Godspacelight

Meditation Monday – Let the Light Penetrate the Darkness

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 09:46:45 GMT

by Christine Sine

Today is the first Monday of traditional Advent and I feel like Elizabeth greeting her cousin, Mary. In some ways, this year has seemed barren, just as Elizabeth’s womb seemed to be barren, but in the midst of that barrenness, heartache and grief, at God’s appointed time, unexpected seeds have been planted. Just as Elizabeth’s baby leapt for joy when they encountered Jesus in Mary’s womb, so the seeds within us are beginning to leap for joy as they encounter the yet unborn Jesus, for whom we wait with such longing.

On my desk in front of me is this beautiful image of Elizabeth and Mary meeting each other when Mary flees (my interpretation) from her family and the wrath of her community to find protection and comfort with her cousin. My eyes constantly drift to this image throughout the day, especially to the babies growing in Elizabeth’s and Mary’s wombs. Both of them are babies of promise. Both of them are being prepared for important destinies but at this stage, they are just seeds of hope and promise.

As I look at these women and the amazing babies growing in their wombs, I find God reminding me of the seeds that have been planted in me over this challenging year – embryos that are still growing slowly in the comforting darkness, nurtured and sustained by the spirit of God. Like Elizabeth’s baby, I feel these “embryos” leap with joy as they encounter the baby Jesus during this Advent season.

This morning, we lit the first candle on our Advent wreath, which sits in the middle of our breakfast table. It is the candle of hope and I already find myself looking forward to the new life of a new year and new possibilities with hope and expectancy. As I breathed in, I felt that every breath that I took was drawing the light of that candle, and its hope, in with it. I was aware of the light of life and love flowing through my bloodstream to nourish the womb of my spirit where the seeds God has planted will continue to grow.

I am looking forward to 2021 being a year of healing and I wonder what can I do now, during this season of waiting, to ensure that happens? How do I nourish the seeds that God has planted in me during this challenging year?

We seem to be living in a world that needs so much healing. The sick and dying long for it, the unjustly treated and abused crave it, the marginalized and economically fragile are starving for it. Even the creation cries out for it. And as I wait during this Advent season, reaching out with longing and hope to the child growing in Mary’s womb, I ask, “How can I use Advent to prepare me to be a better healer in this coming year?”

What about you? Take some time to study this image and allow your eyes to rest on the babies growing in Elizabeth’s and Mary’s wombs.

What has germinated in the womb of your soul this year that leaps for joy at the sight of the child in Mary’s womb?

Invite God to remind you of what has been seeded as a result of the challenges you have faced. Ask for divine wisdom to understand how best to nurture and grow those seeds during this Advent season.

As I did that this morning, I was not only reminded of the seeds growing inside the womb of my soul, but I was also reminded of the wise men who came and visited Jesus and then returned to their homes by a different route. (Matt 2:12) I wonder if during this Advent and Christmas season part of what God intends us to get ready for too is the fact that once we have encountered the Christ child this year we too will need to “return by a different route” The future will not look like the past. This is a great time to start getting ready.

Contemplative Service For 1st Sunday of Advent

Sat, 28 Nov 2020 23:07:27 GMT

It’s the first Sunday of Advent – a new liturgical year beginning with a season of waiting. This is great time to take some quiet time to rest, reflect and soak in the wonder of the season with music in the style-of-Taize.

A contemplative service with music in the style-of-Taize for the First Sunday of Advent. Carrie Grace Littauer, prayer leader, with music by Kester Limner and Andy Myers.

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-710-756 with additional notes below.

“L’ajuda Em Vindra (I Lift up my Eyes to the Hills),” “O You are Beyond All Things” (O Toi L’au-dela de Tout) and the refrain of “Kyrie for November 29” are songs from the Taize community – copyright and all rights reserved by GIA/Les Presses de Taizé.

St Andrew’s Day

Sat, 28 Nov 2020 09:00:57 GMT

by Carol Dixon, photo above of St Andrew’s Church, Bothal, Northumberland, UK by Carol Dixon

Growing up in a household with a Scottish father, we never forgot St Andrew’s Day! Not just because he happens to be the patron saint of Scotland (among other places) but also because Andrew is such a likeable character among the disciples of Jesus.

Andrew is mentioned only 12 times in the gospels but a number of them are on key occasions. In the synoptic gospels, apart from appearing in the list of disciples, he is one of those called by Jesus at the lakeside; he is present when Jesus goes to Peter’s house (the house Andrew shares with his brother); and he is one of the four disciples who question Jesus about the destruction of the Temple. My favourite stories of Andrew though are all recorded in John’s gospel and all involve introducing people to Jesus – it is to Andrew that Philip goes when some Greeks turn up wanting to meet Jesus and it is Andrew who facilitates it; it is Andrew who brings the small boy with the loaves & fishes to Jesus at the feeding of the 5,000.

Perhaps my favourite story of all is in the first chapter of John when Andrew and his unnamed friend (who are disciples of John the Baptist at the time) leave John to tag along behind Jesus and end up being invited to join him for the day. (John 1 v 35-42)

Andrew was a young man living in difficult times. He came from Bethsaida which was in the area ruled by Philip, son of Herod the Great (& brother to Herod Antipas). Philip was a hedonistic head of state who loved all things Roman and who cared neither for God nor for the people and society where he was tetrarch so the area he ruled was more secular than other places in Palestine at the time and the ancient values of respecting God and caring for your neighbour had all but disappeared.

Many devout Jews at that time were hoping & praying, expecting God’s Messiah to come and overcome the foreign oppressors in the manner that King David had destroyed the nations who had overpowered God’s chosen people, the Israelites. So it is little wonder that many of the young people in particular were hoping and praying for a new way of living.

When John the Baptist points out Jesus to his two disciples as the person they might be looking for, they wanted to know more and started following Jesus at a distance. So Jesus turned round and asked them a question, ‘What are you looking for?’ or ‘What do you want me to do for you?’. I often wonder if they were able to answer Jesus’ question by the end of the day. It seems so, partially at least, because Jesus must have made such an impact on Andrew that after spending time with him, the first thing Andrew did was to rush home and tell his brother, Simon that he had met God’s promised Messiah and he took Simon to meet Jesus at the earliest opportunity.

It’s a good question to ask ourselves from time to time – What am I really looking for in life? Not an easy question to answer but a good one to ponder especially in these difficult times. So how will you celebrate St Andrew’s Day this year? I hope that with God’s grace I can find new ways to bring people to Jesus during Advent, whether we are in lockdown or not.

As one of my favourite hymns by Graham Kendrick says: One shall tell another and he shall tell his friend…

FreerangeFriday: Lighting the Candle of Hope

Fri, 27 Nov 2020 08:01:50 GMT

By Lilly Lewin

The first Sunday of Traditional Advent begins this Sunday with the lighting of the candle of HOPE. We need HOPE more than ever. What does HOPE mean to you? What does it look like to you? What if you spent some time this weekend considering what HOPE is and where and how you find it. Collaging or drawing, taking a walk, talking to a friend, and journaling are all ways you could use to ponder and process the expansive word of HOPE.

What are you hoping for this Advent season?

What is your desire? How do you want to find more HOPE? What can help you do that?

What things are you putting your hope in this season? Does your focus need to change in order to experience HOPE?

Talk to Jesus about HOPE. What would help you connect with him more and thus provide you with more HOPE in the day today?

LIGHT YOUR HOPE CANDLE

Sit in quiet and reflect on the things, people and places that bring you hope.

Next, consider where and how you need to receive more hope.

Take time to pray for people who need more hope.

Pray for places in our world that need HOPE today.

corporate advent wreath

Here’s a Prayer I like to pray during ADVENT.

Lord God,

Calm us as we wait for the Gift of Jesus.

Cleanse us to prepare the way for his arrival.

Help us to slow down and prepare our hearts.

Help us to wait and take time to be with you.

Teach us to contemplate the wonder of God with us.

Teach us to know the presence of your Spirit.

Teach us to bear the life of Jesus and live out his Kingdom.

Today and Always. AMEN

(adapted from Ray Simpson of Lindesfarne)

©lillylewin and freerangeworship.com

The Word

Thu, 26 Nov 2020 09:00:00 GMT

by Carol Dixon

I love words! Since childhood I have been an avid reader, from my teens & twenties I have written poetry, songs, & Biblical reflections and, more recently, have written a number of hymns which have been published by the Iona Community among others since the early 2000s. For more than half my lifetime, I have been a lay preacher, dealing with the spoken word, despite being shy and unable to read aloud as a youngster – my father once told me that I spoke my first word aged six months then added under his breath that he didn’t think I had stopped speaking since!

