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Pete involved all of us in a colloquial prayer service for Ash Wednesday, including the sound of the shofar.
With Lent in mind, Pete asked what in our homes we want to get rid of and can't. Journals going back to 3rd grade... boxes, shelves, and stacks of books... stuff accumulated in special places (man cave, the house under the house, the garage). Kathy's parents, evidently reincarnated as the cardinals that buffet her windows, guard their legacy. She asks if anyone wants some pink limoges china?
Living Faithfully in a Multicultural World, Unit 4, Integrating Belief, Behavior, and Doctrine in a Multicultural World:
1st yr: Jessica; 2nd yr: Susan; 3rd yr, Pete, Nuno, Marilyn, Kathy ; 4th yr, Scott. Mentors: Susan and Scott. Absent: None.
Our core responses to Diana Butler Bass's essay "Belief" were very positive:
- Liked the history – reason didn’t always mean rationalism.
- Christianity was never intended to be a structure of belief, but a disposition of the heart. Very Christ Like!
- I love the etymologies, meaningful: beloving, and “doctor”ines for healing, not gatekeeping.
- p. 151 – “belief” as trust … “lief” (archaic “happily”) adding joy to this trust / believe / word… Marilyn suggested this acronym for FAITH: “Following And Infinitely Trusting Him"
- Loved praying the Creed, replacing "belief" with more accurate translation, "trust" – it has mystery, tension. Ditto, the creed reimagined for the Massai tribe (which reminded us of Maori imagery in the New Zealand prayer book). The creed is a symbol (icon) of the faith.
- Praying shapes your living.
Kathy identified with Bass's reaction to the sermon at her baccalaureate, that was not my God, but Kathy’s uneasy about the conclusion to the chapter – admitting that she’s bringing 2023 politics to an essay from 2012. We were bothered a little by the emphasis on experience over text/doctrine. We decided it's better to couple experience with “discipline” in the good sense. Bass herself cautions us.
With our unit theme in mind, we asked what Bass says to us about integrating beliefs and behavior? “Moving from being to doing” not what but how? We are always in conversation with God. Even outside of the tradition, people want to do something in the world about what they believe. Parker Palmer: Heart is where we integrate what we know in our minds with what we feel in our core.
We had some laughs, too. Bass says, there are doubters and skeptics and that is their spiritual gift. Bass got a horrified reaction when she lectured about "experience": "You mean we’re all going to be Pentecostals???" Jessica relayed what she was taught at an early age: “Episcopalians hate tacky more than sin.”
[In other news: Choosing the Secret Square, Nuno won a trip to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Beignets included!]
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| Garage apartment, no bigger than a Buick, Jackson MS 1981 |
Scott gave everyone some time alone to recall a place they'd lived. He suggested sketching the floor plan and listing details. We shared our memories in breakout rooms. Back together, we told why we chose these particular places of all the places we could have shared.
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| Barracks at VMI - Photos by Pete |
We focused on a common element: the space provided what we most needed at the time. That space was cramped or crowded, "organized poverty." There was a lot of comedy in the conditions, but it was a sort of Garden of Eden. Growing pains, sometimes conflict, pushed us to move out. With the pain came growth, and we look back on the experience with amusement and fondness.
From our tradition, we considered the tabernacle that the Hebrews lugged around in the desert 40 years as they learned to be God's people, and even their grand temple in its design looked back to the original tabernacle. The manger was a small, humble beginning; Jesus often sought small, removed spaces. The tomb made us think how these spaces are transformative. The movies that came to mind involved personal growth (Big, The Apartment) and most had to do with breaking free of prison.
We expressed insights and ideas for applications.
- We felt like we had everything, even though we had almost nothing. Trust in God to help us bloom wherever we’re planted. God Himself IS a space for us to live in that provides just what we need: “You are my dwelling place.” Ps 90 “The still small voice…”
- Transformation isn’t spontaneous: it needs a space and time for the transition: connects to caterpillar/ butterfly and to St. James in transition and our earthly life as a time/place to connect to the infinite/Divine…
- As parents and teachers, we intentionally create a space that helps young people to grow, feel loved. When you know love, wherever you are is where you’re meant to be… Love is at home, love is home.
We worked together to compose
Collect for Home
Dear God, Abode of Righteousness, You filled the small tabernacle with your presence, and the great temple: We pray that you transform our hearts with your Holy Spirit so that we may make of our places of worship and work, our homes and ourselves, the safe, nurturing places that someone needs. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Next Tuesday, Jessica will lead worship and Nuno will bring a source for the TR.
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