite food at the grocery store, or the latest episode of a favourite series isn’t released when it should be on streaming, or longer process of release of the old, and letting come into our new reality with what was, no longer being there. This can happen with major life changes like graduation, injury, career change, retirement or loss of life or ending of relationships. When I hear this story of Jesus I hear a friend, and loving creator, preparing those who would not be on the next phase of the journey to prepare for the change.
What can this look like? A few years ago, I was at a winter refresher for ministry staff where we were discovering how to aid and understand a community’s role in change. Or as this story relates, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) saying to come along in the journey. Enter the unknown, and see what the possibilities are, and the probability?
This is where this story takes us as a modern-day parable on the transformative journey of grief and how a community can transform together. Sounds a little bit like what has been happening here over the last few months of discovery and reconnection, but I digress. This parable, a Ryan Gosling film, Lars, and the Real Girl. The story opens, and Lars is not feeling himself, his community, his brother and sister-in-law are concerned as their usual quirky loved one, is not himself and is isolating. Then one day he emerges from the guest house, his online girlfriend is coming to visit, but they are both devout Christians so can she stay in the brother and sisters-in-law guest house. They are ecstatic and agree.
The day comes, and Bianca arrives to visit. She is a wheelchair user, but that isn’t what is causing the perplexed looks at dinner?
She is a life size doll.
Suffice it to say they end up at the doctors the next day.
They are given a choice: Either enforce, the myth of normal upon Lars, and trash the doll and roll with whatever happen to his mental health, or enter the journey Lars has begun, see where it leads, and what grows from it. So, you are here the gospel echoes in this modern parable? Like the seeds Jesus spoke of, or even the lines of joining his journey. For Lars was in the journey of grieving, and trying to let go of what was, to be able to enter the possibilities ahead.
The family, the community had a choice. We are at a point in time in our world history to embrace the new that is trying to emerge, that includes healing and reconciliation and letting go of the destructive colonial past or to embrace what we call normal and allow the harm, destruction and hate to continue to grow. We have a choice where we fall in our journey. Just like those hearing Jesus’ words had a choice to turn away back to the known, to ignore or to step into the unknown. Just like this family and community.
What did Jesus’ friends choose? What will you choose? What did they choose? Hearing Jesus’ words in the writing of the community of John, what would you choose? If Lars was in the pew today?
They stepped into the footsteps of Lars. And yes, like the seed in the ground, hope began to grow. How do we know? Well, Bianca had girls nights, she joined the bowling league, somehow she even got elected to the school board. The community embraced what their friend needed on the journey?
Are you in the midst of a change?
How can we embrace the journey with you?
That was the question for Lars.
And then, as Jesus pointed out in his story, the old structure, the old way of being was being let go, released, the unknown was being stepped into. It is within that unknown we get to play. Lars was healing, but the community was able to play and so was Lars, what would be the new way? Normal is a myth, but how we are is what matters in creating belonging. Lars knew he belonged. He was able in the journey to let go of what was not serving him, to let go of the unmanageable pain, to know that it is not dishonouring or doing a disservice to discover what is. It is also okay to try new things before deciding on the new path.
Isn’t that what the friends of Jesus did? Think of all the new things they were being exposed to throughout the journey? The diversity of the Body of Christ then and until now?
But like what Lent is preparing us for, there was a dark time for Lars, see Bianca fell sick and was bedridden. Did the community abandon him? Those who called Bianca and Lars friend came, the most beautiful scene is of Lars’ church’s women’s group, he asks why they are their? The one lady replies, we have casserole, and knitting and to sit. For however long we are needed.
To simply be with one another. Knowing there is comfort in the connection. Could this be the example of why Jesus took time to be with his friends? To pray? To share space and be? He shared what was to come, and why, but it was in the being.
Preparing them for change.
We have journeyed through Lent, we are preparing for what is to come on Palm Sunday, the celebratory entrance next week of Jesus’s group of those who were not wanted on one side of Jerusalem, and on the other side the celebration of Caesar, with Pontius Pilate’s entrance of power, pomp, money and empire.
That is the choice and everything in between. Our time to release of what was, what wasn’t working, of the change, of life without what always was. For Lars’ community it was to embrace Lars and be with him.
For the community of John, and the story here, it is to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Even Jesus, in verses 27, does what we do, and asks or ponders can we go back to what is known. But the previous verse 25, is the question that rests before us as we head to the ending of Lent, and the beginning of Holy Week, the beginning of our story:
25“The ones who love the kind of life this world gives will lose the life they seek, but the ones who let go of their life in this world and follow my ways will find the life of the world to come that never fades away, full of beauty and harmony.
“Tell these Wisdom Seekers (Greeks)to walk the road with me.
Will we journey through the change as community, and walk the road knowing where it leads is truly the unknown…will you let go what was known and let come what is love?
Amen.
Offering
Dedication of the Offering
BP 663 God of Love, Hear our Prayer.
(Tune: Edelweiss)
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession
(from PCC Worship resource)
Steadfast God,
amid many changes and challenges around us,
we are grateful that you are with us.
You understand our fears;
you support and guide us;
and you give us courage to face whatever lies ahead.
Thank you for the gift of faith, a solid rock to support us,
and so we trust that you keep working, in ways seen and unseen,
for goodness to prevail.
God, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Loving God,
in this time of when there is much to be anxious about,
we pray for the world you love.
Send your healing Spirit to bring peace with justice to the troubled places,
(name places currently in the news … )
Bring care and comfort to those who have been hurt in conflict,
wisdom to those who seek to end hostilities,
and courage to those who advocate for the most vulnerable.
God, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Send your healing Spirit to mend relationships
between religious groups and cultural groups
who find themselves in tension or turmoil.
We pray for mutual respect to grow
between people who look at each other with suspicion,
and among people who have painful histories with each other.
Open our hearts and minds
to those whose situations and concerns we don’t understand,
and bring your gift of reconciliation to us all.
God, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Send your healing Spirit to people we know and to the earth you love.
We remember before you friends in grief… (pause)
those suffering illness and all waiting for treatment… (pause)
those facing difficulty at work or finding work… (pause)
disagreements in our church or community… (pause)
concerns about the environment we depend on… (pause)
God, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
We pray for the continuing ministry of the Church
in our neighbourhoods and around the world.
As we move toward our celebration of Christ’s resurrection,
send your healing Spirit to raise our hearts and our hopes
with the promise of new life in Christ.
Restore to us the joy of your salvation and sustain in us all a willing spirit.