Words are wonderful things, conjuring up images in our imagination, interesting us, empowering us, consoling us, delighting us. So it is little wonder that one of my favourite passages from the Gospels is John Chapter 1: ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the word was God.‘

I often like comparing favourite well-known readings in different translations so that they don’t become stale and also to discover what new insights I might discover. I love to look out and see what particular word might resonate with me and spark my imagination and it’s interesting to note if a different word catches my eye at different times (You might like to try it).

I like the Message Bible translation which keeps close to the original but phrases it in new ways:

The Life-Light

^1-2The Word was first,
the Word present to God,
God present to the Word.
The Word was God,
in readiness for God from day one.

^3-5Everything was created through him;
nothing—not one thing!—
came into being without him.
What came into existence was Life,
and the Life was Light to live by.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
the darkness couldn’t put it out. (John 1 v 1-5 The Message, Eugene Peterson)

Another modern version ‘The Word on the street’, a translation for Young People has a very arresting way of starting the New Testament (which is called ‘New Promise’):

‘Nothing. No light, no time, no substance, no matter – the Voice was there. Before anything moved, mutated or mated, Jesus, God’s Voice, was there with God from the kick-off. How come? Cos Jesus, ‘God’s Voice’, is God. Before anything began, they had always been. Before there was even anywhere to be, they were there.

Jesus got the name ‘God’s Voice’ because he just spoke and stuff started. From nothing to everything, sparked only by the Voice. There’s nothing that doesn’t have the phrase ‘made by Jesus’ stamped on it somewhere. His words were life itself, and they lit up people’s lives – his light could blast its way into the darkest corner, yet the people who preferred darkness still missed it.’ (John 1 v 1-5 The Word on the street, Rob Lacey)

The beginning of John’s Gospel (in whatever translation you prefer) tells a profound truth – that God wanted to communicate with the world in a way they could relate to so he shared part of himself, his living Word, who would show humanity what God was really like, attested by his own Word made flesh. The Word of God became a human being, full of grace and truth.

So this Advent, as we try to tell the story to people who walk in darkness around us, how will we communicate God’s love to our world in our time. What will the Word on the street be for us?

A poem I wrote a few years ago says:

Word made flesh

How do you

flesh out

a word,

God?

Cover letters

in sinew,

skin?

Is it possible

to produce

pigment

on paper,

Or life-lines

and laughter lines

in script,

So that the impact

resonates throughout

the mists of

time?

In a word,

Yes.

LOVE! © Carol Dixon

Let’s leave the last word to John – this time in a musical setting of the first chapter of the last gospel written by another friend of mine & fellow hymn writer, Greta Wrigley: Word of God.

Word of God, source of life, born into our world of strife.

Word of God, bringing light, born into our world of night.

Chorus: The Word of God became a human being,

Jesus born at Bethlehem;

The Word of God became a human being,

Glory to god in highest heaven.

Word of God, full of grace, born into our human race.

Word of God, truth made known, In him is God’s glory shown. Chorus:

Word of God, good news to tell, God is here, Emmanuel.

Word of God, Prince of Peace, his kingdom comes and will not cease. Chorus: © Words & Music Greta Wrigley

https://godspacelight.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Word-of-God.mp3

REACHING TOWARDS THE LIGHT

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 09:00:55 GMT

by June Friesen

Genesis 9: God said, “I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. ¹³I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth. ¹⁴When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, ¹⁵and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life. ¹⁶When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth.” ¹⁷Then God said to Noah, “Yes, this rainbow is the sign of the covenant I am confirming with all the creatures on earth.”

A sign of God’s forever presence over the earth is still seen in the skies today, usually after a rain. We call it a rainbow possibly for a couple of reasons: 1) a rainbow is often present after a rain and 2) a rainbow is caused by how the sun reflects off of the rain moisture in the atmosphere. As a child growing up, I remember a picture from my Bible lessons in church which showed Noah at an altar with his hands raised towards the heavens where the rainbow was extended across the sky. This is a recent photo I took not seeing the arch of light over the trees nor did I see the ‘dead tree’ which someone pointed out to me looks as if someone is extending their arms heaven wards to God. As I ponder, meditate and pray for our world and particularly our country, I cannot help but be challenged by this photo to also stand with my arms raised heavenward seeking God’s presence and light over me.

EMBRACE GOD’S PRESENCE OF LIGHT

“God, where are you in this darkness that seems to prevail?

I feel so alone.
I feel abandoned.
I feel as if I am dying.
I am waiting….
I am looking….
I am reaching upwards…..
Are you there…….
Where are you…..
Ah…….
What is that I see?

A covering of Your presence over this darkness…

But also over me…….

Thank you God, for your gift of hope –
I lift my heart and my hands to you –
I receive into my spirit and my being your hope today.

Amen.

Online Courses and Prayer Cards Sale!

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 19:15:00 GMT

From November 23rd to December 14th, our prayer cards and online courses are on sale! Both make great Christmas presents. We are delighted to offer these to you at a discounted price during this season. We will ship the prayer cards for you to the address you provide, so no need to deal with the post office lines! Additional discounts may be available for bulk orders, please email us if you are interested!

Our courses make great gifts as well! Here is how to gift a course:

Click on the course page you wish to gift.
Click “Purchase” button
Create an account using the email of the person to whom you are gifting and password.
Input your payment information.
The recipient of the course will receive an email letting them know they are enrolled. Be sure to share the password you created with them!

Liturgy for Thanksgiving – Especially for 2020

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 09:00:31 GMT

by Christine Sine

Even in the midst of pandemics, social distancing and deep injustices that divide us, there is still much to give thanks for.

This service has been adapted for use in the home, as part of the main meal of the day and can be used not just for Thanksgiving but for any celebrative occasion where you would like to give thanks. It is appropriate for use via Zoom, FaceTime, or other video software, as a way to worship with the people you call family and friends who are far away.

Consider setting the table and surroundings with your favorite and/or special seasonal items in the home. A tablecloth, flowers, and your favorite place settings that express the festive theme of the day or season. The meal may consist of favorite and/or seasonal foods. We sit down to feast with God and for that we bring our full heart, our favorite things.

This service draws from the meal tradition of the early church (before formalized Eucharist). We call it Eukharistía: Ancient Greek (εὐχαριστία), meaning “gratitude, giving of thanks”. And this we can and should do whenever we share the bounty of the earth! All Christians are called to bless and so while this meal is not sacramental, it includes blessings of the food and drink shared, and the people gathered.

Preparation – For times of pandemic/epidemic.

We begin by washing, as we were washed in our baptism. We cleanse our hands as we were cleansed in the waters of new birth. We do this not because we are afraid, but because we were commanded to love: and to cleanse our hands, and gather in spirit, is how we love the vulnerable, whom Jesus loved. May we be instruments of love. May the sacrifices we make be for the good of our human family near and far. Each person present then washes their hands thoroughly with soap and water.

Once washed each person should help with setting out the food (best if this is separate from where people will sit for the meal) When all is ready those present serve themselves and then either take their places at the table or sit around the area, socially distanced from each other and from where food is being shared. (Adapted from Thanksgiving/Agape meal liturgy St Andrews Episcopal Church Seattle)

Once the main course has been eaten, the following Thanksgiving liturgy can be shared. Give each participant in the meal either a scripture reading or a prayer to recite.

A Thanksgiving Liturgy

God eternal and righteous One,
Who created the heavens and the earth,
we gather to give you thanks.
For breath that fills us with your life,
For love that softens our hearts,
For beauty revealed at every turn.

Christ redeeming and forgiving One,
Who is always faithful and merciful.
We gather to give you thanks,
For renewal, transforming our lives,
For peace calming the chaos of our souls,
For hope restoring our faith.

Spirit sustaining, and compassionate One,
Who calls us into relationship with the living God,
We give you thanks,
For caring when our hearts are aching,
For friends supportive in times of need,
For generosity lavish and overflowing.

God who created the earth and the heavens,
Eternal, Redeeming and Sustaining One,
We gather to give you thanks,
We come with hearts full of gratitude,
For all things good,
We give you thanks for You.

