Readings 23 February 2024 St Mary's Church
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Opening Prayer
We remember how Jesus often used to spend time alone with his Father, in wild desert places – and we pray: Lord, help us today to enjoy the peace of wild things, to relax and rest as you rested, honouring your creation with our recreation, expressing our trust through rest, and in all we do, saying with you, ‘It is very good’. Amen Readings The Peace of Wild Things “When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds. |
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I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives
with forethought of grief.
I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me
the day-blind stars
waiting with their light.
For a time -
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.”
Inspired by Jeremiah chapter 2 verse 13
Wendell Berry from The Peace of Wild Things And Other Poems (Penguin, 2018)
Wild Things!
When I first knew about Wendell Berry’s book of poems – The Peace of Wild Things … the title itself caught not just my attention, but my imagination.
Around the same time, the worldwide Lectio 365 began to look at the Wildness of God (in all sorts of ways) … and, gradually, as I reflected … The Peace of Wild Things, and the Wildness of God seemed to weave together …. and the title of today’s Quiet Spaces was born.
How wonderful, I thought! Wild things - wildness - and freedom of spirit … something which God offers us – and we don’t always notice – it all seemed to just fit with one of the many ways of living and journeying through Lent.
Here at Quiet Spaces, we often touch on the notion of how different from each other we can be … the diversity we bring in personality, life circumstances – (now, and in the past) - in our spiritual lives - and in how we relate to God …
I wonder what Lent means to us? To each of us as individuals … maybe it changes from year to year?or perhaps we have formed a routine which we tend to keep to most years?… and, I am sure … there are many other ways we might keep Lent, in between.
Many of us see Lent as a journey … and, this year, we might have already decided on a pathway we would like to explore …
We know, both in our church communities and online, there are many, many resources available to help make this Lent special.
Each of our journeys will be different, and … whether we are giving up something, taking on a new challenge or calling …. I wonder if we will feel open to the wildness of God and the unpredictability of the Spirit?
So … as we go into our time of stillness, and contemplation,
let us pray …
Holy Spirit, give us the wild freedom
of the adventure of walking in faith.
Give us courage to listen to challenges and callings.
Breathe new life into each of our stories.
Stretch the boundaries of our hearts and our imagination,
and let us discover, and live, what is in the expanse beyond.
May we listen to your Spirit, and watch for the unexpected wildness of God
through scriptures - and other readings and resources.
We ask that you will open our minds to explore your limitless grace,
especially as we journey through Lent,
towards Jesus’ Passion, Crucifixion and Resurrection. Amen
Rev Judy Greenfield
Introduction to Silence
God of the wild and God of the wilderness, we pray that you will lead us where we are lost and found. We welcome your Spirit and listen for your word in the wild. Amen
Blessing
Blessed be the longing that brought us here
and quickens our souls with wonder -
may we have the courage -
to listen to the voice of desire that disturbs us
when we have settled for something safe -
may we come to accept our longing
as divine urgency
and may we know the urgency
with which God longs for us
Amen
John O'Donoghue
Thoughts to ponder:
May we find peace within the storm, and the encircling of his arms. May we find rest within the night,
and refreshment in the dawn. May we find joy within our hearts, a song just waiting to be sung.
May we find peace. Author unknown
Margaret Silf
https://godinallthings.com/2022/04/04/the-ordinariness-of-lent/
Lectio 365 – January 2024
Here I am Lord, alive and awake in your presence, alive and awake to your invitation to join you, the wild God out in the wild world. Draw me after you Lord, and let us run together. Lectio 365 January 2024
Wherever there is trouble, there God is - right in the middle of it all - the wild God in the wild world - and his invitation to us is to wade into the fray with him - to partner with him in his work in the world …. whatever that might be. He invites us to be people wildly in love with him wildly desiring his presence and following him wherever he goes, that we may be people whose souls are fortified with wild hope.
