Captured In The Heart

What do you see through your rose-colored glasses?

Strawberries with a Smile!

There were many great images from the Strawberry Festival Sunday two weeks ago.  John Roman broke out the rose-colored glasses to inspire our imaginative thinking.  Strawberries, ice cream and chocolate sauce were served up with a smile.  And, of course, there was that marvelous spread that always transpires when Rock Springers are invited to bring a dish to share.  This time it was supplemented by lots of good stuff coming off the grill from YoRS.

Much of this was captured on camera, but I think my favorite image of the day was not.  It was an image that was captured in my heart.  The image I am referring to happened not in Carpenter Hall at the Strawberry Festival, but in worship earlier in the morning. 

The Spread

Communion was served by intinction that Sunday (meaning we invite everyone forward to receive).   One young child, after receiving communion with her family, returned to her seat and stood between her parents, on her pew.  I watched as she stood on tip toe, leaning forward, straining to see all of the other people in the congregation come forward to receive the gift she had just taken.  Watching this young girl, her face lit up with expectancy and joy, helped me enter the experience more fully.

Occasionally, I will hear adults suggest that a child is too young to understand communion.  Often, I think it is adults who have the most difficulty because we try to use our head too much and overload ritual with doctrine.  Clearly, this young child experienced, "take, eat, this is for you" as an act of love, generosity, and abundance.  It is a mental image I will cherish in my heart.

Breaking Bread

I like Tuesday mornings.

They begin with my spending a couple of hours reading and studying the scripture that will be used in worship on the following Sunday.  Typically, I become so absorbed in what I am doing that I find myself jumping in the shower at 9:45 a.m. or so and (literally) running over to the church (some times with a few hairs still a little wet) to the Tuesday morning Bible Study that begins each week at 10 a.m.

As predictable as this pattern of mine is becoming, so are a few others.  I will walk into the Saegmuller Room and the coffee will be brewing, the Bibles will be placed out on the table, people will casually be gathering as they share what has been going on in their lives.  And Dick will be carefully cutting a loaf of zucchini bread for us to share from Pastries by Randolph. 

Soon we will begin reading out loud the texts I have been engaged with all morning.  We will talk about them, ask questions, and talk some more.  We will share some zucchini bread.  Often, in the midst of all of that I will have an "ah-ha" moment.   I find that more often than not my "ah-ha" moments happen not when I am in holed up with my books by myself, but when I am in conversation with others.  Might that have been what the disciples meant they said Jesus had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread? (Luke 24:35) Maybe it was zucchini bread.

Sacramental Earth

Earth Sunday altar

Last Sunday, May 1, we celebrated Earth Day at Rock Spring.  Pictured here is the altar the Eco-Justice Committee had created for our outdoor worship space.  At the left is a bowl and water for baptism, to the right are the communion elements, below is an arrangement of native Virginia flowers, and in the center (along with the cross and candles) is a mound of earth. 

Unfortunately, the rain began at 10:50 a.m. and by 11:02 a.m. we made the call to bring everything inside.  In typical Rock Spring fashion, everyone picked up something and we were quickly in the sanctuary singing, "Inch by Inch." 

Initially, we had been concerned about having communion AND baptism AND the celebration of Earth Day all in one service.  Yes the service was full, but I loved that water, wine, bread, and earth were vitally important important aspects of our worship experience.  I loved it that we could taste, see and feel the stuff with which we came to worship together. 

We talk about sacraments about being "outward signs of invisible grace." In other words, putting in plain sight something that we know simply is.  I am grateful to the people of Rock Spring for helping me look at earth as sacramental.