(Pause to express gratitude for your own areas of thanksgiving)

For the universe immense and unknown,
For the earth on which we live,
For humankind made in your image.
Thanks and praise to God our creator.
For the way you entered human history as one of us
For the sacrifice you made for all of us,
For dying that we might live.
Thanks and praise to Christ our redeemer,
For the wonder of your indwelling presence,
For the comfort of your guidance and direction,
For drawing us together as one body.
Thanks and praise to the Holy Spirit our sustainer.
Through your will we are made whole,
Through your love we are renewed.
Through your abiding presence we become one community.
Thanks and praise to God, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer through all eternity.

Psalm 105:1-8 (TPT) (Evidently this was sung as the Ark of the Covenant was brought up to Jerusalem)

Go ahead and give God thanks
for all the glorious things he has done!
Go ahead and worship him!
Tell everyone about his wonders!
²Let’s sing his praises! Sing, and put all of his miracles to music!
³Shine and make your joyful boast in him, you lovers of God.
Let’s be happy and keep rejoicing no matter what.
⁴Seek more of his strength! Seek more of him!
Let’s always be seeking the light of his face.
⁵Don’t you ever forget his miracles and marvels.
Hold to your heart every judgment he has decreed.
⁶For you are his servants, the true seed of Abraham,
and you are the chosen ones, Jacob’s sons.
⁷For he is the Lord our God,
and his wise authority^[b] can be seen in all he does.
^8–9For though a thousand generations may pass away,
he is still true to his word.
He has kept every promise^[c] he made to Abraham and to Isaac.

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Colossians 3: 15-17 (TPT)

Let your heart be always guided by the peace of the Anointed One, who called you to peace as part of his one body. And always be thankful.

¹⁶Let the word of Christ live in you richly, flooding you with all wisdom. Apply the Scriptures as you teach and instruct one another with the Psalms, and with festive praises,^[c] and with prophetic songs given to you spontaneously by the Spirit, so sing to God with all your hearts!

¹⁷Let every activity of your lives and every word^[e] that comes from your lips be drenched with the beauty of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One. And bring your constant praise to God the Father because of what Christ has done for you!

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Luke 22:17–19 TPT

Then he raised a cup and gave thanks to God and said to them, “Take this and pass it on to one another and drink. ¹⁸I promise you that the next time we drink this wine, we will be together in the feast of God’s kingdom realm.”

¹⁹Then he lifted up a loaf, and after praying a prayer of thanksgiving to God, he gave each of his apostles a piece of bread, saying, “This loaf is my body,^[b] which is now being offered to you. Always eat it to remember me.”

The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us pray together now in the words Jesus taught us.

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 testing, 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. (From New Zealand Prayer Book)

Gracious and generous God we give you thanks,
For the gift of life for we are made in your image,
We think of all those in whom your divine image is still distorted.
We pray for your mercy and love to rest upon them.
God in your mercy be with them.
Caring and providing God we give you thanks,
For our homes that shelter and protect us,
We think of those without shelter and water and protection today.
We pray for your generous provision to be poured out upon them.
God in your mercy be with them.
Abundant and giving God we give you thanks,
For our food that nourishes and strengthens us,
We think of those without adequate food and nourishment today.
We pray that you will feed them with the bread of life.
God in your mercy be with them.
Loving and compassionate God we give you thanks,
For our friends and family who love and comfort us in times of need,
We think of those who are alone and feel abandoned in the midst of social distancing.
God comfort and surround them that they may sense your presence.
God in your mercy be with them.
Caring and healing God we give you thanks,
For hospital workers who minister in the midst of this pandemic,
We think of those who have lost loved ones and of those who are afraid yet still work,
God strengthen and hold them in your healing presence,
Give them wisdom that they may respond with your love.

(Pause to offer your own prayers)

Gracious and generous God,
We remember all the gifts you have given us,
We remember how lavishly you have provided.
We remember how lovingly you have cared,
We remember especially that greatest gift of all,
Jesus Christ our Saviour,
And we give you thanks.
Amen

Preparation before Dessert

Consider enjoying an appropriate dessert following the meal. This prayer may be used. If people are gathered together, encourage participants to wash their hands again or else clean them with hand sanitizer before they go to serve themselves with dessert.

One God of joy, may we remember in this moment how sweet your words are to the taste, sweeter than honey to the mouth! You have given us a feast of rich food, satisfying the longing soul; You filled our hungry souls with good things. May the sweetness on our tongues and the richness of your blessing be a calling to joyfulness, a taste of gratitude, a reminder to invite all of your creation to a seat at the table for the banquet feast you have bestowed upon us. Amen. (From St Andrews Thanksgiving/Agape liturgy)

Concluding Prayer

The following prayer may be used at the conclusion of the meal.

One Holy One, draw near to your people this day/night, keep watch over those whose hearts are heavy or whose burdens are great. Send your holy angels to watch over the sick, and to guide the hands of those who tend to them. And we beseech you, comfort us as a Mother soothes her beloved children. May we rest now, and arise in the morning strengthened by your presence. Amen.(From St Andrews Thanksgiving/Agape liturgy)

If you are looking for Thanksgiving prayers here are some of my favorites – prayers from all traditions including beautiful Jewish and Native American prayers.

And for more Thanksgiving resources, check out our resource page on Thanksgiving and Harvest.

Meditation Monday – Plant, Grow, Flourish

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 09:13:41 GMT

by Christine Sine

Advent is a time for awe and wonder and I already feel it bubbling up within me. It is so easy, here in the Northern hemisphere, to focus on the darkness and not even notice the light that is already around us. I imagine that the womb isn’t completely dark either. I know it is not silent as a mother’s heartbeat is a constant companion to a baby’s development.

Narcissus bulbs

This week I have been very much back into awe and wonder and the glimpses of light I see. There is not just the wonder of the Advent story, but there is also the awe and wonder of what is already beginning to emerge in this season. Over the weekend, I planted narcissus bulbs in the hope and expectation that they will be flowering by Christmas. I love to watch them stretching towards the light, slowly unfolding their leaves and then their flowers. Then as I wander around my house, there is the awe and wonder of my Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti (schlumbergera) beginning to blossom. I love these exotic looking flowers, almost like a tropical bird zooming through the air. Finally on my walk, I was inspired by the last of the falling leaves – the glorious carpet of red Japanese maple I pass each day on my walk has particularly held my attention.

Red carpet – Japanese Maple leaves

Not surprisingly, I have gained loads of photos of these awe inspiring sights. And suddenly as I sorted through them today, I realized that my photos could be divided into three categories: planting, growing, and flourishing. And in that, I see the whole Advent story lived out. God’s desire, a message that I think is implicit in the story of Advent, is a flourishing creation.

The Eternal God planted a garden in the east in Eden—a place of utter delight—and placed the man whom He had sculpted there. In this garden, He made the ground pregnant with life—bursting forth with nourishing food and luxuriant beauty. He created trees, and in the center of this garden of delights stood the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Gen 2:8,9 The Voice)

The Old Testament begins with God planting a garden, a place of utter delight, pregnant with life that is meant to grow and flourish. Here, God shapes humankind from the soil to tend the garden, drawing all of us into the eternal story as caretakers of a creation that is meant to flourish.

In the beginning of the New Testament, God plants a single seed of divine presence, a single seed of a new creation, entering the human story and meant to grow, flourish and be multiplied throughout the earth. No sculpting into being of a fully formed human this time, but the planting of a tiny seed that must grow and develop as we all did, in a mother’s dark and nurturing womb, in the right season breaking out as a new born baby that like us took years to develop into a fully mature human.

It seems to me that in the new garden, Jesus invites us to be a part of, we are no longer caretakers but co-creators. In this garden, that the planting of Jesus as a tiny seed in Mary’s womb began, we are all encouraged to bring about flourishing as we allow the seeds of justice and peace and generosity and goodness to be planted within us. Here we are encouraged not just to lean towards the light of Christ but to allow the light to grow within us until it bursts through the darkness of our world and brings light.

Not surprisingly that made me think of this beautiful Celtic Blessing (Lean Towards the Light this Advent & Christmas, p54-55).

I suggest that you read through this blessing slowly then sit in your quiet space absorbing the light of God around you and within you, warming your heart and filling you with that wonderful light of Christ. Imagine it germinating the seeds planted deep within you. See them growing towards the light of Christ. What would they look like if they grew to maturity, flourished, flowered and contributed their beauty and fragrance to God’s growing new creation garden? What do you need to do during this Advent season to make that happen?

Sunset Oban Scotland – Christine Sine

May the blessing of Light be on you

Light without and light within,

May the blessed sunlight shine on you

And warm your heart till it glows like

A great peat fire, so that the stranger

May come and warm himself at it,

And also a friend.