We pray through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who taught us to pray, saying:
“I’m going to have to ask you, Ty to take Leland out, he is to distract for me to preach” after a visceral head snap back and flash of anger at my child’s joy during a Santa Clause service at a spiritual centre. This is just one of many types of inhospitable spaces of the Holy that Thomas E. Reynolds (2008) in his practical, personal and theological work, Vulnerable Communion:A Theology of Disability and Hospitality would have explored as he too is a Dad with a child with exceptionalities, differently abled (my son’s term is super powers) or as we know them at a cultural level whether visible or invisible as disabilities (though in Alberta at least, there are still some Canadians that use the atrocious “r” word slur or short bus jokes, and yes these can be in the church). Other examples pop to mind of folks in churches articulating sounds being distracting, or that “children like that do not belong here” to scapegoating disruption or bullying from wealthier families to the children with exceptionalities (these examples came back to mind as I read Reynolds). Reynolds at this point is an entryway, especially for those who have not slowed to contemplate, for those engaged in the theological work whether consciously or unconsciously due to intersections with community, it is reflective. Reflective on the concept of the myth of normal, how this book may aid a spiritual community, understanding of Imageo Dei and intersections of the journey of ableism. Can there be reconciliation in these communities or others, after the truths shared? For, the cornerstone in the church that allows this truth to exist is simply the fact the child or adult it is directed as is not normal.
The Myth of Normal
What is normal? This is at the root of ableism and eugenics. Essentially, it is whatever the majority or the wealthy of a society stipulate is the benchmark for normal. Yes, there are tests that show whether or not an infant or child is thriving or not that aid in diagnosis. Historically this diagnosis would lead to segregation and isolation within institutions, horrific trials and tribulations, perhaps unmitigated electroshock therapy, neglect/abuse, harsh psychotherapeutics to catatonia, forced sterilizations to name a few. As time progressed, there is the shift to community living and supports, integration supposedly into community life. Government entitlements if they can prove themselves worthy, supports for families or the adult caregivers if the parents surrender into care for not being able to care from early intervention through to adulthood. Some are covered, most for extra care and staff are designed in Alberta for the parents to pay out first and then await the reimbursement. An assumption that only wealthy can embrace the beautiful diversity of the Imageo Dei.
The diagnosis whether historically or currently are used to separate. It can be into blessed communities that embrace the diversity, but the support staff when grieving are not given supports other schools would be given. Using the idiom, it’s part of the job get back to work. For the children, the catchphrase they don’t understand, they are not cognitive (removing the concept of emotion, connection and belonging from the child because they do not fulfill a “normal” benchmark for cognition or interaction). Grief is universal, but we do not want to understand how to aid our vulnerable to grieve.
Even think of how we introduce folks, we focus on the deficit. This is how you can help them or explaining what to expect behaviour wise from their diagnosis. At any point in the introduction did we get to know them? What is their passion? Their purpose? Who they actually are? It is one of the ways diagnosis or labels can be detrimental instead of being used to set up space for accessibility and inclusion for the highest need for access we use it to move a person from personhood to medical jargon, which makes othering easier.
Makes as, Reynolds (2008) shares in his book, they are not normal, so we do not need to see them as neighbour. Anyone who has a disability or is a loved one of a person with a disability knows how this happens in society, and sadly, if we attempt to engage in church many times we are met with overt or covert ableism. The implicit or explicit bias, depending on the person and their position or giving in the church it is either challenged or accepted. For we have a concept of normal, it is a myth.
Imageo Dei
Normalcy is a myth, there is the old chestnut or dad joke, what is normal? That is precisely the answer and should be the Christian response with our theological understanding of the created image of God. I have spoken and written on this topic immensely over the lifespan of my ministries, taken time to cultivate spaces of welcome for all abilities. Suffered the slings and arrows for a colloquialism for it, and yes in one associate role, was voted into non-existence at an Annual General Meeting I was in attendance in of a progressive congregation for having members in the children and youth ministries on the Autism Spectrum and Cerebral Palsy. Was it ableism because of the diagnosis? Or ableism because of the church having 3 floors and not wanting the cost of the lift? Which bias or stereotype was driving the soft excommunication of the disabled?
A missing piece of understanding the incarnation of Jesus of Nazareth, who took on the outcast story. Who pushed back, challenged, and began the steps of healing of the socio-cultural (justice issues really) of exclusion for those that missed the truth of poetry in the Hebrew Bible (I have taken to use this term for the Old Testament, after reading Sir Rabbi Jeffrey Sacks, that pointed out the term “Old Testament” was an act of Anti-Semitism), from Genesis 1:26-28 (New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition, 2024):
26 Then God said, “Let us make humans[c] in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over the cattle and over all the wild animals of the earth[d] and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”
27 So God created humans[e] in his image, in the image of God he created them;[f] male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them,
We are made in the Creator’s image. There was no qualifiers within the poetry. No differentiation or hierarchy. This is an understanding I was already engaging Reynolds’ with, some would not have as the journey and theological premises behind building this concept is quite clear as a shared experience of writer, teacher and Dad, I know where Reynolds’ was coming from, and his use of Jean Vanier’s theology, founder of L’Arche (and yes an abuser), also inspired one of the more known individuals who wrote of experience in disability community, Henri Nouwen.
For all four (I include myself here), and hopefully many others, the truth of the Imageo Dei, is one cannot fully understand or live this teaching without fully understanding all humanity is that image. Which ties back to the concept of introduction, and that those with disabilities are not here for us to serve, for us to teach or pity or… the list can go on.
They are here as part of the image. Like all parts of the image, that the Shema (known in the Christian Testament as the Great Commandments) speaks to love of God with our everything that is interconnected, and interdependent (not the story of life with Creator does not speak of individualism) to be able to love self and neighbour. This type of love is what my practical theology of belonging, one may say disability is built upon. We exist to be with one another, to aid one another in thriving, to create the just society that allows for these conditions understanding science, politics, arts, humanities, trades, etc. that give meaning and purpose, are all tools in our toolbox or toys in our toybox to create thriving creative and loving communities.
That is, if we can get out of our own way to allow the hope of the Holy to flow and wash away the myth of normalcy, to see the beautiful mosaic of the image of God.
Intersections with Ableism or can I belong here?
The Belonging Pyramid is an inverted pyramid precariously held up on the love from the Greatest Commandment lived out in an healthy interdependent community. The top of the pyramid is the easiest thing churches can do, but some fail. Accessibility, can one legitimately get into the building and access the spaces of the building? This is building code, there is bonus points if the access offers dignity to the image of God. There is also bonus points if the language is accessible, do we allow for pictures or other communication assist devices? Do we explain pieces of the rituals happening and why so folks who are new or different neurology’s can follow? Or do we lean into, this is the way it is an folks who know know, like a secret society? Do we point to lack of money for needed renovations without exploring grants or other fundraising concepts or partnerships? Do we plan for Universal Design for both spiritual formation (learning) and building?
The next piece leans into Universal Design, as it speaks to inclusion. Now that we are in the space, is there a space for us? A seat or a space for our ability assistance device we use (not usage not bound, it isn’t a form of bondage, I am not bonded to my legs, they move me, so do walkers, canes and wheelchairs) or do we use the idea of fire code and treat the user as furniture? Imagine that stigmatization, do we do the same thing with a slower moving or larger person who may be at an end of a row?
