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!