And may the light shine out of the two eyes of you,

Like a candle set in two windows of a house,

Bidding the wanderer to come in out of the storm.

And may the blessing of the Rain be on you

The soft sweet rain. May it fall upon your spirit

So that all the little flowers may spring up,

And shed their sweetness on the air.

And may the blessing of the Great Rains be on

You, may they beat upon your spirit

And wash it fair and clean,

And leave there many a shining pool

Where the blue of heaven shines,

And sometimes a star.

And may the blessing of the Earth be on you

The great round earth; may you ever have

A kindly greeting for them you pass

As you’re going along the roads.

May the earth be soft under you when you rest upon it,

Tired at the end of the day,

And may it rest easy over you when,

At the last, you lay out under it;

May it rest so lightly over you,

That your soul may be out from under it quickly,

And up, and off, and on its way to God.

Contemplative Service In the Spirit of Taize From St Andrews Episcopal Church

Sat, 21 Nov 2020 22:46:10 GMT

Today’s contemplative service celebrates the last Sunday of the liturgical year. It begins with a beautiful prayer from Mother Theresa. Enjoy!

A contemplative service with music in the style-of-Taize for the Last Sunday after Pentecost. Carrie Grace Littauer, prayer leader, with music by Kester Limner and Andy Myers.

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-710-756 with additional notes below.

“Bring Your Peace” and “Kyrie for November 22” – words and music by Kester Limner, shared under the Creative Commons License, Attribution (CC-BY).

“Shepherd Song” – lyrics adapted from John 10:11-18, music by Kester Limner, shared under the
Creative Commons License, Attribution (CC-BY).

www.saintandrewsseattle.org

Bread for the Resistance: Interview with Donna Barber

Sat, 21 Nov 2020 09:00:28 GMT

by Christine Sine

One of my delights this last week was interviewing Donna Barber, author of Bread for the Resistance, one of our alternative readings for Advent this year. I heard Donna read one of the devotions from this book at a conference early this year and was really inspired by it. In fact I have not been able to get it out of my mind. Over the last few days I have been enjoying reading through some of her other devotions and continue to be inspired and motivated by what she writes. I hope you will be too.

Bread for the Resistance: Forty Devotions for Justice People

Bio for Donna Barber

Donna Barber

Donna Barber, a native Philadelphian, has served as an educator, program director, trainer and coach for urban youth and urban youth program leaders for more than 25 years. In Philadelphia and Atlanta, she worked to create and lead schools and programs that develop urban youth to be spirit-led, socially aware, community-minded leaders. Also a licensed minister, Donna has served with local churches, private and public schools and local non-profits. She holds degrees in Communications and Urban Teacher Leadership and has provided trainings and coaching for national organizations including Mission Year, CCDA, DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative, Portland Leadership Foundation and several colleges and universities.

Presently, Ms. Barber serves as Executive Director and Co-Founder of The Voices Project, a national network that exists for the training and promotion of leaders of color and as President of The Voices School for Liberation and Transformation. Donna is the first African American to be elected to the David Douglas School Board, in Portland, Oregon, a member of the district and Regional School Board Equity Teams, and a published author. Her book, “Bread for the Resistance: 40 Devotions for Justice People,” was released in 2019 by IVPress. She currently resides in Portland, OR with her husband, author, speaker, and Voices President, Leroy Barber, and together they have six children.

FreerangeFriday: Prepare the Way of the Lord

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 08:01:49 GMT

By Lilly Lewin

Celtic Advent started this week… the Orthodox and Celtic Christians use the 40 days before Christmas to prepare our hearts for the arrival of the Light of the World. I love this practice because it helps me focus on something other than the craziness of the world. I start my candles differently each year, usually subtracting down to the 4 traditional Advent Candles in December. On Sunday & Tuesday at ThinplaceNASHVILLE, we focused on Isaiah 40 and the voice of one calling in the wilderness “Prepare the way of the Lord” We prayed with rocks and sand! So our centerpiece for Advent represents the wilderness with sand and rocks. I added candles to pray for friends who are sick along with the Christ candle ( Light of the World ) in the center! It’s been so long since I’ve used tealights in a worship setting, I had forgotten how long they burn. It was a great reminder of God’s/The Light’s presence with me!

Light a candle today to help you remember that the Light is shining brightly, even in the darkness!

Celtic Advent Centerpiece

ISAIAH 40 THE MESSAGE Read this passage in other translations here

^1-2“Comfort, oh comfort my people,”
says your God.
“Speak softly and tenderly to Jerusalem,
but also make it very clear
That she has served her sentence,
that her sin is taken care of—forgiven!
She’s been punished enough and more than enough,
and now it’s over and done with.”

^3-5Thunder in the desert!
“Prepare for God’s arrival!
Make the road straight and smooth,
a highway fit for our God.
Fill in the valleys,
level off the hills,
Smooth out the ruts,
clear out the rocks.
Then God’s bright glory will shine
and everyone will see it.
Yes. Just as God has said.”

^6-8A voice says, “Shout!”
I said, “What shall I shout?”

“These people are nothing but grass,
their love fragile as wildflowers.
The grass withers, the wildflowers fade,
if God so much as puffs on them.
Aren’t these people just so much grass?
True, the grass withers and the wildflowers fade,
but our God’s Word stands firm and forever.”

^9-11Climb a high mountain, Zion.
You’re the preacher of good news.
Raise your voice. Make it good and loud, Jerusalem.
You’re the preacher of good news.
Speak loud and clear. Don’t be timid!
Tell the cities of Judah,
“Look! Your God!”
Look at him! God, the Master, comes in power,
ready to go into action.
He is going to pay back his enemies
and reward those who have loved him.
Like a shepherd, he will care for his flock,
gathering the lambs in his arms,
Hugging them as he carries them,
leading the nursing ewes to good pasture.

What images or phrases of comfort do you notice in this passage?

How do you need to be comforted today? What comfort do you need? Talk to Jesus about this.

Who in your life needs the comfort of Jesus today? Take time to pray for them.

As Advent begins, how do you need to prepare for the arrival of Jesus? What do you want or need to do to prepare your heart? What do you need to stop doing? What unforced rhythms of grace would you like this holiday season? How do you need to make your path to straight to prepare for the arrival of Jesus?

ACTION:
Create an Advent Centerpiece for the Season of Advent. You will need a round tray or plate. Cover it with a layer of sand or sugar used to represent the sand. This is your wilderness.

IMG 4539

A pathway for our God

You will need candles, tealights or larger candles. You will need several rocks/stones.

How have you felt like you are in wilderness in this year? How has the land of Covid felt like a wilderness to you? Talk to Jesus about where you are today.

Draw a path in the sand. Take some time to consider the what kind of road/path you’ve been walking lately. What Rocks have been in your way?

Hold a rock in your hand. Consider the ROCKS/STONES that are blocking your path with Jesus right now. Talk to Jesus about this. Ask Jesus to help you remove the stones and make your path straight. Give these stones to Jesus to hold.

Put a special candle in your center piece to represent the LIGHT OF THE WORLD, JESUS. You can add more candles to your wilderness to represent the four traditional weeks of Advent: HOPE, PEACE, JOY and LOVE and/or candles to light to remind you to pray for those who are sick or hurting in your world.

Wilderness

What is a symbol of comfort that you can use this Advent to remind you that Jesus wants to wrap you in his arms of love and carry you like a lamb? What represents comfort to you?

Take time to listen to Handel’s Messiah. Specifically listen to “Comfort Ye, Every Valley”

Since this year the holidays will be different than most, how can you bring COMFORT and JOY into your life?

How can you bring COMFORT AND JOY into someone else’s life this Advent Season? Could you buy dinner for someone else for Christmas? Could you get an extra gift card for someone in need? Ask Jesus to show you. Talk to your family and friends about this. Maybe you can go in with a group of friends to help someone else have a better holiday and not feel lost in the wilderness.

As you consider how you can prepare the way of the Lord this year, remember that Jesus is with you in all the places of your life. Those that feel like mountain tops and those that feel more like the wilderness or the desert. He loves you more than you can ever imagine!

Light the candles each day during Advent. You can continue to remove the rocks that are getting in your way with Jesus, and/or you can continue to draw new paths in the sand to remind you that Jesus is making a way in your desert! AMEN

©lillylewin and freerangeworship.com

Moving Into Advent

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 14:00:14 GMT

Resources from Godspace Writers

This year has been both challenging and hope filled. Our Godspace writers have truly blessed us this year with their talented writing. We are grateful for them and their contributions this year during such uncertain times. Below, you will see what our writers are up to and ways you can support their work.

