Yr. B, Wk. 1: Memories of Scharme; Night in the Lord's House

Christine's photo

Present:  Year 1: Christine;  Year 2:  Tom, Mariel, Gene; Year 3: Erica; Year 4: Mentors Susan and Scott

After a blessing from the prayer book, p. 831, Susan served pulled pork sandwiches with her own mango barbecue sauce, and cole slaw.  While we ate, we checked in on what's been going on over the summer.  Scott led worship from the Year B RRG book (Reading and Reflecting Guide on line), Gene reading the "leader" lines.

Our newest member, Christine, joined us during dinner.  We introduced ourselves through the discussion of summer.  She already knew of our loss:  Our year 4 student, Scharme Clower, has died, and her husband Greg is in our prayers.  We took some time to write memories of Scharme in our EfM class.  Following the worship provided in the RRG, we collected the memories, placed them inside a card for Greg that we had signed, and prayed for the bereaved (BCP p. 831) and heard this collect:

Collect for our Friend Scharme, and for her husband Greg:

Erica: The EfM room; "Be Thou My Vision"

Father, through the stories and letters written by your prophets and apostles, You touch us today, though they died long ago;  bless these memories that we've written about our friend Scharme, so they may keep her spirit alive in Greg and in us while she continues to live and grow in You; through Jesus' name we pray.   Amen.

We discussed what we had seen in the reading.  For Christine, our newest member, Mariel enlarged on what the RRG says about EfM.  "It's not ONLY an Bible study."  Gene added that we also apply our life and "the current situation" to what we read.  EfM is NOT a therapy group.  Tom advised that we should pay heed to the skill of "holy listening," not thinking of our responses while we listen to someone who disagrees with us.  Erica told Christine that "Theological Reflections" (TRs) might be a problem for her, but, "trust the process." Mariel added, "You won't know where it's going to end up."

Mariel - Icon of Mary

As a group, we

arrived at certain norms:

• be there, be on time
• "Leave your politics at the door"
• don't speak personal stories beyond our door
• be cell phone free (unless you tell us you're expecting a difficult call)
• Dinners:  We'll alternate brown bag nights with dinners prepared by members

After a dessert break, we had an "icebreaker" activity related to the prayer "At the End of the Day" We pray for those who "preserve: those who "stand" in "the House of the Lord" by night.   With our cell phones, we shared with each other our photos of objects in St. James Church that we would preserve, or that "preserve" us in some way. (See photos)  Presenting these was a sort of introduction to each other. We prayed the short service in the BCP.  

Gene - mission statement

Next Week:   We all read "WeekTwo" included in the digital RRG sent to us by Susan.   It's a "brown bag" night.  Mariel will prepare worship.  Scott and Susan will model "spiritual

autobiography" centered on living in a multicultural world.

Scott - one art pictures another art in worship

Susan - Nave at Night

Tom - His shadow on the door of the Lawrence Chapel