If we pass the row of inclusion, the precarious tip of the pyramid rooted in the heart of the threefold love of the Great Commandments, is belonging. Belonging is hard. Belonging is knowing one beyond socioeconomics, socio-culture, diagnosis, and other labels of society. Belonging is knowing one by name, knowing who we can share and be supported by, knowing who we support, who we live life with the joys and sorrows, and moments of uncontrolled giggles for no reason, belonging is when we miss a moment or event or appointment someone cares, notices and reaches out. Belonging is the greatest risk, because there could be a day when do to moving, life circumstance or succumbing to a chronic condition or pandemic or epidemic or MAiD (in Alberta accessed after chronic conditions with the co-occurrence of loneliness or poverty or both), the space where the person usually is—empty. Belonging is knowing one day you will grieve in change and be grieving loss.
How can this book be used?
Reynolds’ work is a good entry point for congregations that have never pondered. Congregations that have yet to engage with the aging community, or with, in Alberta as we have known for over two decades by this time in history 1 in 6 children will be born with or acquire an exceptionality in their early years. It opens the conversation, and the challenges with the right guide so that biases can be challenged, and hopefully changed for healthier communities.
For the myth of normal can be eliminated. Would it change outcomes of ex-communication or ostracism as has been touched upon in the personal journey here? In some instances, it could, there could have been a work through point, up to a point. But then the challenge of the sacred building stands and whether or not to continue to accessibility, inclusion and belonging the hardest discussion of the change to the “home of God” or “our church” conflated with the real estate would happen. Essentially has the forced, yet more subtle ostracisms/ex-communication is just delayed until the individual can no longer participate.
Reference
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. (2024) ESV Online.
Oki, Âba wathtech, Danit’ada, Tansi, Hello and welcome to worship at Centennial. I would like to acknowledge we gather as first peoples and settlers on the traditional territories of the Treaty 7 peoples that include the Stoney Nakoda First Nations including Chiniki, Bearspaw and Good Stoney First Nations, the Blackfoot Confederacy that includes the Siksika, the Piikani and Kainai First Nations, and Tsuut’ina First Nations, and the Metis Nation Region 3. With the living love of Creator, we commit to the hard calling of truth and reconciliation together here on Turtle Island.
We are in the season of Lent, a time to embrace the mystery of faith, and listen deeply to the still quiet voice calling us.. Please join in our call to worship.
Call to Worship
We gather together, seeking life in all its fullness.
We gather in God’s name, longing for truth and hope.
We are drawn by the words of our Creator and Redeemer.
We seek God’s Spirit to guide us.
Come and worship the God who seeks us out.
We will worship God, the Source of our lives, who is worthy of all our praise.
(From PCC Worship Resource for the day)
Time of Praise:
1) BP 675 Precious Lord, Take My Hand
2) BP 651 Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer
Prayers of Adoration and Confession (From PCC Worship Resource):
Loving God,
Creator, Christ, and Guide,
you speak words of life to us.
In you we find our hearts’ desire;
by your grace we are saved.
When the way forward is unclear, you shed light.
When times are difficult, you stir courage and hope.
Our deepest longing is to know you,
and to be known by you.
Draw near to us in our time of worship, O God,
and open the way before us,
so that we may follow Jesus without wavering,
trusting him to lead us.
Although following you brings joy, O God,
we confess the way is sometimes hard for us.
We get tired and would prefer an easier road.
Some days the task of loving others seems hard,
and we ignore the needs of our neighbours.
Forgive us when our commitment to you wavers,
and we take that easier path.
Strengthen our determination to follow where you lead
and renew our energy to serve in Jesus’ name. Amen
Lord’s Prayer
(Version 4 from the New Zealand Prayer Book)
Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, Source of all that is and that shall be, Father and Mother of us all, Loving God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echo through the universe! The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world! Your heavenly will be done by all created beings! Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us. In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us. In times of temptation and test, strengthen us. From trials too great to endure, spare us. From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and for ever. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
Friends, believe the good news! We are justified by God’s grace which has come to us through Jesus Christ. By grace, we are forgiven and set free to find new life in Christ. Thanks be to God!
Announcements – Elders
Church Family Celebrations (Birthdays, Anniversaries, Welcome Song)- Elders
Children’s Time:
“The Mustard Seed”
I hear in Sunday School you’ve been learning about a story about a Mustard Seed. What’s the story?
Did you know, I used to work for a place called the Mustard Seed, we helped folks who needed homes, why do you think they chose this story as their name? When you say you’re going home what’s at home?
And like the story they continue to grow they are in Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Medicine Hat, and B.C. helping folks grow hope. So, as you learn the stories know they are not just stories, they are things we are to do to help.
Let’s pray,
Thank you, God, for your stories.
That show us how to grow hope.
And thank you for our homes, and we pray all will have a home.
2 Six days later Creator Sets Free (Jesus) took his three closest followers—Stands on the Rock (Peter), He Takes Over (James), and He Shows Goodwill (John)—and led them up a high mountain to be alone and pray. Right before their eyes his appearance began to change. His clothes became shining white, whiter than anyone on earth could make them.
4 Two ancestors appeared before them also, the prophet Great Spirit Is Creator (Elijah) and the ancient lawgiver Drawn from the Water (Moses). They were both talking with Creator Sets Free (Jesus). His three followers rubbed their eyes and looked again. They were filled with wonder and trembled with fear and excitement!
5 Stands on the Rock (Peter) spoke out, “Wisdomkeeper, this is a good place to be! We should set up three tipis—one for you, one for Drawn from the Water (Moses), and one for Great Spirit Is Creator (Elijah).”
6 He said this without thinking because they were all afraid and did not know what to say.
7 Then, from above, a bright cloud came down around them and a voice spoke out from the cloud, “This is my Son, my Much Loved One. He is the one who speaks for me now. Listen to him!”
8 Right then the cloud lifted. They looked around to see their ancestors, but they were gone, and standing alone before them was Creator Sets Free (Jesus).
9 As they walked down the mountainside, he instructed them to tell no one what they had seen until after the True Human Being had come back to life from the dead.
This is the word of the Lord,
Thanks be to God.
Sermon
Up on the Mountain
When I was learning to preach in Bible College, the Transfiguration story was one we were told to avoid, to complicated and complex to explore and explain. Which is true but can also be true about any story in our sacred stories. In essence, what we are seeing is a moment where the barriers are removed for Jesus to be fully who he is.
What a beautiful moment for his friends to share with him.
It is a also a moment tied into the historic story, Elijah, who tradition said was taken up to be with God without dying, and would return to point to the true Messiah was there, and Moses, who the sacred stories tells us died at the border of the Promised Land, but there was an alternate story that he too had been taken up to be with the Holy without dying, and they both appear, these twin pillars that mark the calendar and festivals of the people, that provided freedom from oppression and injustice. Jesus’ friends stand with him and witness the blessing, the becoming.
And I wonder, what would it be like to have been there? What is it like to hear Jesus’ call us by name as he did his friends to come up the mountain, and be present, to become fully.