Winter/Advent

Mary Plate DeJong: “Wild Winter: A Soulful Journey Through the Sacred Dark” will be a sensory rich engagement with the season of Winter, a sacred season of dormancy and conception, a time to put our ears close to the earth again, leaning into the primeval cycles of nature as ways to understand both Holy Mystery as well as our own sacred and wild selves. Link coming soon!
Jody Collins: Her Christmas season book called Living the Season Well-Reclaiming Christmas has its own website with free downloads, poetry and posts along with helpful info and links.
Jenneth Graser: Published two eBooks: Christmas Conversations and Look up: a Book of Meditations.
Kate Kennington Steer: Is introducing a series of daily photoreflections for Advent (called #adventapertures) and this year’s theme will be ‘overwhelmed by joy’.
Kathy Escobar: Published A Weary World: Reflections for a Blue Christmas
Lilly Lewin: Free Range Worship offers: “A Sacred Home Box: Advent & Christmas Box – Waiting” (arrival before Advent begins cannot be guaranteed if purchased after this week), “Advent – Sacred Space Prayer Experience“, and “Christmas Sacred Space Prayer Experience“.
Sheila Hamil: Christmas Story Video Project – It’s free and can be downloaded and used without asking permission.
Jeannie Kendall: Beginning November 29th, she will be posting a poem each day of Advent on her Facebook page called “Finding Your Voice and Held in Your Bottle“.
Lynne Baab: Recently returned to New Zealand, where she lived from 2007 to 2017. For her blog posts before and after Christmas, she will be reflecting on what it’s like to experience Christmas in the summer, a full-bodied and light-filled experience of God’s incarnation in Christ.

Others

Keren Dibbens-Wyatt: Published Recital of Love, available for purchase through Paraclete Press.
Steve Wickham: Published Shining Gift of God and is publishing an eBook called Six Months in the Psalms before the end of this year: a devotional on all 150 psalms.
Cathy Lawton: Published her second collection of poetry, Glimpsing Glory, released in February 2020.
Carol Dixon: Her prayers have been published in next year’s United Reformed Church Prayer Handbook. Other hymns and meditations have appeared the Iona Wild Goose publications.
Fran Pratt: Published a book of litanies entitled Call and Response: Litanies For Congregational Prayer available on Amazon and Sacred Ordinary Days.
Ana Lisa de Jong: All of her published poetry books are available on livingtreepoetry.com. She plans to publish four new books (broken up into the four seasons) early next year so stay tuned!
Sara Easterly: Published a spiritual memoir called Searching for Mom: A Memoir, the audiobook releases later this month
Joy Lenton: Self-published a small ebook of poetry and reflections designed to help people during a time of uncertainty and soul discouragement called Soul Shots: 31 Days of Pocket Wisdom for Your Hurting Heart

Registration and information for Blue Christmas Online

Advent Music

Cedar Park Advent Playlist
Christine’s Celtic Advent Playlist
The Rabbit Room’s Advent Playlist – recommended to me by a friend
Advent to Christmas by Page CXVI
Advent/Christmas Music from a Rich Array of Traditions

Multicultural Resources

Other Godspace Resources

We have lots of resources and lists that we have updated and added for this unique Advent and Christmas season.

Products

NEW DEVOTIONAL! Lean Towards the Light this Advent & Christmas + Advent Cards Bundle compiled by Christine Sine and Lisa DeRosa
Lean Towards the Light Advent Retreat Online – video sessions by Christine Sine along with handouts to prepare for the coming of the Christ Child this Advent.
A Journey Toward Home: Soul Travel For Advent to Lent compiled by Kristin Carroccino and Christine Sine
Waiting for the Light: An Advent Devotional compiled by Ricci Kilmer, Susan Wade and Christine Sine
Prayer Cards – more than Christmas gifts. These have been used for daily devotions, grief counseling, small groups and congregational prayers.

Check out the entire resource list here for more ideas for Advent and Christmas.

Godspace has a number of Advent resources available for both free download and purchase. Visit our store.

Note: As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn an amount on qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting Godspace in this way.

World Toilet Day

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 09:00:38 GMT

by Diane Woodrow

Today, November 19^th, is World Toilet Day!!! And here is quote from The UN’s website about why they have decided to call a World Toilet Day.

What is World Toilet Day all About? Toilets save lives, because human waste spreads killer diseases. World Toilet Day is about inspiring action to tackle the global sanitation crisis. World Toilet Day is celebrated on 19th November every year. It’s all about inspiring action to tackle the global sanitation crisis and help achieve. Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), which promises sanitation for all by 2030.”

How much do we think about our toilets [apart from when we need to clean them] and our indoor plumbing? It is a luxury we take for granted, especially when most houses in the West have more than one toilet. And we also take our public toilets at sea-sides, parklands, woodlands, shopping centres, etc for granted.

Or at least we did until lockdown. Here in the UK when lockdown eased and people started being able to travel a bit more they started visiting beaches, woodlands, going on hikes in areas they used to visit, but what they came to realise was that even though it was possible to visit these attractions now, many of the toilet blocks had not reopened. The media enjoyed sharing tales of human faeces being found in used McDonald boxes on the beach, or similar stories to gross people out. Why was this a story? Because, even though the first public toilet for both sexes did not come about until 1848 with the First Public Health Bill, in less than 200 years, we have got used to being able to use a public toilet whenever necessary. [The history of public toilets is fascinating and I would suggest you Google it to find out more, and also check out what it is like in your own country.]

As more was learned about disease and sewerage, houses were given their own toilets as opposed to a shared toilet at the end of a block of slum dwellings. I have lived in a few houses built between 1870-1930 where there is a building inside the walled backyard where a flushing toilet used to be. Those outhouse toilets have become garden sheds as indoor plumbing is now the accepted norm. The thought of having to go outside in the cold and wet makes me grateful that I can use an indoor loo. Although when travelling, I spent three months in a house in Greece, which I shared with three guys, with an outside toilet and dodgy plumbing, which help me to appreciate the luxury of indoor toilets and locks on doors.

At least this was my dodgy plumbed Greek toilet, inside our own backyard and I only had to share it with guys I knew. There are many women across the world who do not have this luxury. Whether it is day or night, light or dark, they have to use to a shared hole in the ground, often with no privacy or locks on the door, and definitely with no flushing sanitation. At night, this hole would be in the pitch dark where there are all kinds of dangers which would not encourage the women and girls to want to get up in the night; of being bitten by poisonousness insects and snakes; of falling in the dark and being injured and not found until morning; of being out alone where rape would be an often realised fear; of being kidnapped and sold by people traffickers. So the women and girls hold on, not going when their bladders tell them to, which increases the risk of urinary infections, which if left untreated, can lead to death.

Let us use today to give thanks for our indoor toilets and plumbing that we take so much for granted, BUT also to remember those who do not have those facilities and do something about it. It is so inexpensive to sponsor a toilet or a clean water tap and yet so often we do not think about. Both the toilets in my house sponsor toilets in the developing world via Toilet Twinning, and organisation with the strap-line “flushing away poverty one toilet at a time” and there are many other organisations that do the same. Here are two other examples TearFund and WaterAid but do a Google search to find others agencies in your country.

Let’s use today, World Toilet Day, to help those who are not blessed with what we take for granted.

Learning to Lean

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 09:00:33 GMT

by Kate Kennington Steer, all images by Kate Kennington Steer

As I was journalling this morning about a blog post I recently finished writing and what more planning I needed to do for my own Advent series on imageintoikon, I found myself reflecting on the exact words Christine chose for the Godspace Advent theme this year. The verb ‘to lean’ caught at my attention. As a physical movement forward, back or to the side, up or down, it could range from anything from a slight inclination up to a definite bend, and the resulting visible change could be infinitesimal or dramatic. And I reconnected with a mini-mantra that came to me a couple of years ago after a particularly acute year of physical ill health:

sit in the mess
listen to the pain
lean into the discomfort.

It struck me this morning that leaning towards the light could also cause discomfort. The comfort that most of us derive from the lift of spirits a sunny day can bring, can cause torture for a migraine sufferer. As a photographer, I know very well that light can blind as much as it can reveal.

The more I thought about it, the more uncomfortable the nature of light became.

