Our March 19 worship gathering was a celebration of our 7th anniversary!

Our theme invited us to reflect on how the words sacred, sacrament, and sacrifice all come from the same Latin root word, sacer, which means to hallow (to make holy), to set aside (set apart), to consecrate (for divine purpose) or dedicate. We shared together in the sacrament of communion (visible signs of invisible grace). And we reflected on the sacred nature of Earth and creation (filled with God’s presence) and sacrifice - the giving of life so that new life is possible.

Here are the three readings we shared:

“The truth of the matter is, unless a grain of wheat falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest. If you love your life you’ll lose it; if you hate your life in this world you’ll keep it for eternal life. Anyone who wants to work for me must follow in my footsteps.” 
​   - John 12:24–26a

“With my first bite of food, I think about what I am eating. I understand the sacrifice made by the plant or the animal to give me life. My life is connected to their death. There is a sacred relationship between myself and the food I eat.”
   - Randy Woodley, Becoming Rooted, 67–68

The Sacraments  
I once spoke to my friend, an old squirrel, about the Sacraments –
he got so excited
and ran into a hollow in his tree and came
back holding some acorns, an owl feather,
and a ribbon he had found.
And I just smiled and said, “Yes, dear,
you understand:
everything imparts
His grace.”
   - Daniel Landinsky, inspired by St. Francis

Take time outdoors and pay particular attention to where you encounter the sacred, and what sacraments you notice - those visible signs of invisible grace. Where do you see signs of sacrifice - the giving of life so that new life is possible?

This month Lisa Carr-Pries led our gathered worship time on Family Day weekend with an invitation to reflect on joy and play. Here is a short re-cap of her invitation for you to do on your own.

Psalm 30:9-12
You changed my wild lament  into dancing.
    You ripped off my funeral clothes
        and dressed me up in joy
    so that my whole being
    might sing praises to you and never stop.
Lord, my God, I will give thanks to you forever.

​Take time to wander and wonder, spin and smile - to consider this theme of delight, playfulness and joy. What comes to mind when you think of whimsy? What brought you immense joy as a child?  What was the last time you saw something and it took your breath away? How did that  change you?

End your wandering with this blessing:
Go from here knowing that 
That divine delights in you, 
 just as you are. 
Find delight in the Earth, 
Joy and gratitude will be your rich reward .
Amen

Grounding Practice

In the spirit of knowing that everything can be a prayer or spiritual practice when we bring that intention to it, I will be posting some short, simple practices you can try anytime in your day to ground you and connect you with the Earth and with God’s sacred presence.  ​

Take off your shoes and allow your bare feet to
connect to the holy ground you are standing on.
Stand still.
Wiggle your toes.
Feel the earth and note its temperature, texture, etc.
Imagine roots extending from your feet into the ground,
connecting, rooting, grounding you, supporting you, anchoring you.
Receive the gifts this place has to offer.
Give thanks for your feet, and for the earth. 

ECO-SPIRITUAL PRACTICE

In her book Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer has a chapter called ‘The Gift of Strawberries.’  She writes, "Strawberries first shaped my view of a world full of gifts simply scattered at your feet. A gift comes to you through no action of your own, free, having moved toward you without your beckoning. It is not a reward; you cannot earn it, or call it to you, or even deserve it. And yet it appears. Your only role is to be open-eyed and present.  Gifts exist in a realm of humility and mystery – as with random acts of kindness, we do not know their source." (p 23-24)

Reading
“The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:12

Practice
During strawberry season, set aside some time to savour a locally grown strawberry. (This practice can be done with other locally grown fruit or vegetables in season.) If you can, pick it yourself. If not, enjoy one from the market or a friend's garden. Hold it gently and reverently in your hands. Pause to give thanks for it – thanks to God and thanks to the plant, the soil, the rain, the sun. Examine its shape and rich colour. Smell it. Feel its texture and delicate skin. Finally, take a bite and taste it. Savour it slowly, enjoying the juicy sweetness.

Reflection
Take time to reflect on and appreciate the gift of this strawberry. Consider how it connects you to the land on which it grew. Consider how it offers both nourishment and pleasure. Consider how, once you ate it, it became part of you. If you wish, spend some time journaling your reflections, or honouring the experience by offering a prayer, writing a poem, painting a picture, etc.

Blessing
Blessed be the earth for providing this gift.
Blessed be the sun for helping it to grow.
Blessed be the wind and birds for carrying its seeds.
Blessed be the rain for watering its roots. 
Blessed be God, giver of all good gifts.

​- Wendy Janzen

On April 29, Burning Bush Forest Church became a provisional church in Mennonite Church Eastern Canada. For the occasion, I shared a prayer that I wrote. Here are some excerpts:

Creator of the Cosmos,
Christ Incarnate,
Spirit who inspires:

Like trees in a forest,
grains of sand on a beach,
birds in a flock, and
cells in a body,
help us remember that we
are a part of something
much bigger than ourselves.

In your wisdom and love
you designed us and 
all that exists for
connection and interdependence.
We give you thanks for 
watersheds and solar systems,
microclimates and biomes, 
congregations and area churches,
among whom we find community...