Lectio 365 January 2024
We remember how Jesus often used to spend time alone with his Father, in wild desert places –
and we pray:
Lord, help me today to enjoy the peace of wild things, to relax and rest as you rested, honouring your creation with my recreation, expressing my trust through rest, and in all I do, saying with you,
‘It is very good’. Lectio 365 January 2024
During this season let us reflect on how God invites us to live lives unfettered by the pressures and expectations of others, so that we may enjoy the dangerous freedom of the wild God, the loving creator and sustainer of all things, for whom nothing is impossible. Author unknown
Judy’s words
During Lent, we often look to our church leaders for guidance, for suggestions of new paths on our faith journey, and to lead us as a community towards Jesus’ passion, crucifixion, and resurrection. Whether lay or clergy members of our communities, we can all teach, guide, listen and learn….
Creator God, we pray for all who lead your people - for all who preach your gospel - for all who witness to your life and to your life within each of us. And Lord, we humbly ask that we may include ourselves in this number. As we look to walk with you more closely, may we follow your own wild footsteps - footsteps which were lovingly, and sacrificially, preaching strongly and boldly - so that we will feel able to share ourselves, and our faith with the rest of your flock, and all who seek to know more about you. Holy Spirit we pray that you will breathe new life into all church communities, and the secular communities that surround them, wherever they may be.
May we be surprised with your power and your presence; healing the sick, binding up broken hearts - and we ask that you will renew in us all, a consuming passion for Jesus. Amen
Sometimes, although we are aware of God’s presence, we might feel as though we are in a wilderness -
Let us reflect on the words of Thomas Merton:
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
“The Merton Prayer” from Thoughts in Solitude Copyright © 1956, 1958
Thoughts from Samuel Moor Shoemaker – the Celtic Finan reading for 23rd February
I stand by the door. I know the go too far in, nor stay too far out - the door is the most important door in the world - it is the door through which folk walk when they find God. There's no use my going way inside and staying there, when so many are still outside, and they, as much as I, crave to know where the door is.
Lord, we thank you for our time together today … and ask that, no matter what our own personal journey is during Lent, we may always be mindful of others who are treading paths of their own, and of those who are still trying to find the door where they can peep inside and get to know and love you.
We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen
Our next meeting will be 10.30am on Friday 22nd March at St Anne’s Church, Glenholt
who do not tax their lives
with forethought of grief.
I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me
the day-blind stars
waiting with their light.
For a time -
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.”
Inspired by Jeremiah chapter 2 verse 13
Wendell Berry from The Peace of Wild Things And Other Poems (Penguin, 2018)
Wild Things!
When I first knew about Wendell Berry’s book of poems – The Peace of Wild Things … the title itself caught not just my attention, but my imagination.
Around the same time, the worldwide Lectio 365 began to look at the Wildness of God (in all sorts of ways) … and, gradually, as I reflected … The Peace of Wild Things, and the Wildness of God seemed to weave together …. and the title of today’s Quiet Spaces was born.
How wonderful, I thought! Wild things - wildness - and freedom of spirit … something which God offers us – and we don’t always notice – it all seemed to just fit with one of the many ways of living and journeying through Lent.
Here at Quiet Spaces, we often touch on the notion of how different from each other we can be … the diversity we bring in personality, life circumstances – (now, and in the past) - in our spiritual lives - and in how we relate to God …
I wonder what Lent means to us? To each of us as individuals … maybe it changes from year to year?or perhaps we have formed a routine which we tend to keep to most years?… and, I am sure … there are many other ways we might keep Lent, in between.
Many of us see Lent as a journey … and, this year, we might have already decided on a pathway we would like to explore …
We know, both in our church communities and online, there are many, many resources available to help make this Lent special.
Each of our journeys will be different, and … whether we are giving up something, taking on a new challenge or calling …. I wonder if we will feel open to the wildness of God and the unpredictability of the Spirit?
So … as we go into our time of stillness, and contemplation,
let us pray …
Holy Spirit, give us the wild freedom
of the adventure of walking in faith.
Give us courage to listen to challenges and callings.
Breathe new life into each of our stories.
