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This and that

This isn't complete yet. Feel free to edit it (it uses a bit of poetic license) and see if we can redeem it a little. The idea is there, but it needs a fresh eye upon it. Over to you...

Handful of wheat or seeds and a handful of weeds or different coloured seeds. At the ‘this and that’ part, emphasis the wheat and then the weed or pour one seed and then the other. For the world and all it's people, is sung after each stanza.

I am the father of the nation
THIS is who I am
the progenitor of the faith
the fixed point in time when the family began
I am wheat

I am a liar
I am THAT husband who passed off my wife as my sister
for the sake of pharaoh
to do with as he wishes
I am weed

I am a man of faith
a faith that lives in the harmonic tension between this and that

For the world and all it’s people...

I am the patriarch of freedom
THIS is who I am
the leader of exodus
the turning moment that set God’s People free
I am wheat

I am a murderer
I am THAT person who killed an Egyptian
even as I was an adopted prince
and ran without facing consequences
I am weed

I am a man of faith
a faith that lives in the living tension between this and that

For the world and all it’s people...

I am the befriender of Jesus
THIS is who I am
the woman who tended his needs
who remained with him even at the end
I am wheat

I am a sinner
I am THAT person to whom he said
If no one accuses you neither do I
go and sin no more
I am weed

I am a woman of faith
a faith that lives in the forgiving tension between this and that

For the world and all it’s people...

I am the apostle of God
THIS is who I am
the one who moved the early church
welcoming the gentiles into the family of God
I am wheat

I am persecutor of the Christians
left holding the coats at the martyrdom of Stephen
enthusiastic in my work of destroying anothers faith
I am weed

I am a man of faith
a faith that lies in the redeeming tension between this and that

For the world and all it’s people...

We are everyone
THIS is who we are
who has ever joined the way of following
and held the vision of God’s Realm
We are wheat

We are sinner
who have broken the covenant
and brought nails for the cross
We are weed

We are people of faith
a faith that lives in the tension between hope and grace

For the world and all it’s people...

Two timers

I'm trying to put together a contemporary reading that includes the stories of bible characters whose lives and faith were a mixture of wheat and tares.

Who would you suggest and why?

Abraham: great faith founder but also passed off Sarah and sister and stuff like that.

Moses: big guy of the Exodus but murderer too and doubter.

David: united the country but also Bathsheba too

These are the big characters, but what about the little people, those you don't hear so often, or New Testament characters? Who do you know whose lives were a mix of wheat and darnel?

Sowing

may we be the best seed there is to sow
may we sow our talents
and our skills
may we sow grace
and forgiveness
may we sow our dreams
and our longing
may we sow sunrises
and broken bread
may we sow stories
and adventures
may we sow the whole of our faith
and the first moments of belief
may we sow meeting places
and moment of prayer
may we sow baskets of fish
and loaves for everyone
may we sow pearls of great price
and mustard seeds too
may we sow patience
and generosity
may we sow the future
and all our tomorrows
may we sow for the long term
and live in that promise

and when the thistles creep in
may we still sow
rather than weed

The parable of the parables

Barbara Brown Taylor says in "The Seeds of Heaven" that if the people were expecting to hear in depth theological discussion when they went to hear Jesus the day he told them the sower parable, they were disappointed because he told them stories from the everyday instead. In fact he offered them pieces of poetry and dream like pictures.

Perhaps these are more likely to be picked up by the soul. So here's a few of the 7 parables in this chapter of Matthew in limerick. I doubt Barbara Brown Taylor imagined them as this kind of verse but hey ho. Between each (there will be seeds being sown as a symbol throughout), verses from 'For the World and all her people' are sung. So here are some of the seven parables of Matthew 13 in poetry form ready for hearts to hear them.

For the world and all its people
we address our prayer to God
Confidently, all can worship
in the presence for the Lord

A farmer who went out to sow
sowed more than he could ever know
despite weeds and hard soil
and rocks and birds toil
his grain-sacks would soon overflow

There are some who never will hear
so listen if you have the ears
for these stories disclose
that the kingdom is close
and through them God’s way is made clear

All the powerless, all the hungry
are most precious to their God…

There was a man who was not very enthralled
By his mustard seed which seemed very small
but it put down some roots
and grew up some shoots
until it was tallest of all

And a woman who never could bake
found flat bread was all she could make
but adding yeast and some know-how
raised the dough, and then somehow
she discovered the flour was awake

For the poor, God has a purpose
for the desperate, a word…

There once was a man who sowed seed
and another who among them sowed weed
the seed became corn
and the weed became thorn
and the farmer knew not how to proceed

I’ll leave them to their own endeavour
But I’ll not leave them in there together
for when the season has turned
the weeds will be burned
but the grain will be stored up forever

Christ is here, and Christ is stronger
than the strength of sin or sword…

Each parable is an everyday story
sometimes gentle and sometimes a bit hoary
but can transform how we live
and together we give
the world hope and God all the glory

But there are some who never will hear
so listen if you have the ears
for these stories disclose
that the kingdom is close
and through them God’s way is made clear

God will fill the earth with justice
when our will and his accord…

 

There once was a farmer...