I invite you to take some time while out on a walk, in a park, or in your yard, to reflect on being part of something bigger than yourself. Consider the ways your life is connected to the earth, water, and sky. Reflect on your place in our watershed/ecosystem, and your interdependence within the web of life. Contemplate how your faith and soul is nurtured by being part of a faith community. Give thanks for the blessings that come from these connections.

​- Wendy Janzen

Self-Guided Summer Solstice Prayer Walk
June 2020

Find a place to walk in nature, preferably in the evening when you can enjoy the long evening on this longest day of the year. Read through the full document before you go, so you have an idea of the flow. (You may want to bring a water bottle with you.)

Begin by grounding yourself: take a few deep breaths, release any tension, shake out your body, draw yourself into awareness of your surroundings; feel the earth beneath your feet, and the Divine Presence all around and within you. 

Before you start to walk, read this opening invitation.

Opening Invitation
Listen to Earth leaning closer to the sun.
to the heat breathing through gardens,
Calling plants to fruition,
Whispering fulfillment to the flowers.
Listen to the growing circle of life. 

Listen to the green sanctuary of the trees,
To young birds testing out their wings.
To bare feet and laughter, 
To Mother Earth bringing food to the table,
Listen to songs of leisure and renewal.

Listen to the summer of your soul,
To the dance of life within you,
To creativity that yearns for expression,
To the fire that burns in your spirit.
Listen to the passion of summer.

Listen to the poetry of summer, 
to the wisdom of the earth,
to the presence of God
As you walk and pray.
(adapted from a blessing by Macrina Wiederkehr)

Head out on your walk, prayerfully sauntering at a relaxed pace, aware of what you see, hear, smell, and feel. If you come upon a place that expresses brokenness in any way, stop for a prayer of confession. Pray your own confession, or use the prayer provided.


Prayer of Confession
Source of all Being, we give you thanks for our watershed, for the Grand River (or Nith River, or whichever watershed you are in), and for all of life that calls this place home--
We think of Heron and Cardinal, Beaver and Raccoon, Smallmouth Bass and Pike, Bullfrog and Turtle. We are grateful for diversity and abundance, and pray that we might be good neighbours among our community of creation. 
God, we confess that we take our natural surroundings for granted, and that for too long we have been neglectful in our disregard for our ecosystem, not thinking about the costs and consequences of our actions. Move us beyond complacency to a place of compassion and action for our environment and all who live in our watershed. Amen.

As you continue our walk, hold in prayer whatever concerns you are carrying with you, be they personal or environmental; prayers for people or for species, or for the earth itself.

If you are walking by a body of water, take a moment when you are ready to participate in a symbolic action. If you are not near water, simply choose a place to pour some water from your water bottle onto a plant or the roots of a tree.

Symbolic Action
At the water’s edge, kneel by the water, cup some water, and pour it back into the river/lake/pond, offering your prayers of concern into the body of water, knowing that God holds our prayers, and holds us, and that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves.

Continue your walk with a sense of gratitude, and when you finish your walk, offer this closing blessing.

Blessing
Blessed are you, Creator of all,
Blessed are you summer,
season of long days,
bare feet, beauty, and fruitfulness.
Blessed are you, people who walk in the light,
Blessed are you, Earth who sustains us,
Blessed are you, God of the seasons.
Amen.

​- Wendy Janzen

Today would have been our May worship gathering were it not for COVID-19. As we are not able to gather in person, I offer you this spiritual practice to do out in nature - weather it is your back yard, a park, or a wilder natural area. Sensio Divina is a sacred way of sensing the Divine in nature. Below are some detailed instructions, but basically you can simply enter prayerfully into the practice with an open heart and intention to engage with God's presence wherever or however you experience it in nature. 

Sensio Divina

Preparation: Take a few moments to centre yourself by taking a few deep breaths. Cross a threshold of some sort - intentionally step over a stick or a bridge or between two trees to symbolize entering into a more enchanted and alive relationship with creation, with God, with your soul.

Wander: Allow yourself to be drawn to something (the river, the sun, a rock, the breeze?) or someone (a sparrow, a turtle, a bug, a tree?) that seems to be calling you. Don’t question or second guess. Just respond by opening your heart and your imagination and offering your full presence. Release agenda and expectations.

Listen: Don’t overthink. Wonder. Be fully attentive, and listen with an open heart. Use all your senses. Notice little things. Smell. Touch. Observe.

Share: Engage in a conversation together. Share your dreams or despair, and ask of theirs. This is a new language for you, so words sometimes don’t work. Sketch, or meditate, listening deeply, allowing images and emotions to arise. Write a poem perhaps, or sing a song. What insight comes up from this encounter that speaks to you and invites you into a larger story?

Gratitude: Offer some acknowledgement of honor and gratitude - a prayer, a bow, a smile, a touch... 

Return: Cross over the threshold again, carrying this experience with you.

- Adapted from various sources, including Victoria Loorz, Seminary of the Wild.