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

Rod's Induction

In the midst of a week of scorching temperatures we were very fortunate to have a cooler morning for Rod's Induction. Lots of visitors from the Urban Mission Network and Pilgrim Uniting contributed to making the time feel like a special event.

Rod spoke beautifully - about humitiation and holy insecurity. You can read what he said by clicking to read the comment at the bottom of this post.

Rev Beth Seaman, representing the Presbytery of SA, led the proceedings

all of the ecofaith members had some part in the ceremony

We also signed the Memorandum of Understanding we have with pilgrim to be 'sister' faith communities.

then the kids played and the adults enjoyed conversation and refreshments

Jane and Athea

On the Sunday before Christmas we bade a sad farewell to Jane and Athea - not too sad because they were excited about their move interstate - and have promised to keep in touch and to visit sometime when they are in Adelaide. Rod and Ruth devised a beautiful and very helpful liturgy which helped us to send them on their way with our love and hopes for their future.

This is the liturgy that was used:

PRAYER OF THE FOUR DIRECTIONS
EAST – THE BEGINNING
In the beginning were the people; and the people gathered and a community was born. Among the people were Jayne and Athea. It was a time of newness, uncertainty, exploration and growth.
We give thanks for Jayne and Athea being among us, for their willingness to be in the newness and uncertainty, exploring with us, growing in themselves and encouraging the growth of others.
TAKE WITH YOU ALL THE POTENTIAL BIRTH HOLDS AS YOU BEGIN AGAIN IN A NEW PLACE AND COMMUNITY

NORTH –THE PAST
The community of people gathered regularly, sharing traditions from other times and communities, learnings from earlier experiences, knowledge, resources and wisdom. Over time this new community created their own traditions, while the passage of time itself was creating their past.
We give thanks for Jayne and Athea for being part of creating and developing our new traditions, for their presence in our past, for helping to build the foundation on which we will continue to grow.
TAKE WITH YOU THE FIRM FOUNDATION OF THIS PAST TO HELP BUILD YOUR NEW TOMORROW

SOUTH—THE FUTURE
This community came together in hope and with a vision for what else could be. Wherever there is hope the people look forward and see a future; where there is a vision for the future the people do not perish, but flourish.
We give thanks for Jayne and Athea, for sharing our vision, for being hopeful, for co-creating our future.
TAKE WITH YOU THE VISION AND HOPE OF THE FUTURE AS YOU GO FORWARD TO WHAT ELSE CAN BE

WEST – THE ENDING
From every beginning an ending will come, as surely as night follows day and death will follow birth. The gathered community is again in a time of beginning, and in the midst of this beginning is an ending. Yet where we end is but a beginning.
We give thanks for Jayne and Athea, for their presence with us at the beginning, for the wisdom they brought to us and have shared with us. Now at the time of their leaving we give thanks for the wisdom we have all gained from our time as a gathered community.
TAKE WITH YOU THE WISDOM SHARED AND GAINED FROM THIS TIME INTO YOUR NEW BEGINNING

With tears of sadness we say ‘goodbye’, with tears of joy we say ‘go well’

Then Jane and Athea came to each of us and with a bowl of salt water marked a tear of sadness on one of our cheeks and a tear of joy on the other cheek and we did the same to them.

UPDATE

Email from Jane today says that she and Athea have found the ideal home and that they are enjoying life in Bellingen - swimming most days - in the river, the forest or down at the beach. Sounds divine! Guess Athea will begin school soon and Jane will hopefully land the perfect job. Here's hoping!

from the Manse

Dear Friends,

She called out. I was surrounded by cups, plates, toast, butter, milk and teapot with morning hair, just awake but still on automatic. “Ok! Ok!” I said while I continued the breakfast ritual. She called again. I surveyed the scene. A drawer, two cupboard doors and the fridge all open. I closed the fridge door, and the insistent voice stopped.

My attention was called to my habit of leaving drawers and doors open during cooking. It’s for easy access but I do forget and ruefully notice Ruth closing the left-opens after I leave. We have discussed it, and while there is initial annoyance she has decided it is not worth getting upset about. The onus is on me to remember or not. Ironically we both agree we would miss some of our little ways if they weren’t there.

The alarm in the fridge prompted insight! It’s insistence was a reminder of the grace and acceptance I receive in spite of my idiosyncrasies and the absolute choice I have in how I respond in any situation. In the Christmas story, Mary responds to her pregnant dilemma with acceptance and grace. How do you think she really felt? What’s your response to the things you can’t change?

Grace and peace,

Rod

Welcome Rod!

Ecofaith
Last Sunday, after months of waiting we finally got to welcome Rod. We have been looking forward to his leadership and ministry with us. Joy suggested that we each make a letter and bring it to make a message of welcome - a card, the inside of which is pictured above.
Jane led our time together with a very thoughtful reflection on forgiveness. She began with a beautiful opening prayer:
God who is mysterious and yet our most intimate companion we pray for sense of your presence today. As we gather to contemplate, reflect and give thanks we ask for open hearts to feel and to heal so we can be nourished for our work in the world, Amen

i finally remembered to take my camera - so here are a few piccies of the day.











Rod with Natalie

Michael and Jane