So if one believes, as I do, that all light comes from God, and that one of the names of God is Light, and that this name describes something particular about the character of God, then one is forced to confront the knowledge that the Light who invites us to become whole in her, is not a cosy, reassuring figure. Light has a power beyond my wildest dreams. Light is Power. But the amazing reality of the invitation to lean towards the One who is Light, is that I am invited to become one with this Light. Indeed, Light longs to share every aspect of what light is with me.

I wonder, what would happen if I were to truly accept this gift and become a light of the Light?

I would have to be prepared for the real nature of Light. Not just the soft focus, fuzzy haze of bright cloud light, but the sharp brilliance that shows up exactly where all the shadows are. Accepting the light of Light would mean accepting the dark of Light too.

As a sufferer of depression, I am only too aware that there are plenty of shadows already out there in my life, and they cause plenty of painful stories to rise up in me, most of which I am highly reluctant to let see the light of day. So, why would I wish to open to the potential of experiencing even more? And yet, reading Russ Harris’s book, The Reality Slap, I was reassured to read this:

This pain tells you something very important : that you’re alive, that you have a heart, that you care, and there’s a gap between what you want and what you’ve got. And this is what all humans feel under such circumstances… What would you have to not care about, in order to not have this pain? (102, 106)

The shadows tell me that I care about the Light. They tell me that I really am a “light-baby”, attracted to the mystery of what light conceals as much as it divulges. They tell me I want to be present to the Light in as many ways as I can, in all areas of my life. This is what I care about, and so this is what hurts when, for so many different reasons, I fall short of realising this is my purpose.

Leaning towards the Light then is going to mean leaning into whatever and wherever discomfort comes this Advent, learning to listen to what wisdom the shadowed messes of painful places wish to bring to me.

I know The Light will speak through my dark.

Moving from Shame to Self-Empathy

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 09:00:07 GMT

guest post by Bethany Dearborn Hiser

Excerpt from From Burned Out to Beloved by Bethany Dearborn Hiser, Taken from Chapter Nine, “Moving From Shame to Self-Empathy”

Although I’ve been attempting to identify my emotions and practice self-empathy for a while, I’m just beginning to incorporate Welcoming Prayer into my life. It has been like tapping into a wellspring of water as I welcome the Living Water to work within me and receive my emotions. I invite you to learn from the work and wisdom of Contemplative Outreach and my spiritual director Lorie Martin, who has contributed to explaining the Welcoming Prayer practice throughout this exercise. (1) Together with these skilled practitioners, we invite the Holy Spirit to guide us.

Welcoming Prayer: An Emotional Awareness Practice

1. Notice and allow your feelings. Pause, breathe, and invite the Holy Spirit. With love and curiosity, begin to notice what you are feeling and allow yourself to feel it. Contemplative Outreach guides the practitioner:

Using your intuitive eye, move gently through the body, scanning for any discomfort, pain, uneasiness, itching, heat, cold, tension, tingling, or other sensations. . . . Rest (stop) there and sink into (experience) it. . . . All feelings, whether perceived as positive or negative, are welcomed. Feelings may intensify, dissolve, or change as we are present to them in the moment. Simply follow their movement.

Becoming aware of what’s stirring in us requires slowing down. When I’m moving fast—or in recovery language, sped up—it’s very hard to be aware of what I’m feeling and needing. I become disconnected from myself. I am also unaware of how the emotions of others are affecting me. My body might desperately try to communicate that I’m stressed, too busy, and near burnout.

Our body does communicate to us if we listen. Bessel van der Kolk says that if we avoid listening, we’re unable to detect what’s dangerous, harmful, and “just as bad, what is safe and nourishing.” We end up turning to other sources to help us regulate or calm down, such as “medication, drugs like alcohol, constant reassurance, or compulsive compliance with the wishes of others.” As codependent workaholics, we return to our need to be needed, to have impact, to please others, or to not fail. It’s too easy, as Brené Brown says, “to steamroll right over emotion.”

Welcoming Prayer encourages us to notice and to allow our emotion without figuring it out in the moment. Brown echoes the importance of just recognizing that we are feeling something. However, if you’re like me, you often want to know what you’re feeling and why. She offers some “Rumbling” questions that are part of the Rising Strong process:

Why am I being so hard on everyone around me today?
What’s setting me off?
I can’t stop thinking about that conversation at work. Why?
I’m having a strong emotional reaction. What’s going on?

We might consider exploring these questions after engaging in Welcoming Prayer.

2.“Welcome” Consent to God’s Presence. After allowing ourselves to feel, the second step of Welcoming Prayer is to consent to God’s presence with us in our feeling, emotion, thought, and experience. As Lorie Martin described to me, we let the feeling be an invitation to receive God’s love. We aren’t welcoming anxiety but rather welcoming God’s movement in us as we experience anxiety. This is a key distinction. According to Father Thomas Keating,

[Welcoming Prayer] embraces painful emotions experienced in the body rather than avoiding them or trying to suppress them. It does not embrace the suffering as such but the presence of the Holy Spirit in the particular pain, whether physical, emotional, or mental. . . . [In] giving the experience over to the Holy Spirit, the false-self system is gradually undermined and the true self liberated.

I want to acknowledge my anxiety, let myself feel it, and receive what it might be communicating. However, I don’t want to let anxiety take over me. I want to invite God into my anxiety.

3. Let Go: Release Needs to God. Now that we’ve let ourselves feel what we feel and welcomed God’s presence in us, we can release our desires and needs into God’s hands. Contemplative Outreach encourages letting go through saying: “I let go of the desire for safety and security, esteem and affection, and power and control. I embrace this moment as it is.”

When we let go of our desires, we aren’t saying that they’re unimportant or that we don’t have a need for security, affection, and control. We also aren’t saying that we have no reason to fear and that the circumstances we face are safe and healthy. For a person caught in an abusive relationship, fear is justified. We aren’t saying to just get over the fear or let go of the emotion.

Equipped to Extend Self-Empathy

When I notice I’m feeling a negative emotion, I want to jump quickly to letting go of that feeling because it doesn’t feel good. I want to be rid of it and then to connect with God and experience peace. Yet Welcoming Prayer invites us to notice the emotion and feel it in our bodies, to sit with it, and to welcome God with us. It invites us to not reject, deny, or react from the emotion but to say, “God, I need you. Come be with me in this. It feels awful. Hold me.”

In that place of pain—not after—we experience God’s loving embrace. Transformation happens there. We experience God in our darkness, in our trembling fear, in our paralyzing anxiety. God isn’t afraid or judgmental of negative emotions. Jesus himself said he was “crushed with grief ” in the garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:34, The Passion Translation). Yet he also followed this with letting go of his need for security, affection, and control. In the presence of his Father, he relinquished it all and embraced the moment for what it was.

After we have come aware of God with us, in the muck and mire of our emotions and our lives, we take a deep breath and are able to trust and surrender our normal human needs. We are able to extend the empathy we often give others. Practicing self-empathy and compassion is common in resilience and self-care work. Marshall Rosenberg calls it “emergency first-aid”; we listen to what’s going on in us, being present and attentive to others. This may look like checking in with ourselves: “Oh, look at me, feeling that fear of rejection again. Yet it’s okay; it makes sense given the circumstances. It’s okay to feel what I feel.” The key is to notice gently, with compassion and not judgment.

By inviting God into our inner work, we can receive God’s grace and perspective. It isn’t just up to us to extend grace, empathy, and love toward ourselves. Without first consenting to God’s activity within me, I struggle to offer myself empathy. It feels awkward, or I get frustrated and feel ashamed that I’m so hard on myself, jumping right back into the shame spiral. Instead we can receive God’s love into our pain, hear how God sees and feels about us, and experience God’s presence with us. When we connect to the Living Water and extend ourselves grace, shame loosens its grip. We can let go more easily, wash off the mud, and feel the freedom that’s available to us.

As we cry out to God, God leans in, hears our cry, sets our feet firmly on solid truth, and gives us a new song of praise (Psalm 40). God breaks into our spiral of shame and lifts us up out of the miry pit. God is an active God, responding to our cries for help and freedom. In Psalm 18, God rescues the psalmist, who feels caught in the spiral of death, perhaps a spiral of shame and addiction. The psalmist, presumably David, calls out to God from a tormented place, “The cords of death encompassed me” (18:4). God powerfully responds, tearing through heaven and earth, lightning and thunder, fire and hailstone. After racing toward earth, he wrote,

He reached down from on high, he took me;

he drew me out of mighty waters.

He delivered me from my strong enemy, . . .