Stretch the boundaries of our hearts and our imagination,
and let us discover, and live, what is in the expanse beyond.
May we listen to your Spirit, and watch for the unexpected wildness of God
through scriptures - and other readings and resources.
We ask that you will open our minds to explore your limitless grace,
especially as we journey through Lent,
towards Jesus’ Passion, Crucifixion and Resurrection. Amen
Rev Judy Greenfield
Introduction to Silence
God of the wild and God of the wilderness, we pray that you will lead us where we are lost and found. We welcome your Spirit and listen for your word in the wild. Amen
Blessing
Blessed be the longing that brought us here
and quickens our souls with wonder -
may we have the courage -
to listen to the voice of desire that disturbs us
when we have settled for something safe -
may we come to accept our longing
as divine urgency
and may we know the urgency
with which God longs for us
Amen
John O'Donoghue
Thoughts to ponder:
May we find peace within the storm, and the encircling of his arms. May we find rest within the night,
and refreshment in the dawn. May we find joy within our hearts, a song just waiting to be sung.
May we find peace. Author unknown
Margaret Silf
https://godinallthings.com/2022/04/04/the-ordinariness-of-lent/
Lectio 365 – January 2024
Here I am Lord, alive and awake in your presence, alive and awake to your invitation to join you, the wild God out in the wild world. Draw me after you Lord, and let us run together. Lectio 365 January 2024
Wherever there is trouble, there God is - right in the middle of it all - the wild God in the wild world - and his invitation to us is to wade into the fray with him - to partner with him in his work in the world …. whatever that might be. He invites us to be people wildly in love with him wildly desiring his presence and following him wherever he goes, that we may be people whose souls are fortified with wild hope.
Lectio 365 January 2024
We remember how Jesus often used to spend time alone with his Father, in wild desert places –
and we pray:
Lord, help me today to enjoy the peace of wild things, to relax and rest as you rested, honouring your creation with my recreation, expressing my trust through rest, and in all I do, saying with you,
‘It is very good’. Lectio 365 January 2024
During this season let us reflect on how God invites us to live lives unfettered by the pressures and expectations of others, so that we may enjoy the dangerous freedom of the wild God, the loving creator and sustainer of all things, for whom nothing is impossible. Author unknown
Judy’s words
During Lent, we often look to our church leaders for guidance, for suggestions of new paths on our faith journey, and to lead us as a community towards Jesus’ passion, crucifixion, and resurrection. Whether lay or clergy members of our communities, we can all teach, guide, listen and learn….
Creator God, we pray for all who lead your people - for all who preach your gospel - for all who witness to your life and to your life within each of us. And Lord, we humbly ask that we may include ourselves in this number. As we look to walk with you more closely, may we follow your own wild footsteps - footsteps which were lovingly, and sacrificially, preaching strongly and boldly - so that we will feel able to share ourselves, and our faith with the rest of your flock, and all who seek to know more about you. Holy Spirit we pray that you will breathe new life into all church communities, and the secular communities that surround them, wherever they may be.
May we be surprised with your power and your presence; healing the sick, binding up broken hearts - and we ask that you will renew in us all, a consuming passion for Jesus. Amen
Sometimes, although we are aware of God’s presence, we might feel as though we are in a wilderness -
Let us reflect on the words of Thomas Merton:
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
“The Merton Prayer” from Thoughts in Solitude Copyright © 1956, 1958
Thoughts from Samuel Moor Shoemaker – the Celtic Finan reading for 23rd February
I stand by the door. I know the go too far in, nor stay too far out - the door is the most important door in the world - it is the door through which folk walk when they find God. There's no use my going way inside and staying there, when so many are still outside, and they, as much as I, crave to know where the door is.
Lord, we thank you for our time together today … and ask that, no matter what our own personal journey is during Lent, we may always be mindful of others who are treading paths of their own, and of those who are still trying to find the door where they can peep inside and get to know and love you.
We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen
Our next meeting will be 10.30am on Friday 22nd March at St Anne’s Church, Glenholt