We are in the season of Lent, a time that many practice giving up something hence the practice of Shrove Tuesday, the clearing the larder of fats. But there is also the celebratory, the adding into our spiritual practice to draw closer to creator. That is where I am taking this sacred story today, with 3 ways to enter the story.
The first, is the practice of meditation. We are going to use breath prayer, that is slowing our being down, to be present to the words and what comes up hearing the text. The way we will enter and exit, is a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy practice, CBT is a way to re-connect with ourselves and is evidence-based techniques cultivated from mindfulness. Now when folks hear mindfulness one usually thinks Eastern religions, but mindfulness has a long history within the Christianities and for the rediscovery work of this I direct you to the writings of Trappist Monk, Thomas Merton. This meditation on the scripture is known as Lectio Divina, it is an Ignatian Spiritual practice, from Ignatius of Lyola, in which you hear the story 3 times.
The second, will be using three translations of the story. This is a practice when one doesn’t have the languages to be able to see what we can come closest to hearing in the original. Its like when I used to be a columnist for one of Calgary’s two daily newspapers in the 1990’s, you could pick up both and read the same story in each, see the implicit or explicit bias around word choice and translation of events…but in the overlap is what resonated the truth of what happened. Same practice with sacred stories and different translations.
The final piece is from the biblical community of John, as theologian Raymond Brown, pointed out, the gospel of John creates an unnamed character, the beloved disciple, so that when we hear the story, we are to become the beloved disciple. Entering the story this way is a spiritual practice that I love, so as we enter the story today, when Jesus calls Peter, hear your name being called to come and experience.
Take a moment and sit as comfortably as you can in the pew, if you feel comfortable and safe, close your eyes. We are going to take 10 diaphragms, that is deep, breaths. Upon in hale you are going to count, so 1, 2, up until 10, on the exhale of the breath you are going to use a prayer word, I prefer the gifts of Jesus so for this we will use Hope. At 10 you will do ten more breaths and count down 10 to 1 and on the exhale say hope.
Feel the wind and breeze, ponder where the mountain begins and the plain ends, you are walking with Jesus, hearing his humour, teachings, sharing stories of life, and food.
On the first hearing from the New King James Version, what emotions do you feel as you are called to be apart of Jesus’ becoming fully? Stay with that emotion for a time, later today you may want to explore emotions more fully by searching online for the image of an emotion wheel.
Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”— 6 because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.
7 And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” 8 Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.
9 Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
As you hear the story the second time, from the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, is there a memory that comes to mind of a moment in time when you fully felt like who you are? Stay within that memory.
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became dazzling bright, such as no one[a] on earth could brighten them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us set up three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7 Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved;[b] listen to him!” 8 Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
On this third and final hearing, from the First Nation’s Version, what are you hearing in the story for what you are meant to do, for the community to fully become that which we are called to be?
2 Six days later Creator Sets Free (Jesus) took his three closest followers—Stands on the Rock (Peter), He Takes Over (James), and He Shows Goodwill (John)—and led them up a high mountain to be alone and pray. Right before their eyes his appearance began to change. His clothes became shining white, whiter than anyone on earth could make them.
4 Two ancestors appeared before them also, the prophet Great Spirit Is Creator (Elijah) and the ancient lawgiver Drawn from the Water (Moses). They were both talking with Creator Sets Free (Jesus). His three followers rubbed their eyes and looked again. They were filled with wonder and trembled with fear and excitement!
5 Stands on the Rock (Peter) spoke out, “Wisdom keeper, this is a good place to be! We should set up three tipis—one for you, one for Drawn from the Water (Moses), and one for Great Spirit Is Creator (Elijah).”
6 He said this without thinking because they were all afraid and did not know what to say.
7 Then, from above, a bright cloud came down around them and a voice spoke out from the cloud, “This is my Son, my Much Loved One. He is the one who speaks for me now. Listen to him!”
8 Right then the cloud lifted. They looked around to see their ancestors, but they were gone, and standing alone before them was Creator Sets Free (Jesus).
9 As they walked down the mountainside, he instructed them to tell no one what they had seen until after the True Human Being had come back to life from the dead.
Take a moment to re-enter the breathing practice. As you do the 1 to 10 count breathes up, on exhale the word is Love, and as you count down from 10 to one with love as well.
As you feel the breeze fade away, and the sounds of the wilderness, to the slow hum of the fans and sound system, feel the pew reshape around you.
Take what you heard. Take a step from being wholly who you are, and step into the holy you are called into as a witness and part of the Transfiguration.
Shape that belonging you feel within, to belonging within community here.
Amen.
Offering
Dedication of the Offering
BP 663 God of Love, Hear our Prayer.
(Tune: Edelweiss)
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession
(from PCC Worship resource)
Loving God, we thank you for the vision you have for our lives,
the promises you have made to us,
and the journey you open before us.
Today we remember with gratitude:
The ways our lives are held secure in uncertain times by our trust in you;
[Silence for 10 seconds]
Moments that made us laugh or smile;
[Silence for 10 seconds]
Moments when we felt your gifts of courage and patience supporting us;
[Silence for 10 seconds]
Times when you helped us overcome temptation;
[Silence for 10 seconds]
The people who love us and give us encouragement;.
[Silence for 10-15 seconds]
Gracious God, we are grateful for all these signs of your love in our lives.
Thank you for the hope they brings us.
Show us how to share this hope and love with those who face struggles.
Faithful God, we pray for healing and restoration in the world that is our home.
We name before you in silence
people, places, and situations deeply in need of your grace,
especially where violence or destruction makes living precarious:
[Silence for 10-15 seconds]
all who are struggling in these uncertain economic times,
especially those who worry about the future for their children and grandchildren;
[Silence for 10-15 seconds]
those who are weak or vulnerable for any reason,
and those who lack dignity and respect in our community;
[Silence for 10-15 seconds]
We pray for the earth and its well-being,
that areas and species under threat will be cared for;
and places in conflict will find ways to build peace with justice;
and we pray for those in leadership, facing complex problems and increasing demands, that they will show both wisdom and courage.
[Silence for 10-15 seconds]
By the power of your Spirit, O God, work in us and through us.
It is a bit tongue in cheek, but I recall, a few years back in the United Church of Canada, a candidate for moderator who was a wheelchair user did call out church ableism (and yes this is not simply one denomination’s issue) as not wanting to talk about their buildings. Ever been inside one with historical status so they cannot change too much inside or outside for accessibility? Or if a ramp is added, as Dr. Dr. Amy Kenny, in her memoir, My Body is not a Prayer Request: Disability Justice in the Church (2022) muses the side ramp being the hiding the secret of the disabled congregant, while keeping up appearances of inclusion. Both these ideas pop in to mind as I read through her pages, Australian born, sharing life in our neighbours to the south, this Shakespearean scholar came on my radar from a 2023 conference with McMaster and Ambrose, that illustrated the point of churches not getting true access and inclusion (neigh, belonging) as a speaker she could not be on stage in the pulpit—for lack of a ramp, she was on the floor. These reflective thoughts will share a bit about how to use this book within a reading circle, some truths the church needs to be aware of to know our sin of ableism and begin the steps for reconciliation, and honestly, can we change the bathrooms so one can belong?