There is an old, old story of a farmer
who with great sweeps of his arm
scattered seed
hither and thither
across his land
good seed
healthy seed
each holding within it
a 100 ears of corn
lingering in every dry husk

a waiting potential
a longing promise
a birth of future

and each bounced
as they scattered
across the land
They shimmered in the sun
caught by shards of light
that were going to stretch them
and pull them up
from the earth
Just a brushing glint
as they boomeranged
through the sky
and scrambled
across the field

Then each were left helpless
thrown into corners they never chose to go
abandoned on land they never chose to take root
some among thistles
strangled between weeds
helpless over rocks
scorched on pathways
and left there
left there
to fend for themselves

People who meet Jesus

The communion tab le is covered in a plethora of symbols that remind us of stories of Jesus such as stones, and bread and seeds, and money, an flowers etc. In among these there are four candles. After each verse one of the candles is lit and 'God made me as I am' by Bernadette Farrell is sung.

Voice 1:
It was his hands I noticed:
rough and cut,
working hands.
They felt sore
as they touched me,
and called me back into life,
as they took my hands
and led me from the bed.
I thought I was dying in,
and called for food to be brought.
Jairus’ daughter was alive again!
Rough hands, but kind,
willing to give,
and they gave something of himself:
hope and new life.

(God made me as I am)

Voice 2:
It was his eyes I noticed:
deep,
that saw through me
to my soul,
and spoke there.
His eyes said everything.
‘Is there anyone left to condemn you?’
I heard him.
I saw his lips move.
But his eyes carried the message,
that deep longing and intent
to forgive and renew.
‘No!’ I said,
‘No one is left to condemn.’
‘Then go and sin no more.’
And his eyes stared at me,
and smiled,
and I knew I was forgiven
and alive once more.

(God made me as I am)

Voice 3:
It was his feet I noticed.
I had been stooped for 12 years.
I was used to noticing feet.
His were like everyone else’s:
rough,
cut,
dirty.
They had travelled far
and now they stopped
just as I touched him,
and turned towards me,
little plumes of dust settling,
and he called me to stand straight.
I hesitated,
then found my gaze,
not directed at his feet,
but at his face,
and I have never looked at feet again.

(God made me as I am)

Voice 4:
I have never seen him,
or heard his voice.
I know not what he looks like,
or how his hands feel,
or how deep his stare,
or where his feet have been.
But I have met him,
in every story of faith,
in every bread that has been broken,
and every table open to strangers,
in every place love is set free,
and every moment justice breaks through.
I have never seen him.
but I see him everywhere.

Three Minute Trinity

three minutes of God:

three minutes to cook an egg;
three minutes to brew Darjeeling;
three minutes for a PC to warm up;
three minutes to complete a sudoku puzzle;
three minutes to play the minute waltz three times;
three minutes to understand the 47^th episode of ‘Lost’;
three minute warning;
three minute philosophy on YouTube;
three minutes to run a mile;
three minutes of a greater silence;

three minutes…
…in which to fill a lifetime with wonder.

Any more three minute moments of trinity...?

pentecost: cusp

May the Spirit dance across your ‘now and thens’;
May the Spirit move through your ‘what ifs’ and ‘maybes’;
May the Spirit embrace your ‘perhaps’ and ‘possibles’
And from the midst of them may she call:
‘Be now, what creation gifted you to be’
Then may your ears hear and your soul be set free
That she may be alive in your ‘yes please!’

pentecost: noise

the silence of a dove’s wings?

remoulding whispers
into a cry of freedom;
taking silence
and filling it with shouts for justice;
sneaking round a sealed tomb
and grinding down that stone;
releasing the dream
that brings down tyrants;
setting free children in play
and calling that peaceful;
breaking bread
with the crack of heaven.

there’s nothing quiet about pentecost

Statement for Pentecost

Here's something being put together for Sunday. Large pieces of card are processed down the aisle with the appropriate images painted on them and placed in front of the communion table. The congregation responds with the bold type thus you can’t fully name the spirit unless everyone adds their voice to the phrase.

[Flame]
Come
Spirit
Light
gatherer
Rainbow
spinner
Photon
maker

[Dove]
Come
Spirit
Heavenly
dove
peace
maker
Baptism’s
guest

[Song]
Come
Spirit
Silence
Breaker
Dawn
Chorus
Creation’s
Song

[Wind]
Come
Spirit
Flowing
Air
Running
Wind
Living
Breath

[Protests]
Come
Spirit
Ease
disturber
Truth
Revealer
Love
inspirer

[Question Mark]
Come
Spirit
Faith’s
Question
Today’s
Wonder
Tomorrow’s
Journey

Come Spirit
And Grow in us