Thursday, May 21, 2015

PENTECOST: Remembrance and Prayer

We are quickly approaching Pentecost, the Sunday that recalls the Coming of the Holy Spirit to strengthen the Disciples of Jesus after his Ascension.

Now that is a mouthful, isn’t it?  Simply put, Pentecost is the Sunday that we remember Jesus’ promise that he would share the presence of the Holy Spirit with each of us.  That each of us would literally be a sanctuary of the presence of God.  Now that isn’t just a mouthful, for many of us that’s beyond our wildest imaginings.

Every month the United Church of Christ offers quotations that are descriptive of the liturgical season.

One that truly made me stop and stare and read it at least three times is this African Proverb, Ghana:
"If you want to speak to God, tell it to the wind."

Now that might sound pretty so-so to you, however, one day this past Fall I went to prayer with a heart overflowing with grief.  My Mother died suddenly in August.  Her loss really knocked the breath out of our family since it was so unexpected.  My Mom was a truly beautiful woman and we had enjoyed not only a Mother-Daughter relationship; we were also best friends.  We did everything together.  So my heart was full of grief and in prayer I cried out, “I need your help.  I have to get on with my life and all I seem to be able to do is cry.  What can I do to get past this loss?” 

The response was so clear, “You know how I come to you in the WIND?” 

Yes, I did know.  Often I felt the kiss of Spirit in the Wind.  “Your Mother will come to you in the WIND.”

I wasn’t quite sure what to make of that.  I ended my prayer time and went head long into my day and when I came home the tears began to flow once again.  My dear friend, Chris, took one look at me and suggested that I go to my prayer bench in the back yard and get myself grounded.  It was a beautiful Fall day.  The sky was so blue and the sun was nearly noon.  I faced the East where the large GrandFather Tree stands – so regal and tall.  The air was still and very cool, so I wrapped myself in my prayer shawl and let the tears roll as I faced the Sun and asked for relief from this overwhelming grief. 

I heard a strange noise and wondered what it was but I continued my prayer facing East into the warm sunshine.

The sound didn’t stop.  In fact it grew and grew until my prayer was disturbed by its persistence and I turned around to see the large trees behind me were blowing and bowing so deeply in the rushing, gushing, determined wind that my first instinct was to run inside for fear of the trees falling or losing a branch. 

Then my dulled senses awoke!

I looked again at the large GrandFather Tree before me and NOT ONE LEAF WAS MOVING – THERE WAS NO WIND IN THE EAST.

I turned around again and directly behind me on my less than a quarter acre lot, the trees continued their wind roaring sound as they bent and bowed.

In that moment, I got it!  I heard the inner voice again: “Your Mother will come to you in the WIND!”

Now I cried amazed tears of joy and relief.  OMG!!!
How can this be?

God, the Holy Spirit, comes to each of us every day filling us with blessing and possibilities that we cannot even imagine.  Sometimes God goes out of her way to impress us with the reality of her deep love and abiding presence with us.

This Sunday is Pentecost.  The day we set aside to remind us of the BIG WIND in our lives that IS OUR LIFE if we just let it.

"I believe in the surprises of the Holy Spirit."
--L.J. Suenens, 20th century

Pastor Carol
"Dreams grow holy put in action."
--Adelaide Anne Procter, 19th century

"A great wind is blowing, and that gives you either imagination or a headache."
--Catherine the Great, 18th century 

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
--Howard Thurman, 20th century





Monday, May 11, 2015

MEDICINE WHEEL GATHERINGS are SPECIAL!

Medicine Wheel Gatherings are special. 
We experience. We Pray.
We sing/chant and sometimes we dance.
We learn from the Wheel and through each other. 

At our First Friday Gathering on May 1, 2015 we were just three days from a Full Moon, so Grandmother Moon lit up the sky as we sat around the Wheel.

We began by feeling the energy of the Wheel before we opened the energetic space.  It was a deep learning to “feel” the difference in the energies outside and inside the circumference of the Wheel and then in the Innermost Circle with Creator.  Each of us “felt” differently. 

How awesome to discover again and again the uniqueness of each of us and our relationship to Earth and Cosmic forces.  It is a wonder to be Unique and One with our Cosmos at the same time!   Being here celebrating our presence at this Wheel deeply reinforces our Presence and our Oneness.

We open the Wheel with an invocation to the Seven Directions: East, South, West, North, Above, Below and Within. 

Immediately the sense of Community among ourselves and with all that is becomes heightened.  Singing new and old songs.  Continually learning new ways to bless each other and to be one in experience.

This evening we had a special privilege to participate in the blessing of four hand carved labyrinths of designed by Lori.  Lori selected the sacred reading that she shared while others held the Labyrinths and Pastor Carol moved sun-wise around the Wheel carrying the shell with the smoke of herbal smudge rising and blessing each Labyrinth. 

After the blessings we moved indoors to receive the teaching from Krista who is so full of deep knowing who shared about the Frogs Return Moon (April 20-May 20).  Krista taught about different types of frogs and we listened to each of their unique songs/sounds.  She also shared about the animal: Beaver, the flower: Blue Camas, the mineral: Chrysocolla. 

The day after our Gathering I went for a Contemplative Retreat Day at the Benedictine Monastery in Erie, PA.  I went for a solitary walk during lunch break and because of Krista’s teaching, for the first time ever, I recognized the Blue Camas…here is the picture of the Blue Camas…..Krista – did I get it right???

When we had absorbed Krista’s teaching we returned the Wheel outdoors to say goodnight the all the Cosmic Forces who had joined us in this time of prayer, praise and learning.  

Don't miss next month: FIRST FRIDAY GATHERING, June 5th!
We'll be learning about the Strong Sun Moon (which occurs 06/21-07/22)
If you arrive early – we share a light meal at 6:15 and begin our Gathering at 6:45 p.m.  We ask a monetary gift to help us provide the meal.

The  brother and sister birds are chirping and I think I heard one calling my name, so I am on my way outdoors to enjoy the cool breeze and the marvelous warmth of Brother Sun. 

May you allow the blessings of Cosmic Bounty fill you to overflowing encouraging you to share with others and with Mother Earth.

Pastor Carol