Do we live the tropes?
This past Christmas, some Whovians showed they really do not understand their fandom (much like some Trekkies and X-men fans on the socials recently), as the lead Dalek villain, Davros who has always been shared as disabled, was reinvented to destroy, and point out the trope of disabled as villain. The implicit bias came out on full display for this change. Implicit bias is that bias that we accept as we were so emersed became unaware it was there (check your own here: Take a Test (harvard.edu)) once in the light though, are we willing to challenge and change?
What other tropes exist? Dr. Kenny (2022) points to the churchdom trope, of cure for belonging, calling it out and pointing out that the stories of healing were not about cure. What a work of word work, did you catch it? We profess an imaginative engagement with the healing stories in our ableism to perpetuate this idea of less than for the create image of God with disability and have missed the point of the story (which is one definition of sin). See these stories were about healing that is challenging the socio-cultural traditions that have allowed for the exclusion and the “less than” or dehumanizing or, criptax (Kenny, 2022) that those with disabilities regardless of supports pay extra for access or medical assistance (which can be physical, mental health, dental, optical in the universal system of Canada).
Are we wiling to understand the healing miracles? For it wasn’t the “making whole” that was the story trope for the hearer to understand that something different was happening, it was about the challenging of community. How many of the healings broke religious or societal norms? Where were they directed after? Back to those who excluded to push the envelope back on them.
Are we wiling to see the fully created Imageo Dei before us regardless of the diagnosis and labels? Are we willing to understand that those diagnosis and labels are about the supports a person needs to thrive? And are we as a society/community willing to ensure that happens?
And guess what?
Ensuring that happens, means that we have to be ready to have the hard conversation about our buildings.
What is accessibility?
I have played around with, taught, and shared the Belonging Pyramid in both spiritual and secular spaces to understanding. The hardest conversation around is around buildings. Many times, it is the only asset congregations have, other times they have sought or received historical designation and as such cannot make too many changes to structure. Which leaves them in a quandy in a world where 1 in 6 children will be born with or acquire an exceptionality, and as congregations age. Dr. Kenny (2022) shares many instances where churches have adventures in losing the plot of their own building story. Where there is access, as she shared around a ramp in a new space to enter the building, but instead of making that the new entrance, they left it for the mobility device users and pivoted to the main entrance being after a stair ascent.
What is the message being sent? That we are a secret to be hid. Or the religious trope of “cured” for we misunderstand and misapply healing parables and stories. Dr. Kenny (2022) also shares stories of inaccessible youth or adult outings in nature, where she is piggy backed around as her chair could not go, just pause and think of that for a moment. Have we thought through the point of community?
This is where accessibility falls down, inside our buildings we default to whatever the building code stipulates, in my city, Calgary, many places are grandfathered in as building codes change so they do not have to keep up, or have a ramp or lift added but haven’t thought through sloping or which door the ramp has access to? And the message being sent to the ramp user.
This is why accessibility has to be looked at when building and how to design as barrier free as possible. It is about the buildings now and asking do they still function for our needs or is there something that can be done? Can we approach non-profits that work in accessibility to aid in planning renovations for true accessibility or look at partnering with other neighbouring churches to build new or purchase new as a group (leveraging our properties to send a true message of welcome?).
Which brings to one of the touchiest questions around, bathrooms. A lightning rod issue is gender neutral bathrooms but one piece not part of the conversations shares the erasure of the intersections of aging and disabilities. That being that not everyone is able to toilet without help. Can you guarantee the aid or aides (depending on how many supports are necessary for thriving or lifting) are of the same gender as the person needing support? Can you guarantee the bars and supports are set up and usable for all? What happens if a medically complex person needs to wait because there is only one “accessible stall” (yes quotes are intentional) for can the mobility device come in with them? What if the latch is broken? If there is que? Or it is out of toilet paper? What happens if the bustle in the public washroom has triggered other sensory issues?
Then the biggest challenge, what if the adult, teen, the age beyond infancy, does not toilet?
In nursery spaces, and some washrooms we provide change tables for infants. They are not the only ones that sometimes need a change table. Is the floor of a washroom or other public space really dignity? Or worse, sitting in one’s own urine/feces until a privacy space that accommodates can be found? What if with the emersion of accessible and gender-neutral bathrooms/washrooms, a bench was built into the wall that allowed for one beyond infant size to be changed? What a welcome saying we see everyone in our community and how they do what everyone does, here is dignity.
The Truth…can reconciliation happen?
Accessibility. Crip Tax. Cure not healing. Dehumanizing (through implicit bias). Bathrooms that are not functional. These are simply some of the truths of ableism that need to be spoken and heard clearly. As one reads Dr. Kenny’s book they are front and centre, also understanding throughout the different ways we discard or trivialize the individuals life experience without knowing them.
What? The truth of life is more than simply accessibility (though we have to ensure that is there well beyond building code). It is definitely more than inclusion, our current catch phrase for that just ensures there is a space no matter how undignified (how many mobility device users have been made to feel like furniture as they are discussed as fire hazards for blocking?).
It is about belonging, the ultimate risk, the risk of connection, the risk of care, the risk of loss. Remember that notion of healing and not only challenging but changing the socio-cultural norms?
Can we?
Will we continue to hear the truth, and change?
A book group?
This is the useful tool of Dr. Amy Kenny (2022) My Body is Not A Prayer Request: Disability Justice in the Church can function as a way into understanding and opening up the discussion around disability theology. There is functional questions in each chapter, and lists to challenge the thought process of the reader. What I would challenge the facilitator for the book group to do, is learn the local context for disability acts in your province, supports, and what reality is. Do not assume the bias story that everything is covered.
There is supports, though in Alberta, many of the supports are based on a reimbursement model, which means families need to have the extra wealth to be able to put the money out and wait. That is but one example. Did you also know, many times in Alberta that when a child with disability turns 18, it is a journey of reproving all diagnosis and worth to continue with supports? It is a lifetime of advocacy as a parent/adult caregiver to ensure systems constantly see your child as person. Dr. Kenny shares this as well in her book, about how the medical world didn’t always understand pain the procedure, so often it can be overlooked as some professionals see the medically complex as puzzles, or practice or research participants but in the process the person and their own self can be overlooked.
So yes, engage with the work as a community. Then turn the lens from the book onto your own religious community and ask, we are discovering the truth, how do we create the space God is calling us into for healing?
Especially on the eve of the second week of Lent, where the text is Mark 9:2-9, the Transfiguration, it is a call to community to move into belonging holy.
It is a weekend at Grace Presbyterian here in Calgary, annual (though I haven’t been able to attend since pre-covid) where a speaker comes in and offers a free public lecture on the Friday, there’s a paid workshop with lunch on Saturday, and then they preach at the service on Sunday.
