Yr. C, Wk.36: Farewells

Scott wondered if anyone this week has had a time free of thinking about the pandemic. Some of us mentioned yard work, reviewing 10 years' paperwork and feeling re-inspired. Mariel said, "I think about it once in the morning, not again." Matt's always aware, but never worried.

Yr. C theme: Living as Spiritually Mature Christians Class: Matt, Pete, first year; Christine, second year; Mariel, Gene, third year; Erica, fourth year; Scott and Susan, co - mentors. Absent: none.

We answered questions of reflection in the Reading and Reflection Guide about the year in EfM, recording the session for possible use in a video to help with recruitment for next year.
Scott displayed Erica's diploma. "They even spelled my name right!" she exclaimed. We signed a virtual card of congratulations to our graduate:

We will all miss you and I still think you should consider becoming a mentor. I will especially miss all of your TRs. I will never forget the sick child at Disney. Susan

Erica, congratulations on completing 4 years of EfM! Good luck with your future theological reflections. We’ll miss your humor and insights. Mariel

Congrats, Erica! The last three years have been wonderful, and I wish you luck with your future vocation! Gene

Congratulations Erica! It has been so lovely growing in the word with you! you are a delight and an inspiration! wishing you joy as you continue on your journey. Christine

Dear Erica, I was so lucky to sit by you in EFM this year! Thank you for the times when I could listen to an opinion or thought you had that made me go "Yeah, I really feel the same way too." Congrats! Matthew

Congratulations, Erica! Well done. You appear to me to be a very serene person, with a ton of spirituality. I hope those good qualities rub off on me. Best wishes for your future and I hope our paths cross again. Pete

Erica, I've enjoyed your sly sense of humor, nudging us into different ways of looking. So often I refer to your ideas, and your TRs, and your gifts to us. Our group dynamics have indeed been wonderful this year, and I think it's largely your calming influence, and your patience to listen while men (mostly) interrupt you. We are so proud of you, and we will miss you! Scott

From Erica: Thank you, everyone, I will miss all of you and EfM so much next year.

Susan displayed a sample of the Collection of Collects that the mentors will prepare for everyone to send out in a month or so.
We spoke the Litany of Farewell in the RRG, adding our favorite collects at the end. Before we adjourned for the year, we took a last class picture:

Yr. C, Wk.35: Love for Love's Sake, and Dry Toast for Dinner

Christine provided prayers for our opening, and a question: what books do you plan to read this summer? Answers varied. Then Gene quipped, "I'll start 30 and finish three."

Our thoughts about the readings are posted as "comments" below. What emerged in discussion was a theme of love for love's sake. In Song of Songs, it's a man and woman, their mutual love, without reference to property or procreation. Erica, reading the anonymous 14th century classic The Cloud of Unknowing described its goal as teaching us to reach God without words, for no purpose other than the relationship itself.

Christine described Revelation as a "seven layer stress dream."

Mariel opined that MacCulloch has missed the way our devices and social media have altered communication, knowledge, relationships -- everything. When Scott felt that all this distance learning is achieving old ends by flashy new means, Mariel pushed back: "We're transitioning from applying new form to old ones; we can't imagine yet what's coming."

Yr. C theme: Living as Spiritually Mature Christians Class: Matt, Pete, first year; Christine, second year; Mariel, Gene, third year; Erica, fourth year; Scott and Susan, co - mentors. Absent: none.

Theological Reflection

Gene read to us a story about a lax parish priest and a visit from his disapproving Bishop. Something between a parable and a joke, the story interested us most where the priest's housekeeper complained that she'd wanted to cook lavish meals fit for a Bishop, but had been told to serve little more than dry toast and black tea.

Instantly we found many connections in our own experiences, in tradition, and in the culture. While these piled up, we shared positions and insights:

• Diet has become an idol.
• Fasting has different meanings now as a discipline
• If you are what you eat, then it can reflect all the good and all the bad.
• Food can be a bridge between cultures; and it can divide and alienate.
• Our different relationships with food for reasons that can be physical, psychological, emotional – as, “Comfort” food -- even though the food is just a physical thing.
• Incarnation, spiritual connection through matter
• What does eucharist mean over the internet – is that real participation? Recent online services have raised that question.

After class, Scott and Susan realized that we stopped short of truly narrowing down our focus. Suppose we had explored just the moment when the Bishop expects a feast, and receives instead the plate of dry toast with black tea: that's already a "metaphor," objective and universal. Without a sharp focus, finding a goal for a collect was therefore elusive.

Still, Christine's chosen prayer for the closing touched on the themes of worshiping God for the sake of it, and of being turned away empty:

Heavenly Lord, your name is glorious and wonderful. Everyone on earth and heaven sing about your wondrous works. You are the king of all, and we worship you, our Lord. We gather in your presence in the unity of our faith to ask that you bless us. Without your power and grace, we can do nothing. We pray that your glory continues to fill and radiate within our lives so that we can be your ambassadors to the world. Let none of us leave here today empty-handed. Go with us into the world as we serve you. Amen

Next Meeting: Scott sent a copy of all the year's original collects, and has asked everyone to select their favorite, and a backup. We'll share these collects as part of the worship service printed in chapter 36. We've been asked to think of our own answers to the reflective questions raised in chapter 36.