In this Easter homily, Jess Williams reflects on the suffering of Christ and his unshakeable solidarity with humankind, and what it might mean that Love is with us at all times. She invites us to consider the cross as both a confrontation and an invitation to “love the world in all the painfully honest ways only you can love it.” (A New Spring, James A. Pearson, )
During our Second Breakfast service this Sunday, Jess shared a poem by Padraig O’Tuama and an excerpt from an essay by Ross Gay, and then we took some time to gather around our tables to share our joys, our sorrows, and our hopes together.
Rachael explores the idea that maturing faith is movement towards “more love and union – in ever widening circles” (Richard Rohr), asking what wisdom this vision could offer us for these days, how we see it expressed in Jesus, and what sandboxes, planks and annoying people can teach us!
In today’s homily, Jess Williams reflects on the parable of the prodigal son, inviting us to consider what the story reveals about both the vulnerability of God and parenthood, and the “wastefully extravagant” prodigal Love of the Divine.
Janell looks at our current theme through the lenses of a shifting faith. She shares a narrative of her experience deconstructing some of the foundational beliefs she was raised in and a few of the things that helped her navigate this wilderness.
Jess Williams reflects on the lion and lamb imagery used to describe the nature of Christ and how both of these can be useful in times like this. Then she invites the community to pray for the leadership of SCC, opening up a beautiful moment of mutual love and support for the church as a whole
On the first Sunday of Lent, Lorna and Rachael shared some thoughts about life-giving ways to see and approach the Lenten practice of giving something up. Then we were all invited to individual reflection on what might be cluttering our inner lives and what we’d like to welcome into a clearer space, followed by conversation around the breakfast tables.
This Sunday, Marilyn Orr helped us think about what happens when we spend time in the desert and away from the busyness of ordinary life, and to consider the difference between chosen wilderness times and times we do not choose — like the 40 years the Israelites wandered in the wilderness. She encouraged us to share our pain and confusion honestly before God and others, and challenged us to think about how to remain open to views that are different than our own as we walk together through divisive times
Rachael brings back her (made-up!) translations of the Bible – the Trigger Fest Version (TFV) and the Transformational Wisdom Version (TWV) – to name toxic interpretations of Psalm 37 and then, as a community, to seek within it ancient wisdom to help us to live wisely and lovingly in these troubling days.
Jess continues our teaching theme with some reflections on the wilderness and how different turning points in life invite us to leave the path we know in pursuit of something deeper/truer, even when the way is unclear and the journey leads us away from the familiar and into the unknown.