This year’s was a guest speaker from Vancouver School of Theology (VST) where the argyle is cool (if you know you know lol). He brought a “master class” on his topic for clery Friday day time, and then the free public lecture last night (which next year I am hoping to find folks willing to car pool as I would love to take in whomever the speaker is).
Then for a simple $20 today, with lunch included, or on zoom, you could take in his lecture: Biblical Authority: Play & Possibility. The Rev. Dr. Richard Topping, led a just shy of 3 hour talk this morning. Some nuts and bolts differentiations of philosophy of teaching, I do like a simple coffee break at the half way point, allows for a stretch, bio needs, without having to worry about missing key things from the speaker. I also am one that likes the teaching, then allowing for small group discussions, with some ice breakers (though I detest ice breakers) to get to know folks around you or in the room. I get this isn’t everyone’s pedagogy (how we learn) and the straight up lecture with questions worked well, but I need the process time (hence the post).
It was great to see folks I hadn’t seen for awhile, though by the time I was ready to socialize post lunch they had faded away (yeah I’m one of those introverts).
But back to the topic Rev. Dr. Topping brought. It was well laid out, and took us into what it means to understand scripture, to be able to be appropriate in working within the proper genre. The concept of the heresy of the paraphrase, that takes something beautiful, creative and artistic and tries to boil down to evidentiary fact is a wonderful concept for my philosophical mind. Reminding me, that Mark 4, is this chapter of parable that exists within the propaganda writing (which is what the genre of gospel is) to instruct us how to discover through parable, the opposite of what we are taught when learning to preach to use story for clarity, rather these stories exist to create confusion, discourse and dialogue I would press forward with.
But to remember that to engage with the work of reading scripture is to lean into the invitation to imagination.
Let that settle in.
Engage into the invitation to imagination.
As we are to live in this almost and not yet, trusting in promises given and the path of the stories laid out with us. Rev. Dr. Topping shared the medieval idea of palimpsets, where valum was scraped clean, and this idea of the old being scraped away for the new to be written. Think of that imagery, for resources, he also shared of the Image Journal, and the beautiful poetry of Jill Baumgartener.
The mature faith, is one where creativity and faith are not simply connected, but interwoven as a tapestry of community. A true mosaic of spirit, heart, emotion and mind.
For other resources, also shared was Martin Luther King Jr., Serene Jones, Northrope Frye, and Paul Ricouer. Explore their works, ideas, how faith inspires imagination, and engages in a different way, and through the creative, we can discover the Holy anew.
So what makes a playful imaginative interpretation?
Seven things:
Humility, that is having a willingness to reflect.
Love, what the bible is truly about
Patience, are we willing to linger in the stories and the creative?
Imaginity that is born out, through, and within the Holy Spirit
Someone undstands what the Bible is about
Reads scripture, as the word centered, Jesus.
Scripture-not just an artifact, but a sanctified means that God uses in the economy of salvation.
As you prepare to imagine and engage.
Ask yourself, what is the bible?
How you answer this question speaks to how playful you’ll be for as you read the bible you’re communing with the writers and communities within those stories (the saints, remember those pesky creeds? How do you understand the creeds? What do you resonate with? Struggle with? throw away?)
For this all leads into the latin term, Pallotum cordis, the pallete of our heart. That is how we ingest the stories and live them. The magical/mystical understanding of Jesus’ life being one of solidarity with the marginalized.
If these ideas resonate or something more you would like to explore, I encourage you on Feb. 25, 2024 @ 10:30 a.m., to attend service at Grace Presbyterian, and discover anew or renew.
Oki, Âba wathtech, Danit’ada, Tansi, Hello and welcome to worship at Centennial. I would like to acknowledge we gather as first peoples and settlers on the traditional territories of the Treaty 7 peoples that include the Stoney Nakoda First Nations including Chiniki, Bearspaw and Good Stoney First Nations, the Blackfoot Confederacy that includes the Siksika, the Piikani and Kainai First Nations, and Tsuut’ina First Nations, and the Metis Nation Region 3. With the living love of Creator, we commit to the hard calling of truth and reconciliation together here on Turtle Island.
Call to Worship
Leader: When Jesus is born to Mary and Joseph,
People: God is there.
Leader: When Jesus is presented at the temple,
People: God is there.
Leader: When Simeon holds Jesus in his arms,
People: God is there.
Leader: When Anna recognizes Jesus in the temple,
People: God is there.
Leader: This very morning,
People: God is here.
Leader: In the future we cannot see,
People: God is there.
All: Let us worship God!
— written by Rev. Robert George, Karen George, Judy Colby-George, in Past Meets Future: A Blessing for Today
Time of Praise:
1) BP 153 Joy to the World
2) BP 141 Good Christians, All Rejoice
Prayers:
God of grace and glory,
we praise you from the heights and from the depths;
from the courts of power and from the sidewalks of our lives.
Your splendour shines from a manger,
where the Light of the World was born for us.
In fragile flesh, you are revealed to us face to face
reaching out to claim our love.
And so we gather with those who have glimpsed that love
to rejoice that you have claimed us in Christ.
We offer you our praise, Creator, Son, and Spirit;
Source of life, Glorious light, and Wisdom of the ages.
God of our lives,
we know you are with us through thick and thin,
in times of great joy and at moments of disappointment.
Yet we can feel let down when the joy of Christmas Day has passed.
Our hope gets folded away with the gift wrap,
our energy for the future feels a bit tattered.
Forgive us when our faithfulness flickers like a candle burning down.
(From Presbyterian Church in Canada worship resources for Dec. 31, 2023)
Lord’s Prayer
(Version 4 from the New Zealand Prayer Book)
Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, Source of all that is and that shall be, Father and Mother of us all, Loving God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echo through the universe! The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world! Your heavenly will be done by all created beings! Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us. In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us. In times of temptation and test, strengthen us. From trials too great to endure, spare us. From the grip of all that is evil, free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and for ever. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
Hear the good news of the Gospel: Jesus Christ is our light and our salvation. In him we are made new. Let us give thanks to God and be at peace with ourselves and with one another.
(From Presbyterian Church in Canada worship resources for Dec. 31, 2023)
Announcements – Elders
Church Family Celebrations- Elders
Children’s Time:
“Celebrate.”
You have seen what happens at blessings, Christenings, and baptisms. When you meet the community, and are taken around, regardless of age. That is what is happening in today’s story from Luke, and we will hear how Jesus met his community, and how his community, like yours, responds, by seeing the blessings within you. So, as they met you, and have been meeting you each and every week since, how about sharing…
What do you like to do? What are things you do well? Things you like to learn?
Let’s pray
Hymn:
BP 146 Angels From the Realms of Glory
Scripture
Galatians 4:4-7 (First Nations Version)
But when the time was right, Creator sent his Son, who was born of a woman and born under our tribal law. He came to set free the ones who were under the law, so that all of us could take our place in Creator’s family as mature sons and daughters. Because this is the true of your, Creator has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying our from within us, “Abba! My Father!”
So then, you are no longer slaves to the spiritual powers of this world that use the law to accuse you and bring you under bondage. You are now taking your place as mature sons and daughters ready to share in the family blessing promised by the Great Spirit.
