Easter Sunday

Four Directions Prayer: From Hopeless to Faith-full

Facing NORTH:
Sometime in our yesterdays something happened and hope was lost. A singular moment, a particular event, a slow seeping away, a series of setbacks - however, whenever it was, hope was lost.
Hope lies hopelessly among our yesterdays

SOUTH:
Looking ahead we search for signs. Will there be, could there be? Is it possible that sometime beyond this 'now' there might be a moment, an event, a string of small successes or a succession of small smiles. Maybe?
Hope waits uncertainly among our tomorrows

EAST
With each new dawn, hope rises. Will today be the day of its return? Will this new day be yesterday's 'sometime', the time when, looking back and remembering, hope rose and remained?
Hope rises hopefully everyday

WEST
As dusk falls, hope settles in faith; if not today, then maybe tomorrow. Hope knows that it can be hard to find, hard to hold on to, hard to accept. Hope can be harder than sorrow. But hope knows it will return when the moment is right. Till that time...
Hope rests faithfully, because faith is being sure of what you hope for!

(written by Ruth Abbott)

From the Manse, April 8 2009 - Emmaus Walk

Dear Friends,
The alarm went. I woke up feeling tired and heavy. Gym! I just didn’t feel like going to gym, but that was what the alarm was for. I dragged myself out knowing exercise was important, got ready, made a cuppa, a piece of toast, turned the computer on, opened some mail, read the junk mail, mucked around with things, put the rubbish out, and then decided it was too late for gym because it would be too much traffic coming back. Successful sabotage!

“Two days without exercise Rod!” “You know how easy it is to let it slip!” said the authority. Immediately a whole chorus of voices arose from the deep whining and grumbling, muttering excuses, abuses, justifications, arguments, until another quiet but firm voice said, “why don’t we go for a walk instead?” Silence! Blank stares! Nods of agreement! Shakes of indecision! “We’ve heard this voice before …is it a trick?” “No, he’s never tricked us before” The quiet voice said; “I’ll walk with you! Let’s go!” And one of them said; “It’s you, I thought they had got rid of you, but you are here, stay with us”

Grace and peace

Rod

From the Manse, March 10

Dear Friends,

There was a loud knock at the door. It was Sunday evening. We had been relaxing. I had old clothes on and debated a quick change. Ruth went for the bathroom to check the mirror. I strode up the hall to let the callers know there was life inside. I opened the door expecting to see a family member. Before me were two Policemen and behind them a Police car parked right outside our house.

It was one of those moments when a plethora of scenarios flashed through my mind. What had I done? What had someone else done? Where was my car? Has something happened to my family or friends? Was there an emergency situation? None of those, there had been a break-in over the road and they wanted to know if we had seen anything.

Having felt reasonably safe and secure up until now the situation prompted us to reflect on our own security. Imagine! Criminals, as large as life had walked into our safe secure temple like community! They had whipped us into fear and confusion, turned the tables on our complacency, and driven us to recognise our vulnerability. Should they bring back crucifixion?

Grace and peace
Rod

It's a boy!

Rod was right! Congratulations to Rod and Ruth on becoming grandparents with the arrival last week of Kalan

from the Manse, February 24th

Dear Friends,

I waited at the lights. I knew the sequence but I tapped the steering wheel just to hurry things along. Ruth was waiting for me. A Pedestrian walked in front of me. Others waited to go the other way. My phone rang. I could see it wasn’t the call I had been waiting for. I pondered the situation. She said it would take a few days. It was now over a week. Should I wait or should I call? The light sequence changed, only one more to wait for.

My thoughts drifted to Ruth’s daughter. Any day, any moment now her child will be born. We are all waiting. Mum who is tired and uncomfortable, us because we are excited, all waiting for nature to take its course. And I’m waiting to see if it is a boy. There will be a few waiting to tell me “I told you so!” if it is a girl. Back at the lights I saw the amber turn to red and counted to five … last sequence and its my turn!

Waiting! We do it all the time for every thing. In the Christian calendar this is the first week of Lent. Waiting for Easter eggs and hot cross buns? Seriously, lent is really about reflecting on how we are, who we are, what we need, what we don’t, all while we wait for the end of the sequence. We can hurry things along by tapping our fingers or take the time to reflect. Honk! Honk! What was I waiting for? It’s green!

Grace and peace

Rod

From the Manse, February 17

Dear Friends,

I knew who he was, we had a mutual friend. He didn’t know who I was. He was very big. Six foot plus. Huge muscled neck, shoulders, biceps, chest, narrow waist and tree trunk legs. His hair was cropped and he was neatly dressed. His face gave little away and he wasn’t looking for or needing any attention, nor was he menacing. He was just there, quiet, arms folded, waiting for something or someone. When I spoke to him he gave very little in terms of emotion or conversation. He had no idea who I was.

We later met again. This time our mutual friend was present. After introductions, the transformation was incredible. The warmth, trust and gentleness that came from this “man mountain” was a delight and a relief. The earlier guardedness was explained and we were able to meet beyond bodies, roles and labels.

In the Christian calendar this week Mark’s Gospel describes the Transfiguration. On a mountain the disciples have a dream like experience, where Jesus appears in dazzling white. There are clouds and voices and symbolic figures present. It concludes with “Jesus the man” standing with them. The glory on the mountain was really a man on the ground. What do you see when you stand alongside others?

Grace and peace

Rod

Weekly letter from Rod

Dear Friends,

It's hard not to feel the enormity of the tragic bush fire situation. While circumstance and life has kept me from the details, the glimpses and the conversations I've had reveal the shock that pervades. There is a mood of disbelief, vulnerability, andhelplessness all around and the fragility of our existence is evident. While support and willingness to contribute pours in from all sectors of our community and is the primary focus, when things settle down there will be a huge scar on the landscape of our land and our souls.

Life seems to go on. Fire, floods, earthquakes, other natural occurrences along with sickness and physical conditions are present realities. Then there are the ones we have created by tampering with our personal and communal environments, like cancers, drug abuse, physical violence, war, and city smog through to global warming. What is natural and what is human induced? What is our responsibility and what is God's?

In the gospel this week Jesus makes a leper clean and sends him toshow himself to the Priest. Instead he proclaims the story to the whole community. This pushes Jesus away from openly being in the town to remaining on the edge in the country. The one who can heal the sick, command the wind and the waters to "Be still", is vulnerable and endangered by human whim and will. How do we get the two to work together? Co-dependency or Co-creation?

Grace and peace

Rod