The Deep of Winter

Here we are in the deep of winter. Oh I know that technically we’re on the upswing. Days are getting longer. But it still feels mighty cold and we’re dealing with lockdowns and long coughs and bad driving weather. Every Sunday we’ve got some empty seats in our circle. I call that “deep winter.”

We’ve been talking about the lessons of the liturgical year. How the rhythm of the year actually mirrors the life of Jesus and teaches Christian lessons! We talked about the obvious ones of Advent and Christmas and even Epiphany. But what about this short, ordinary time between Epiphany and Lent? How do we spend that time that falls in deep winter? Do we just hunker down and long for spring? I don’t think so.

I read somewhere that this short season is nicknamed the season of illumination. This is a time to watch closely to see what we can learn now that Jesus is here. (Remember that call to Notice.) It’s a good time to catch up on my reading. I’ve gone back to Marcus Borg’s “Days of Awe and Wonder,” I know Dennis, our resident blogger, is watching important videos and sharing his thoughts on the climate emergency with those who follow him. Last Sunday, Teacher Jane shared with us so many lessons learned from her community of students in her ESL classes. Tonight I’m watching one of the many CIMM lessons available via Zoom; I might even learn something.

Yes, it’s cold. But there’s more sunshine every day. Some of us are spending more time than we’d like home alone. Let’s try to use that time to keep learning. Because the Holy Spirit never stops teaching.

Words To Live By

We started Ordinary Time by thinking about words to live by. It seemed apt. After all here we are, a little congregation in process of trying to make an impact in our community. We’ve grown together through half a year without a building, feeling our way from space to space, paying attention to the enduring principles, setting goals for mission and meeting them, staying flexible when plans needed changing. Our Advent and celebration of Christmas were different, but familiar. And now with Epiphany behind us we’re launching into the new season, a season of action with our best intentions—and words to live by.

It was lovely to go around the circle, getting to know each other better and hearing how each of us intends to contribute. How very much I appreciated each one’s sharing and anticipating the coming year together.

Let me tell you about a word that has been bumping in to my experience. It’s an old word – one we’ve considered before – but it’s back. One day on CBC’s "The Current" I listened to a long interview with a professor telling how to get through hard, cold, winter days by “noticing nature.” She shared her own experience of noticing rabbit tracks in snow, of snow outlining the shape of bare branches of trees, the particular shades of blue or gray or white of the winter sky. She told us that part of the practice is also to notice how it made us feel. We don’t need to go out in the cold (but we could, of course) it works through a window just as well.

The word showed up again in the sermon this week Beyond the Walls. The first and essential element of the sign of the turning of water into wine at the Cana wedding was Jesus’ mother “noticing” that the wine has run out! She noticed, she got involved, she enlisted others who might help. All this before Jesus stepped in.

>> “Notice” has become a key word for our group <<; we might even call it a word we live by. What needs doing? Can we do it? Who do we know who might help? If we don’t know how or don't have the resources, do we know of a partner who could? If all we can do is notice and tell someone else in our circle, that counts. Now as we enter the season of Action, let’s do it!

Down to Business

The leadership team held its first meeting this week via Zoom. This was the first planning meeting of the new year and it was very, very exciting! We talked about the schedule and the budget! Doesn’t that sound like fun?

Well it really was. We talked about some of the things we want to do, plan to do, hope to do. We imagined where we might go, people we might invite, new things we had hoped to do last year but really will get to this year. Projects we’re moving from the back burner to a place up front. With our mission plan in one hand and the calendar in the other scheduling can be an adventure.

Oh yes, the other hand held the budget worksheet. (How many hands is that? Good thing we’re a team.) Because we’re also thinking about how much money we’ve got and how we’ll spend it. How many projects can we take on and how many people can we help this year?

This was also the first time we saw the full financial report from last year. We saw how much was donated and just how generous our folks were and how many we were able to touch last year. In some cases we doubled our expectations! We set some goals based more on reality than on hope. We realized that people really DID give more to actual people and projects that truly helped than they’re willing to give to the roof, the windows, the heating, the snow plowing…

Stay tuned as we finish some of those plans. The budget will be ready next month for all to see and vote on. And as the schedule rolls out you can follow us, or better yet, join us as we adventure together in 2025.

Partners

Have you noticed that list of “Useful Links” down there are the bottom of the page?

Really it’s more than a list of “usefuls.” Those are special folks who have a particular status with our congregation. You might even call them “partners in mission.”

A small group like us can’t really change the world alone. And we make no bones about it; our mission is to change the world. To make a more just, more compassionate, more peaceful place to live. Anything that ambitious needs lots and lots of partners.

If you look at the mission statement of any one of those people or groups in that list, you’ll find what we found. They’re also trying to change the world!

We’re helping them. Or they’re heling us. It goes both ways.

Have a look. Pick one or more of the “helpful links” and read about what they’re up to. We’re very proud to be associated with these partners in mission. In times when we’re low on energy we can be assured that one or more of our partners are still on task.
Marion

*******************

Useful Links

Community of Christ World Headquarters

Canada East Mission

Herald House Worship Resources

Daily Bread

Toronto Centre Place

Brian Carwana: ReligionsGeek

Encounter World Religions

World Accord

Children's Foundation of Guelph and Wellington

Suzuki Early Childhood Music Classes

Happy New Year From The Foyer

We’ ve come to the end of an eventful year for our little congregation. We packed up and moved out of our building – much loved for more than a hundred years! And all of us felt the sad emotions of leaving. But we felt it was the right decision after much discussion and many delays it was done.

But we resolved not to dissolve the congregation. We still felt connected and we still felt that our mission in this community was not done. We recognized the many advantages of our new nomadic identity and we set about figuring out how to be a blessing.

We’re still in process of inventing ourselves as a congregation without a home base. We’ve already figure out that we bring our sacred space with us wherever we meet. We’ve felt the spirit in living rooms, in a borrowed chapel, in a picnic shelter, in a garden…wherever we’ve formed our circle and expected to meet God together.

Our projects to nurture children and families have expanded. We’ve thought about feeding hungry bellies and nurturing spirits with our music grant for young children. We even found the holy spirt at our >> gathering at the Music Center. <<   We’ve learned, or relearned, that as we feed others, we feed ourselves.

So now we greet a new year. We’ll continue our intention to be a blessing in the communities where we’ve been planted. We’ll be moving around and trying to pay attention to the needs of our neighbours. We send all our good wishes to those who are following our adventures in these postings. And we invite you to join us as you are able. If you’ve ever wondered how to “pay it back” for all the blessing you’ve received you can check in with us to see how we’re doing.

Happy New Year from the Guelph Elora Community of Christ, blessed to be a blessing!