harbinger of spring

Early yesterday evening I was out by the woodpile and I heard a really raucous calling from downriver.  It got closer and closer and before long a kingfisher landed in a nearby tree.  He called out in all directions a couple times times, then took off back down the river.   

This was pretty cool, not just because I like kingfishers, but because it was the first sign of “non-winter” life that I’ve seen so far this season.  It was a tangible reminder that light and life are stretching their arms.  With the warmer days and thawing snow, things are beginning to stir.

Easter is coming…

a faire field ful’ of folk

I thought I would post some thoughts regarding what you guys have communicated in how you’d like to enhance the church yard, and how similar it is to a longstanding traditional use of space in England (in rural areas, anyway).  According to Ye Ol’ Wikipedia:

A village green is a common open area which is a part of a settlement. Traditionally, such an area was often common grass land at the centre of a small agricultural settlement, used for grazing and sometimes for community events.  Some may also have a pond, originally for watering stock.  The green is traditionally at a central location and provides an open-air meeting place for the people of a village, for example at times of celebration, or for public ceremonies.

The common use of the term village green reflects a perception of a rural, agricultural idyllic past. However the actuality of such locations always has been very wide, and can encompass woodland, moorland, sports grounds, and even — in part — buildings and roads.

Greens are increasingly rare and are mainly to be found in the older villages of mainland Europe, the United Kingdom, and in areas of New England and Ohio in the United States.

the season of Lent

Lent is the season in the Church year that starts with Ash Wednesday and covers Good Friday.  It’s a season of death: both with the observance of Jesus’ crucifixion and burial as well as a time for us to be aware of our deadness and dying.  But, ultimately, it’s a season that points in another direction…because the path of Lent brings us to the door of Easter.  It anticipates resurrection and new creation, always looking toward the promise that through Christ’s death, there is Life.

Lent spans forty days (not including Sundays) and was originally intended to imitate Jesus’ withdrawel into the wilderness for forty days.  It’s traditionally a concentrated time of preparation for Easter Sunday, characterized by soul-searching and reflection.  During this time of remembering Christ’s death, we also recognize our own mortality:

we don’t live forever.
we have patterns and habits that break our shalom with God and others.
we are weak and need strength from God and others.

Lent encourages us to respond to these realizations, to embrace our frailty and the forgiveness of God, to be mindful of and confess the ways in which we sever peace.

In light of the example of Jesus, the Church is invited to imitate him during this concentrated period of time. During Lent, together as a community we attempt to respond to God’s invitation:  “Come back to me, with all your heart.”  [Joel 2:12]

something to meditate on

mystery of mysteries,
truth of all truths,
finder of the lost,

here i am.
unriddle me.

- Steven James, Story

it’s Friday, so a song

I’m thinking that maybe this will be a regular thing from now on. 

 This week is sort of a song…and sort of a commercial.  Okay, so it’s REALLY a commercial…but one of the best commercials ever made.  The song is “Pink Moon” by Nick Drake.

 

movie night

 

This Thursday will be the first of many movie nights to come, and we’ll be kicking it off by watching William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet.  What better way to get ready for Valentine’s Day than with a story of love and tragedy? 

We will press “play” at 7:00 pm (the movie is exactly 2 hours long).

I will take care of the popcorn, so bring a 2 liter pop of your choice to share.

Darn you, Punxsutawney Phil. Darn you.

From the Houston Chronicle:

“Brace yourself for more wintry weather.  Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow Saturday, leading the groundhog to forecast six more weeks of winter.

The rodent was pulled from his stump by members of the Punxsatawney Groundhog Club Inner Circle, top-hat-and-tuxedo-wearing businessmen who carry out the tradition.”

However, General Beauregard Lee (another infamous groundhog in Lilburn, Georgia), evidently did NOT see his shadow this morning, forecasting an early spring.

What are we to do?

(Is anyone else creeped out by the fact that there’s a groundhog inner circle?)

from last night (the best I can remember)

This Christian journey is liking asking, but sometimes the answer doesn’t seem to come; like knocking, but no one is coming to answer the door.  And it’s like water because it satisfies something deep within us, quenches something that is at the very depth of who we are.  And sometimes it’s like wind and we can’t tell where it’s coming from or where it’s going and relationships and people that were so vital just disappear and we’re left standing there wondering why.  And we find that when we’re not being who we are, when we try to be someone else or build ourselves up, it’s sort of like being far from home…but when we start to discover who we actually are and begin to be that person more and more, then it sort of feels like coming home after being gone for a long time. So this life of faith, when it comes down to it, just feels like coming home.

it’s Friday, so here’s a song

It’s Friday and it just seems like a good day to share some music.  Here’s one from a guy who’s not really well-known yet: it’s called “Closer” by Joshua Radin. 

This is one of those songs that just seems to sound good on a Friday or Saturday night…usually when played on repeat.

thinking about this Thursday

Tomorrow we’re going to talk about the ways in which we think about our faith.  For example, if someone were to ask you, ”Why did you become a Christian” or “What’s it like to be a Christian?”…how would you answer?

We’re going to spend some time looking at the ways Jesus talked about faith and what this whole experience is like, and then we’ll spend some time discussing and sharing.  Think about the questions above, and come with some thoughts on how you might answer them.