Chapel Reflections for Mowana closing
For every beginning there is an ending and every ending a
beginning.
Fields invaded by a simple flat blade, moved forward and
back, creating a space for planted pine seedlings to grow and to grow,
becoming A
forest with a pine needle carpet nurturing a new forest -- hardwoods replacing the tall pines.
Children growing into adolescence and then adulthood-- Some finding
life partners here, Some even marrying before this altar. New families growing..-. Children,
grandchildren, maybe even great grandchildren filling
these benches.
Traditional
hymns and spirituals giving way to folk, folk to praise and contemporary Christian music, to jazz.
Sitting together watching the light of burning
candles fade - at the end of a week or
the end of a season, is a bitter sweet reminder of beginnings and endings.
Smaller
rhythms of continuity flow through and in daily/weekly/seasonal routines,
ongoing traditions and rituals that ground life together and nurture the
spirit:
Time to draw together in play,
conversation, shared tasks.
Smaller groups-- gathering into one
- for a time, -- then dispersing again into
many.
Oh for the love of Space to find and be one’s self; --and -
the satisfaction of joining others to create a cooperative team.
Space for energetic activity and boisterous play. --- Time to slow the
pace to experience and practice stillness and silence.
Space and time-- for exploring, imagining,
creating, wondering.
Time for telling stories
– with the Freedom for listening to the narratives that connect us.
This
is a sheep-fold for the flock the Good Shepherd. The week begins here in this
corral of safety where the Good Shepherd gathers us together and promising to
guard and nurture all; a place of welcome and sanctuary for all. The world away, may be or feel chaotic and
dangerous. Here we remember the
blessings of the day, safe travel, new circles of friends
The week, - ends here together,
carrying
the light of Christ into the Night,
by
trails and bridges, to cabins, to bunks and candles out—
The
blessings of the week.
embedded
in our hearts to carry home.
We Gather in this space for one purpose---to come
close to God, as individuals and as a people.
This Chapel is the place where we bring - all we are - all we experience:
Our
individual stories,
Our
communal Stories - the new stories we create in being together
Older stories
of the people of God; woven together as one tapestry.
God’s presence welcomes and holds:
joy
and celebration,
lamentation,
uncertainty
and doubt, gratitude and need,
with
room for everything and everybody –
the
sky truly is the Limit…
A
simple place, - Rarely fully cleaned of wax on the posts or ferns tended and
groomed for guests. It has been our
gracious welcoming sanctuary shared by generations of campers, counselors and
chaplains. Did we find it important to
share this space and our reflections without families? Or did we keep it as a
personal treasure?
In this place where connectedness to God, to
others, to creation, and to ourselves has been nurtured, we ,--even while
questioning our skills and ability, -- We are well equipped to continue the
task of blessing others with the gifts we have received. For we learned this will always be a place
about beginnings and endings -- the ONE who IS the beginning and ending and the
creator of new beginnings.
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