Hello Faith Pals,
This week’s sermon does not follow the lectionary. I thought about the church service opportunities that have been missed due to lockdown. One of these was Harvest Thanksgiving. This service, a regular feature in the country, is also celebrated in cities. I thought it would be good to base the service/sermon around it, as I am sure that during lockdown we have become more aware/mindful of the many blessings we have received from God, and being thankful/grateful is our response back to the Divine Giver.
‘Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.’
-Native American proverb.
Or, as the 13th century theologian/mystic Meister Eckhart once wrote:
‘If the only prayer you said was “Thank you” that would be enough.’
A bit more on Meister Eckhart:
Meister Eckhart (1260- 1327) was a Germany mystic, theologian and philosopher. Eckhart taught a radical religious philosophy of seeing God in all. His mystical experiences and practical spiritual philosophy gained him a popular following, but it also caused him to be tried for heresy by a local inquisition. Despite having writings condemned as heretical, he remains an important source of mystical experience within the Christian tradition.
As his popularity grew, some senior church figures were worried his teachings were heretical. In 1326, Eckhart was formally charged with heresy, and in 1326 the Archbishop of Cologne ordered an inquisitorial process. In February 1327, Eckhart made a passionate defence of his beliefs. He denied he had done anything wrong and made a public protestation of his innocence. Eckhart claimed that his sermons were designed to encourage ordinary people and monks to aspire to do good and develop an unselfish love of God. He may have used unorthodox language, but his intentions were noble and designed to make people appreciate the most important spiritual concepts of Christ’s teachings.
I have been meaning to send you this poem by Pam Ayres for ages! Some of you have read it already, but for those who haven’t, I hope you will have a chuckle. I like Pam Ayres; I have seen her on tour several times, and she comes across as a normal, ordinary person. I know Jan Serpell is a huge fan, too.
PAM AYRES – Poem about the coronavirus
I’m normally a social girl
I love to meet my mates
But lately with the virus here we can’t go out the gates.
You see, we are the ‘oldies’ now
We need to stay inside
If they haven’t seen us for a while
They’ll think we’ve upped and died.
They’ll never know the things we did
Before we got this old
There wasn’t any FaceBook
So not everything was told.
We may seem sweet old ladies
Who would never be uncouth,
But we grew up in the 60s –
If you only knew the truth!
There was sex and drugs and rock ‘n roll
The pill and miniskirts
We smoked, we drank, we partied
And were quite outrageous flirts.
Then we settled down, got married
And turned into someone’s mum,
Somebody’s wife, then nana,
Who on earth did we become?
We didn’t mind the change of pace
Because our lives were full
But to bury us before we’re dead
Is like red rag to a bull!
So here you find me stuck inside
For 4 weeks, maybe more
I finally found myself again
Then I had to close the door!
It didn’t really bother me
I’d while away the hour
I’d bake for all the family
But I’ve got no flaming flour!
Now Netflix is just wonderful
I like a gutsy thriller
I’m swooning over Idris
Or some random sexy killer.
At least I’ve got a stash of booze
For when I’m being idle
There’s wine and whisky, even gin
If I’m feeling suicidal!
So, let’s all drink to lockdown
To recovery and health
And hope this awful virus
Doesn’t decimate our wealth.
We’ll all get through the crisis
And be back to join or mates
Just hoping I’m not far too wide
To fit through the flaming gates!
*
Are you smiling?
‘Happiness never decreases by being shared.’-Buddhist teaching
News: please keep Alan and Fredrica, Rohini and Jaya, Shirley Edwards, Margaret Wills, Lex and Leora, Jack, Martin, Noy and Elv in your prayers. Jack is having his operation today.
Alan is having blood tests on Monday, and his last chemotherapy treatment on Wednesday.
Lex was meant to come home yesterday. I am not sure if that happened, but will check over the weekend (I will leave them to rest today).
I want to include this story. I shared it with several of you earlier in the week, so you folk can skip it, or re-read it. You may need a tissue:
A Glass of Milk
by Author Unknown
One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water.
She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?”
“You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness.”
He said….. “Then I thank you from my heart.” As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.
Year’s later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room.
Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case.
After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval.
He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill.
She read these words…..
“Paid in full with one glass of milk”
(Signed)
Dr. Howard Kelly
Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: “Thank You, God, that Your love has spread abroad through human hearts and hands.”
*
‘Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights…’-James 1: 17
Thank you God, for the many blessing that come our way, those recognized, and those hidden for a time, but which will be seen when our hearts are open.
We pray for our church family, and for our own family.
Help us to have grateful, loving hearts so that we may worship you with a spirit of openness, with child-like wonder
Amen.
Blessings and love
Barbara Allen
‘when nothing goes right…go left!’