My Musings will be abbreviated this week as the day ahead, indeed the week ahead is looking full and rich and there is much to attend to this Monday morning - but wow - what a gift of music we recieved on Sunday morning from Katey Aucoin and Jennie as they offered Fritz Kreisler’s Prelude and Allegro. You can watch the recording by following this link and scrolling to the 21 minute mark.
I am in awe of people who make music and I was doubly in awe of Katey’s skill and passion on Sunday morning. Wow! Such creativity reminds me again of what amazing creatures we human beings are - the ability to build instruments that generate sound and then to take those instruments and make music that touches hearts and minds. Wow! I stand in awe.
I have stood in awe at the edge of The Grand Canyon, swam in the Great Barrier Reef, rode along the the Fjords of Norway and over and alongside the endless glaciers and rivers of Iceland And I have been led to awe by music.
The planet, the universe we inhabit is filled with scenes and experiences that invoke a sense of awe; areas and experiences that are beautiful, majestic, and terrifying all at once.
Humanity has felt awe since time began – however, it has only recently been acknowledged by our contemporary world as an emotion.
It’s not just any emotion either – awe has been shown to enhance our well-being, it is good for us. Awe adjusts our perspective, and helps us get “outside” of ourselves. It puts us in our place, in relation to something bigger, something more wonderful.
Awe can be anywhere. Awe can be anything. And the ancient texts of scripture remind us that we can get close up and personal with the ultimate source of awe – on a daily basis. What are we waiting for? Open yourself to awe as spring unfolds around us!
You nourish and water the land—
greatly you have enriched it.
The streams of God are full of water;
you provide us with grain as you ordained.
Thus have you prepared the land:
drenching its furrows,
breaking up its clods, softening it with showers,
blessing its yield.
You have crowned the year with your bounty
and your paths overflow with a rich harvest;
the untilled meadows overflow with abundance,
and rejoicing clothes the hills.
The fields are covered with flocks
and the valleys are blanketed with grain.
They shout and sing for joy!
Psalm 65:9-13 (New Inclusive Bible)
Faithfully,
Lloyd
The Week Ahead
Today I have a medical appointment at 9AM (eye exam) followed by meetings and hospital visits in Moncton and meetings in Sackville in the afternoon. This evening at 6:30PM I will meet with the Collaborative Ministry Working Group as they seek to respond to questions that have been raised about the Collaborative Ministry Pilot Project proposal. A full day!
On Tuesday morning at 10:30AM I will meet with the Lectionary Study Group after which I have two pastoral visits scheduled and two meetings in the afternoon.
Wednesday will be a full day at the Church! At 10AM Open Sky will host their almost next to last coffee gathering before they return to the land for the spring and summer and in the afternoon filming will begin for Stories of Faith and Stewardship. At 6:30PM the Executive will gather for its regular monthly Business Meeting.
Thursday morning will have me back at the Church again for three more filming sessions and I hope to have the afternoon to work on the liturgy and reflection for Sunday. At 7PM I will meeting with the CLT of Visions for their regular meeting in my role as Pastoral Charge Supervisor.
On Friday morning I will be gathering with friends to celebrate the 82nd birthday of Sr. Agnes Leger (sister to former Senator Viola Leger) who I had the privilege of working with at Springhill Institution for three years. Friday afternoon will have me back at the Church for three more filming sessions followed by a social event in the evening!
Saturday is moving day as we help two more children move home for the summer - the nest will be full again!!
And on Sunday, we will gather in community again - to open ourselves to awe and practice resurrection in remembering and imagination! May it be so!
