A Skinny Fairtrade Latte in the Food Court of Life

Watching the news last evening, and seeing new crosses being added daily to the memorial garden at Westminster Abbey was profoundly moving.  Hearing the parents and grandparents of a young man killed in Afghanistan express their views, some for, some against, yet united in pride for their loved one and grief at his untimely death illustrated the complexity of it all.  Preparing for Sunday's worship when some will recall their own familiy members killed a lifetime ago and others have relatives or friwnds on active service, when some are avowed pacifists and others work on defence projects, I find myself asking, as I ask myself each year, when we will ever learn?

(Pictures from British Legion and Poppy Scotland websites)

 

Meet Millie Mole.  If you don't understand the awful pun, then you clearly managed to avoid studying chemistry beyond 'O' level/'O' grade/GCSE/standard grade or any other equivalent 15/16+ qualification.

Millie is my new friend and has joined my church where she has already made herself very much at home and is enjoying meeting new people.  She speaks very quietly - only I can hear her - but she is very keen to engage in church life.  Amazingly she has a good grasp of theology and enough nouse to know when it is better to stay tucked up in my office (such as this Sunday coming) - hopefully she can teach me a thing or two...

Having children and young people in church is WONDERFUL, as is not being the youngest adult!  I am really looking forward to this Sunday when the Sunday School will be leading our thoughts on the reason for Remembrance Sunday.  Children, especially quite small ones, have an amazing innate ability to sense the 'moment' and can remain still and silent for a whole two minutes, knowing that this is something different.

Millie Mole is fun to work with (though a new challenge in her own right) but having the privilege of sharing with children and young people is a real blessing.  I am excited about the opportunities that are opening up to build relationships with them and share in their faith stories.

Thought I'd post a prayer sequence I used last Sunday evening, in case anyone finds it helpful/useful.  The bidding and response (last two lines of each stanza) were 'given' and I wrote the rest around them.  Writing them helped me in my own rather dazed state at the time...

 

When Jesus stood at the grave of his friend Lazarus, he wept because he loved him

In the ache of separation,

In the tears of grief,

The numbness of loss

Reassure us of your promise:

Do not be afraid for I shall be with you

Lighten our path, Lord, show us the way

 

As Jesus hung on the cross, alone and in agony, his body wracked with pain and his slips parched he had the audacity to ask ‘My God, why?’

In our confusion and questioning

In our denial or disbelief

In our anger and in our emptiness

Reassure us of your promise:

Do not be afraid for I shall be with you

Lighten our path, Lord, show us the way

 

On meeting Mary in the garden, as she sought to embrace him, Jesus said ‘do not cling on to me’

In our reluctance to let go

In our desire to turn back the clock

In every ‘if only’ that haunts our minds

Reassure us of your promise:

Do not be afraid for I shall be with you

Lighten our path, Lord, show us the way

 

In an upstairs room where bewildered disciples needed reassurance, Jesus said “peace be with you”

In our remembering of times past

In our celebration of lives lived

In our grief and in our gratitude

Reassure us of your promise:

Do not be afraid for I shall be with you

Lighten our path, Lord, show us the way

 

A man had a dream in which he glimpsed eternity

There was no more death

No more mourning

No more weeping

No more pain

 

Lord of life,

You shared our life with all its joy and sorrow

You experienced our death, defeating its power with love

Lead us onwards in the confident hope of your promise:

Do not be afraid for I shall be with you

Lighten our path, Lord, show us the way

 

This day, and every day, Amen.