He brought me out into a broad place;

he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

(Psalm 18:16-17, 19)

God reaches down and takes hold of us in our suffering, when we are drowning in sorrow and pain. God delivers us from our enemies and frees us from the liar who leads us to believe false ideas about ourselves. God goes to great length to deliver and restore us—not because of pity but because God delights in us.

Welcoming Prayer is a practice that we can engage with at any moment: while leaving a meeting feeling angry and frustrated, while listening to a person share about their abusive partner, or while driving home, staring blankly into oblivion. In these moments, instead of tuning out, shoving, or running, may we tune in to what we’re experiencing with grace and compassion. May we allow our emotions to connect us with God, the tender, loving liberator. By grace we are saved—daily, if not moment by moment.

———————————————————————————————————————–

(1) According to Contemplative Outreach: Contemplative Outreach, “Welcoming Prayer Tri fold,” Contemplative Outreach, accessed January 8, 2019, contemplativeoutreach.org/sites/default/files/private/welcoming_prayer_trifold_2016.pdf. Used with permission.

Bio for Bethany Dearborn Hiser

Bethany Dearborn Hiser is the director of soul care for Northwest Family Life, a network of therapists trained to work with survivors of domestic violence and sexual trauma. As a bilingual social worker, chaplain, and pastoral advocate, Hiser has worked in a variety of ministry and social service settings with people affected by addiction, sexual exploitation, incarceration, and immigration. She and her husband, Kenny, live in Seattle with their two young children.

For Such A Time As This:

From Burned Out To Beloved Launch

Saturday, November 21st 10-11am PST

Bethany Dearborn Hiser will share about why she wrote the book, lead some experiential exercises, and engage in a conversation with some of the book’s endorsers and soul care leaders about the relevance of the book to today’s times. She will be joined by:

Christine Sine, founder & facilitator of Godspace Light,
author of The Gift of Wonder
Jude Tiersma-Watson, associate professor of Urban Mission at Fuller Seminary & Inner Change
Joanna Douglas, founder and member care provider at Mindful Member Care & Servants to Asia’s Urban Poor
David Westerlund, Unlocking hidden resources by facilitating meaningful engagement. Be Present Discover Joy, LLC

This event is free and open to all. Although reading the book is not necessary to participate, you can find pre-order links here: www.bethanydearbornhiser.com/book

Meditation Monday – The Light is Coming

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 09:25:33 GMT

by Christine Sine

The light can’t come too quickly this year. As Lilly Lewin mentioned on Friday, Christmas trees and Christmas lights are already up around the neighbourhood and those of us who feel we should wait until the beginning of Advent, to set those lights glowing just can’t wait.

Celtic Advent Is Here.

Isn’t it great that we don’t have to wait? Celtic Advent began yesterday which means that it is time to set up your sacred space for Advent, pull out your copy of Lean Towards the Light this Advent & Christmas and sign up for the Advent retreat, a six module online retreat of contemplative exercises that you can go through at your own leisurely pace.

My Contemplative Garden Is Here.

I have really enjoyed putting together my Advent garden this year and in keeping with the unusual season, my garden is a little different and you might think quirky too.

Over the weekend, I pulled out my favorite contemplative garden bowl, filled it with cactus soil, covered that with decorative stones and planted my cacti – all of it is recycled from previous gardens. Then I filled it with candles, not traditional, blue or purple and pink candles. They will go around our traditional Advent wreath that sits on our dining room table every year. This is my special contemplative garden, designed for my morning contemplative times, so I felt I could have some fun with it and as you can see I chose colorful candles that I will light every morning – yep, every morning!!!! And as if that wasn’t enough I have wound a string of fairy lights around the garden – reminding me a little of the colorful aurora borealis that dominates my Lean Towards the Light contemplative video from a few years ago.

Each week, I will paint one of the rocks to help me meditate on that week’s theme but I have decided that all the candles will be lit every morning as a symbol of my desire to really lean towards the light of Christ. As I said, this is a nontraditional contemplative garden that is geared more towards my own needs this year than towards any form of traditional celebration.

Lean Towards the Light Advent Garden

Creativity Outside the Box is Here.

If you have not already done so, take some time this week to design your sacred space for Advent. As you do so, I would encourage you too to think outside the box. Don’t think same old candles and Advent wreaths. Design something that responds to your special needs this year.

What are you craving this year that needs to be part of your sacred space? Do you own religious symbols you could adapt to help you focus? Are there other items around the house – like my lights and cacti – you could incorporate? Try to keep your purchases to a minimum. It is a fun and creative exercise to engage in.

I also put together a Celtic Advent playlist on Spotify, and then planted a bowl of narcissus bulbs. They will be flowering by Christmas – a wonderful reminder that growth begins in the dark but grows into the light and flowers with beauty and fragrance for us to enjoy.

Narcissus bulbs

Now unless you feel a little overwhelmed by all this demand to be creative, be assured that it is OK to be traditional too. I am also adding my Advent icon and beautiful Taize Magnificat picture to my desk. I cannot imagine Advent without them.

So now I feel that I am really ready for Advent. Not surprisingly as I worked on all of this, a song of hope and longing and praise rose up within me as I begin the season:

Lord God Almighty,
Who made the sun
To light our world by day,
And the moon to illumine the night.
I wait for the coming of your light.
I wait in anticipation,
For your light to penetrate the darkness.
I wait with longing,
For the light of your justice to shine.
I wait in silence,
Inviting your light to fill my heart.
May it shine
On me,
In me,
Around me,
And out into the world you love.

And here is a glimpse of what my garden looks like each morning.

https://godspacelight.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/joined_video_d457285317554676b84c1e4d254c9619.mp4

Taize Style Contemplative Service for November 15, 2020

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 00:00:31 GMT

Another beautiful contemplative service with music in the style-of-Taize for the Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost from St Andrews Episcopal Church in Seattle. And as November 15th is the beginning of Celtic Advent it seems fitting that the final song “Deep Peace” is a beautiful Celtic Blessing.

Carrie Grace Littauer, prayer leader, with music by Kester Limner and Andy Myers.

Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-710-756 with additional notes below.

“Step by Step ” – This song was written by the American folk musician Pete Seeger, and appears on the album “Songs of Struggle and Protest 1930-1950”, released in 1964. I believe it’s currently in the public domain, and if it isn’t, I think Pete would have wanted us to share it anyways.

“Kyrie for November 15, 2020” – Text and music by Kester Limner, shared under the Creative Commons License, Attribution (CC-BY).

How churches can work with the CDC to Prep for a New Pandemic Crisis!

Sat, 14 Nov 2020 14:00:46 GMT

by Tom Sine

We have just witnessed one of the most divisive elections in America’s history.

I am particularly concerned at how divisive this election has been for those of Christian faith. Now that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have been elected as president and vice president, whatever our political views, we as Christians need to find ways to work together for changes that promote the common good.

I urge Christians from all traditions to reach out in a spirit of love to those who voted differently than you did. We all need to also pray that God will give President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris wisdom as they seek to lead this country for all Americans in these difficult times.

I also urge Christians, in all our communities, to start gathering with church members and neighbors, not to discuss political differences, but rather to start working together on how to reduce the increasing COVID contagion, illness and death of a projected December Pandemic Crisis!

All churches need to start planning with community leaders, before Thanksgiving, to consider important steps to reduce the threat of this new Pandemic Crisis:

Consider a “virtual” celebration in your own family for both Thanksgiving and Christmas this year as in the example that AARP describes in my last post;
Encourage your church and leaders in your community to contact the CDC and secure some of the resources they offer to communities to more effectively address some of the concerning challenges with COVID-19 coming our way this winter.

Since I wrote that post on a virtual Thanksgiving, Christine and I have decided to have a Zoom Thanksgiving to avoid gatherings in our home unless we are able to gather out of doors with masks. Christine and I are going to celebrate a Zoom Thanksgiving with her nephew and wife and their two preschoolers in Australia. We will not only plan to visit as we eat but will also plan some activities after the meal by way of Zoom. “As Thanksgiving approaches, this might be the first major holiday in which families hold a beloved traditional meal together via an online teleconference, rather than around the same table, which ups the stakes for hosts.”

There is a real danger that Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings in 2020 could become contagion sites for spreading the Coronavirus to our dearest family and friends. The reason for this warning is that we seem to have lost control of the vicious pandemic in the United States as we head into the holidays.

Waking up to a Pandemic Crisis as we race into the holiday season 2020!