Luke 2:22-40 (First Nations Version)
Then, about one moon later, the time came for them to present their child to the Great Spirit in the Sacred Village of Peace (Jerusalem). This was for their cleansing ceremony, an ancient tradition from the lawgiver Drawn from the Water (Moses), who said, “Every male child who is first to open the womb will be holy in the Great Spirit’s sight. Bring two turtle doves or two young pigeons to be burned with fire as a sweet-smelling smoke offering.”
This shows they were poor, for this was the offering a poor family was
permitted to bring according to tribal law.
When they arrived at the sacred lodge in Village of Peace (Jerusalem), they were welcomed by Creator Hears (Simeon), a respected elder who did what was right in the Great Spirit’s sight, and waited patiently for him and told him he would not die until he saw Creator’s Chosen One with his own eyes.
As Creator Hears (Simeon) followed the guidance of the Spirit, he arrived at the sacred lodge just in time to see He Gives Sons (Joseph) and Bitter Tears (Mary) bringing their child for the traditional ceremony given in their tribal law. Creator Hears (Simeon) took the child into his arms and spoke words of blessing over him.
“O Great Father”, he prayed, “I now see with my own eyes the one you have prepared for all Nations, the one who will heal our broken ways and set us free. He will make a clear path for all people to see and bring honor to the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel). Now, just as you have said, I can cross over in peace.”
The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said. So Creator Hears (Simeon) spoke blessing words over them also.
He then turned to Bitter Tears (Mary) and spoke softly in her ear.
“This child has been chosen for the fall and rising of many in the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel). He will be a sign that will be spoken against exposing the thoughts of many.
His voice softened as he looked sadly into his eyes.
He said to her, “Even your own spirit will be pierced through like a sharp arrow.”
As they pondered his words, a holy woman, named Woman of Goodwill (Anna) welcomed them. She was an elder from the tribe of Walks with a Glad Heart (Asher) and the daughter of Face of Creator (Phaneul). She had married at a young age and lived with her husband for seven winters but had not been a widow for eighty-four winters. She served the Great Spirit at his sacred lodge night and day with fasting and many prayers. When she saw the child, she gave thanks to Creator and began telling about the child to all who were waiting for Creator to fulfill the promises he made to the Sacred Village of Peace (Jerusalem).
After they performed all the ceremonies that Creator’s Law required, they returned to Circle of Nations (Galilee), to their home in Seed Planter Village (Nazareth). In this village the child grew strong in his spirit and was filled with wisdom, for the blessing of the Great Spirit was resting on him.
This is the word of the Lord,
Thanks be to God.
Sermon
“What’s Purpose?”
Lutheran Pastor and writer, Nadia Bolz-Weber, posted recently to her social media, “I won’t say that I hope this season is merry; I won’t say that I hope it is happy and bright. But I will say this: I hope you hear a divine “yes” this season. In other words, may your soul feel its worth”. And this is what has been mulling around and struggling since coming to the texts for today for me. This sermon is reflective not of a deep dive academic process, but rather a messy interior journey of spiritual hearing and seeking for that divine yes. It is the same struggles in the Temple I imagine Joseph and Mary had, after saying yes to the divine yes. Those in the Temple bearing witness, Simeon finally actualizing a divine yes, and I ponder if he had even avoided moments of the divine yes as we all do for not knowing our own worth, even Luke recording this story so many decades and events later. And at the core, like with the Nativity story at this Christmas time, with Mary and Elizabeth being the voice, now here is Anna in her full worth, full Imageo Dei living into her divine yes.
This journey will share some of my own thoughts and heart reflections, before crafting time for you to listen for your divine yes, and or possibly a divine yes of someone else for discernment is not individualistic, but like belonging and purpose if you’ve been around for my other sermons, interdependent.
Welcome to my own labyrinth walk into the story…
This past Saturday December 9, we were given a storytelling gift, in a Doctor Who Special, called The Giggle. It was a gift, because of the interaction of the two doctors, in which the new doctor looked at his former self with two pieces of wisdom:
I’m okay because you took the time to fix us, we’re Timelords and we do rehab out of order.
You can stop running.
Powerful wisdom, discovered in the form of story, much like the texts of today with Paul’s writings to the house gatherings in Galatia, and the physician Luke’s recording of the tale of the Temple for baby Jesus, his parents and temple prophets. Both these pieces of wisdom can be seen.
Both these pieces of wisdom as well, speak to us, as we sit here in the in-between known as Christmas time awaiting Epiphany, and on the calendar, the new year turning over to 2024 at midnight on January 1, just under 13 hours away. See, the second piece, is what those in Galatia, and Jesus’ folks needed to hear. It was speaking to the treadmill of survival one can be in. It can be the sympathetic nervous system that gives us our flight, fawn, freeze or fight responses. That when you are living under occupation as the early church was under the Roman Empire, as Jesus’ family was birthing him into as non-entities oppressed by both the Empire, and the Religious Authorities collaborating for what little power there was left, this is the constant of the system. The running if you will, and for anyone who has ever seen Doctor Who, you know running is part of the show with timey-wimey saving the universe things.
Much like us, especially in this era of greedflation, being on the treadmill, running not to thrive, but to survive. Even as Jesus’ parents enter the temple they are on this treadmill, hypervigilant even if not realizing it. The call on their son to be the messiah, one that so many were expecting. A warrior king to overthrow the Empire and make things right again.
And yet,
Here was the baby.
What a purpose, but was it a true purpose?
As I ruminated and mulled these readings, I reflect on my own journey, and I ponder how many of you can relate? Doing good work, helping others, falling into the rhythm and complacency of life. Finding ways to find purpose, that thing that gives meaning, that piece of us that our society has codified and says the purpose that matters is the one you are paid for.
What happens though when you can’t anymore?
This goes back to that first piece of wisdom, doing the work, rehab out of order. Healing. Letting go. A rather daunting challenge, but as Simeon and Anna shared their wisdom of the baby Jesus with mum and dad this is what had to happen, out of order, they thought they were being called to something monumental, and then they realized it was truly astounding and cosmic reshaping.
Have you ever had a moment like that? When didn’t things just make sense? Or when a change so drastic happened that you were unsure what was going to happen next? For me at this point in my journey these are the questions arising with Luke’s story here, for me in the now. Having spent so much of my life in ministry in life recovery and the homeless serving sector, teaching and ministry building in churches, writing and speaking…and then 7 years ago the end began. There was no prophetic voice there, but I could empathize with Joseph, and Mary, about the unknown with these words of Simeon and Anna, and for the prophets to in the waiting but not yet until Jesus was there.
See four years ago, after I worked hard to heal, and rebuild my mind, and stem the constant roll of discord and seizures that was PTSD driven PNES, I was given what can be a challenge for one’s purpose. Being told I could not longer serve as I had for my life up until that point.
Anyone can relate? Your whole self is willing, but you just can’t anymore?