As of November 5, more than 9.6 million people across every state, Washington DC and four territories have tested positive for the virus, more than 235,000 with the virus have died.

With coronavirus cases surging across the country, we’re solidly in the midst of a “third wave of COVID-19, which is shaping up to be the worst yet. Last week alone, the U.S. saw a staggering half a million new cases, and more than 20 states reported record daily levels. On Thursday, the daily caseload reportedly topped 115,000-116,707 new infections.”

Connecting Your Churches and Community to the CDC

Given the growing COVID-19 as race into the holiday season we urge you and leaders in your church or community organizations to contact the CDC and invite them to show your community to create a process to both:

Identify the ways COVID-19 is projected to spread in your community
Learn from connecting to leaders in the CDC how your community, can join communities all over the US, in developing practical ways to enable people to reduce exposure as well as secure help when they may need it.

Here are some practical instructions the CDC has posted to help communities anywhere in the United States to reduce the vulnerability of people where you live. Read what they offer. Then if you and others in your community feel these resources might be valuable for your community as we head into a very concerning winter, contact the CDC and they will explain how to secure their good help.

“As some communities in the United States begin to plan and hold events and gatherings, the CDC offers the following considerations for enhancing protection of individuals and communities and preventing spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Event planners and officials can determine, in collaboration with state and local health officials, whether and how to implement these considerations, making adjustments to meet the unique needs and circumstances of the local community. Because COVID-19 virus circulation varies in communities, these considerations are meant to supplement—not replace—any state, local, territorial, or tribal health and safety laws, rules, and regulations with which gatherings must comply. Organizers should continue to assess, based on current conditions, whether to postpone, cancel, or significantly reduce the number of attendees for gatherings.”

With coronavirus cases surging across the country, we are solidly in the “CBOs (community-based organizations) work at the local level to meet community needs. They include social service agencies, nonprofit organizations, and formal and informal community groups, like neighborhood groups or recreational or special-interest clubs. Depending on the nature of their work, a CBO’s stakeholders may include volunteers, members, clients, supporters, patrons, program participants, and event attendees.

These considerations are meant to supplement—not replace—any state, local, territorial, or tribal health and safety laws, rules, and regulations with which organizations must comply. CBOs can determine, in collaboration with state and local health officials, whether and how to implement these considerations, making adjustments to meet the unique needs and circumstances of the local community. CBOs should continually assess, based on current conditions, how to modify their operations and programming to both advance their mission and protect their staff and stakeholders.

CBOs may also benefit from reviewing CDC’s COVID-19 information focused on workplaces, events and gatherings, food service providers, youth sports, youth and summer camps, childcare programs, and people at higher risk of severe illness.”

If you, your church, and community draw on the resources of the CDC, as we head into a more risky winter, we would welcome learning what resources you drew on and the difference it made in your own live and those in your community. Email me with your responses.

Seasons

Sat, 14 Nov 2020 09:00:33 GMT

by guest writer Lucinda Smith

The air is colder, the clouds denser, the green leaves are subtly turning and the crisper, browner ones already lie crunchy beneath our feet. Autumn is slipping into winter, here in England. The seasons come and go, bringing a rhythm and a structure to the years – they tell of things past and those that are yet to come – sun and sand and dappled grass recede, exposing us once again to dark mornings and central heating, thick jumpers and hot chocolate.

Sometimes though, we find ourselves unexpectedly in a season of life that feels out of sync – as though the order has been reversed or harshly interrupted, without either our knowledge or permission. It jolts us and catches us unawares. This is where I find myself today. This is where many, across the world, find themselves, due to Covid-19. We have been thrown sideways, and are struggling to find our feet, again.

It’s always tempting to ask God, the ‘why?’ questions, but He seems seldom to answer those. When we find ourselves facing an unplanned turn of events, it’s better to ask the ‘what?’ or ‘how?’ questions. A new chapter, an enforced season of rest or of activity, a pandemic – what can this unforeseen situation teach me about who you are, Father God? How can I be more like Jesus in it?

Solomon, in the book of Ecclesiastes (3:1-8) writes these wonderful words:

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

Our lives as well as the world of nature, are marked by seasons and cycles – birth, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, old age and death. When we are old we become childlike again – from dust we came, and to dust, we shall return. As Solomon says, nothing lasts forever, nothing is set in stone. Let’s choose to yield to God’s presence and leading, as we navigate the known and unknown, with Him.

The Lord of winter and spring, summer and autumn wants to be sought and found, in the changing and varied seasons of our fragile humanity. He is not shocked or surprised by what we didn’t see coming. His promise to us is always, ‘I will be with you’. Really, what more could we ask for?

Bio for Lucinda Smith

Lucinda is married to Steve, a GP, and they live in Preston, Lancashire. She has four children, seven grandchildren and a lovely chocolate Labrador! The subject she is most passionate about is IDENTITY, and, in the days before Covid 19, she spoke regularly at women’s breakfasts and small conferences. She is currently in the process of writing a book, The Red Thread, based around the story of adopting their fourth child from China. In a former life, Lucinda and Steve were medical missionaries in Pakistan. She loves mentoring young women on their journeys with Jesus, walking, books, good films and cream teas!

Thanks to Photerrestrial @photerrestrial for making this photo available freely on Unsplash.com

Godspacelight

Meditation Monday – Let the Light Penetrate the Darkness

Contemplative Service For 1st Sunday of Advent

St Andrew’s Day

FreerangeFriday: Lighting the Candle of Hope

Lord God,

Calm us as we wait for the Gift of Jesus.

Cleanse us to prepare the way for his arrival.

Help us to slow down and prepare our hearts.

Help us to wait and take time to be with you.

Teach us to contemplate the wonder of God with us.

Teach us to know the presence of your Spirit.

Teach us to bear the life of Jesus and live out his Kingdom.

Today and Always. AMEN

The Word

REACHING TOWARDS THE LIGHT

EMBRACE GOD’S PRESENCE OF LIGHT

Online Courses and Prayer Cards Sale!

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Preparation – For times of pandemic/epidemic.

A Thanksgiving Liturgy

Preparation before Dessert

Concluding Prayer

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Contemplative Service In the Spirit of Taize From St Andrews Episcopal Church

Bread for the Resistance: Interview with Donna Barber

Bio for Donna Barber

FreerangeFriday: Prepare the Way of the Lord

What images or phrases of comfort do you notice in this passage?

How do you need to be comforted today? What comfort do you need? Talk to Jesus about this.

Who in your life needs the comfort of Jesus today? Take time to pray for them.

ACTION: Create an Advent Centerpiece for the Season of Advent. You will need a round tray or plate. Cover it with a layer of sand or sugar used to represent the sand. This is your wilderness.

You will need candles, tealights or larger candles. You will need several rocks/stones.

What is a symbol of comfort that you can use this Advent to remind you that Jesus wants to wrap you in his arms of love and carry you like a lamb? What represents comfort to you?

Take time to listen to Handel’s Messiah. Specifically listen to “Comfort Ye, Every Valley”

Since this year the holidays will be different than most, how can you bring COMFORT and JOY into your life?

As you consider how you can prepare the way of the Lord this year, remember that Jesus is with you in all the places of your life. Those that feel like mountain tops and those that feel more like the wilderness or the desert. He loves you more than you can ever imagine!

Light the candles each day during Advent. You can continue to remove the rocks that are getting in your way with Jesus, and/or you can continue to draw new paths in the sand to remind you that Jesus is making a way in your desert! AMEN

Moving Into Advent

Resources from Godspace Writers

Winter/Advent

Others

Registration and information for Blue Christmas Online

Advent Music

Multicultural Resources

Other Godspace Resources

Products

World Toilet Day

Learning to Lean

Moving from Shame to Self-Empathy

Welcoming Prayer: An Emotional Awareness Practice

Equipped to Extend Self-Empathy

Bio for Bethany Dearborn Hiser

For Such A Time As This:

From Burned Out To Beloved Launch

Meditation Monday – The Light is Coming

Celtic Advent Is Here.

My Contemplative Garden Is Here.

Creativity Outside the Box is Here.

Taize Style Contemplative Service for November 15, 2020

How churches can work with the CDC to Prep for a New Pandemic Crisis!

Waking up to a Pandemic Crisis as we race into the holiday season 2020!

Connecting Your Churches and Community to the CDC

Seasons

Bio for Lucinda Smith

ACTION:
Create an Advent Centerpiece for the Season of Advent. You will need a round tray or plate. Cover it with a layer of sand or sugar used to represent the sand. This is your wilderness.