And let me tell you coming off a long-term disability claim, there was no cushion, there was no time to process the new reality, there was only how do we survive, what happens next? Scrambling with a little guidance and a new resume. See there is purpose that cultivates from passion but then there is complete disruption.
Do you think that’s what these young parents may have been feeling, and feeling even more after entering the temple?
Our church is in an almost, not yet moment, a moment when we can listen, discern, and see what our purpose is to be next. But also, to let go of what no longer aids, what no longer is and take the time to mourn.
For in that wisdom, of time to mourn, is what was missing, and four years of myself into this new purpose of teaching and writing, it finally settled in during Advent, as we journeyed to the manger for me.
Stop running. Yes, as a friend had said with the PNES I had kept running even past when I should have stopped to support others, and then couldn’t anymore. Then had to rebuild, but the reset in February 2020 didn’t last long before the next chaos of a pandemic ensued, and still no pause with the running.
But what happens, if we take time to rest?
What happens, if we take time to be with one another?
What happens, for our purpose, if we listen to those who know us. What happens if we let others aid in the discernment and guidance? It can be a hard thing.
But I do ponder, how Mary and Joseph felt in the Temple, when Simeon, then Anna approached and spoke wisdom over their baby.
I ponder, some days what it can feel like to not run. To do the work not in reverse, but in order.
I ponder what would happen if the world of peace, joy, hope and love a baby born at the darkest time of year as the brightest light…so bright that the oppressive and colonizing structures of his day trembled and started to find ways to discredit and eliminate this little baby in a creche of a stable.
I ponder how our belonging changes, when we cultivate authentic purpose and community, knowing that we are not alone, we are interconnected and beloved creations given the most precious gift.
I ponder what happens, if we could stop the sprint, and enter the marathon.
I ponder, what purpose is brewing for each of us today and in a few hours, into the new year.
As you hear these words one last time, if you feel comfortable, close your eyes, slow your breathing, deep diaphragmatic breathes, let your mind rest, if you get distracted its okay, acknowledge and come back to the story. Feel the church and pews fade away, for the busyness of the Temple courtyard, feel the heat and dust, and bay of livestock, the commotion, the soft sniffles, and cries of newborns. When the Holy family enters, and you are.
Let that last question be in your mind as you hear these words, what purpose is being affirmed or called today? What divine yes are we entering into?
Luke 2:22-40 (First Nations Version)
Then, about one moon later, the time came for them to present their child to the Great Spirit in the Sacred Village of Peace (Jerusalem). This was for their cleansing ceremony, an ancient tradition from the lawgiver Drawn from the Water (Moses), who said, “Every male child who is first to open the womb will be holy in the Great Spirit’s sight. Bring two turtle doves or two young pigeons to be burned with fire as a sweet-smelling smoke offering.”
This shows they were poor, for this was the offering a poor family was
permitted to bring according to tribal law.
When they arrived at the sacred lodge in Village of Peace (Jerusalem), they were welcomed by Creator Hears (Simeon), a respected elder who did what was right in the Great Spirit’s sight, and waited patiently for him and told him he would not die until he saw Creator’s Chosen One with his own eyes.
As Creator Hears (Simeon) followed the guidance of the Spirit, he arrived at the sacred lodge just in time to see He Gives Sons (Joseph) and Bitter Tears (Mary) bringing their child for the traditional ceremony given in their tribal law. Creator Hears (Simeon) took the child into his arms and spoke words of blessing over him.
“O Great Father”, he prayed, “I now see with my own eyes the one you have prepared for all Nations, the one who will heal our broken ways and set us free. He will make a clear path for all people to see and bring honor to the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel). Now, just as you have said, I can cross over in peace.”
The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said. So Creator Hears (Simeon) spoke blessing words over them also.
He then turned to Bitter Tears (Mary) and spoke softly in her ear.
“This child has been chosen for the fall and rising of many in the tribes of Wrestles with Creator (Israel). He will be a sign that will be spoken against exposing the thoughts of many.
His voice softened as he looked sadly into his eyes.
He said to her, “Even your own spirit will be pierced through like a sharp arrow.”
As they pondered his words, a holy woman, named Woman of Goodwill (Anna) welcomed them. She was an elder from the tribe of Walks with a Glad Heart (Asher) and the daughter of Face of Creator (Phaneul). She had married at a young age and lived with her husband for seven winters but had not been a widow for eighty-four winters. She served the Great Spirit at his sacred lodge night and day with fasting and many prayers. When she saw the child, she gave thanks to Creator and began telling about the child to all who were waiting for Creator to fulfill the promises he made to the Sacred Village of Peace (Jerusalem).
After they performed all the ceremonies that Creator’s Law required, they returned to Circle of Nations (Galilee), to their home in Seed Planter Village (Nazareth). In this village the child grew strong in his spirit and was filled with wisdom, for the blessing of the Great Spirit was resting on him.
As you feel the heat, dust, and busyness fade. Feel the comfort of the pew reform around you. Bring your breathing back to normal and let the call rest on you. Perhaps you feel like sharing with others, whether it is your own or another person’s. Affirm the gifts, talents, and purposes we see in one another.
As another calendar year inches closer to an end, may we enter into 2024 knowing our full worth created in the blessed imageo dei.
Amen.
Dance the Offering
Dedication of the Offering
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession
God of love,
as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, our Saviour,
we are filled with thanks that he has shared human life,
and knows well both our joys and heartaches.
We bring our prayers for the world you love,
grateful that Jesus walks ahead of us into the year ahead.
We pray for all children for they embody our future.
Protect them from danger, strengthen their characters, and give them joy.
Help them look to the future with hope and trust.
We pray for the most aged among us,
those whom Simeon and Anna bring to mind.
Protect them in these days of rising costs and rising tensions,
and reassure them of their value to you and to the whole community.
We pray for those whose hearts are filled with pain and fear
and for those whose Christmas has been touched with loss or grief.
(Keep a time of silence)
Surround each one with your comforting embrace.
We pray for those who cannot afford enough to eat,
and for those who lack adequate shelter
here and in desperate corners of the world.
We pray for those who fear violence in their daily lives
here and in so many regions of conflict.
And we pray for those whose are anxious about the year ahead
for whatever reason,
(Keep a brief time of silence)
Grant each one the courage and strength to face the days ahead.
As this year draws to a close, we surrender to you, O God,
the challenges it has held for us so that they will not remain as burdens.
Remind us of the good things that have offered us encouragement and pleasure.
(Keep a brief time of silence)
Give us wisdom to navigate whatever the coming year brings.
In the new year, grant our leaders the wisdom and generosity of spirit
to collaborate on decisions they face for the wellbeing of society
and of the earth itself.
Inspire us all with the hope, joy and peace we find through trusting you,
Amen.
(From Presbyterian Church in Canada worship resources for Dec. 31, 2023)
Hymn
BP 811 Standing at the Portal
Benediction and Choral Commissioning
Now May the Good Lord Bless You (tune: O Little Town of Bethlehem)
Paul Vargis
Ty
A Monk's Musings 