In his book, A New Kind of Christianity, Brian Mclaren. is keen for his readers to get a hold of this idea of narrative, of God’s story continually unfolding. He talks about the first story of sacred creation and reconciliation in Genesis, where everything is ‘very good’ but not complete because it’s  constantly evolving into something even better and more wonderful. Alongside the strand of creation is the story of reconciliation, where God continually is the reconciler. It is a story of goodness being created and re-created- good has the first word and good has the last.

Last Sunday we built our time together on this idea of story and reflected on the words we would use to sum up our story..so far.  In my t’internet meanderings I came across some wonderful words by craig mitchell – hope he doesn’t mind me messing about with them a little bit…..

“There are times when the story of our lives 
takes unexpected turns for better and for worse.

There are times when the story of our lives is a ‘page turner’ – when events and circumstances seem to rush in on us, one after another, barely giving us time to breathe.

There are times when the story of our lives 
pauses at a blank page

and there seems nothing to write, 
nowhere to go next, 
no-one to tell.

Reflect on the story that has been and continues to be written by the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in our lives and in the world. Listen to that story being told in creation around us, remember where we have come from and what future chapters promise and  encourage and challenge one another to demonstrate that story to the world.

What story shall we live?
The story of saving love
Where did this story begin?
It was whispered before time began,
it was sung in the melody of Creation.

Whose story is this?
This story is God’s alone to tell
It hums in the rivers and the trees
It whispers in the skies and the seas
It calls to the people of all places
It speaks in our hearts, in our lives
Why then should we speak of this story?
This story calls our name in Creation
This story claims our lives through the Cross
This story shapes our future through the Spirit
We are its telling in this time and this place

So…..if you had the choice of just 3 words…which ones would you choose to sum up your story so far?…..

Barbara and Grayden led us this morning looking afresh at the Emmaus road encounter with Jesus. We looked at words that might have been indicative of the feelings of those two disciples and went slow-walking again to pray for those who might be at a similar point in their own journeys. We were particularly mindful of Tony taken into hospital last night and Frances and Charlotte caught up in all of that.  How comforting the story is, of Christ walking with us when we are afraid, distressed, angry, lost… even if we do not recognise him there.  How encouraging that he taught them in that time of confusion and went on to make himself known…

Jesus walks with us when we feel...

We broke bread as Jesus had done with them and shared wine, recognising him in those things.

Recognising Jesus in broken bread

The sun is out and so are people in the park – we are aware that we are becoming more visible. This week we get business cards printed and laminated posters with our web address to attach to the bandstand.

Also, this last week we’ve become aware of some who may wish to become part of ThirdSpace in a dispersed community sort of a way. We’re working on how we  can include and support those of you who are visiting our website – so watch this space – and why not leave a comment and let us know who you are and what you think!

Here are two prayers used today you may wish to reflect on this week or adapt to your own situations (we’re getting into speaking blessing these days – perhaps you can join with us and insert names for blessing in this second prayer):

We shall celebrate Easter! Alleluia!

We shall bring love to those who are sad

And share joy with those who are happy

We will live our lives to the glory of God

We will live in Easter joy and Easter hope

And bring new life to those we meet.

Alleluia!

May the blessing of God the Creator be upon this place,

The blessing of Christ our Redeemer be upon us,

The blessing of the Spirit, hallowed and healing, be on our lives,

The blessing of the Triune God be on all who seek an encounter with the loving and divine.

What a special time we had last Thursday. We watched part of the BBC drama ‘The Passion’ covering the events of the last supper and Gethsemane. Then we reminded ourselves of some of the background  to those events before taking 10 minutes’ silence to reflect and pray.

We considered what areas of service we most struggle with and how we might let Jesus wash our feet?

We considered the symbolism of unleavened bread in the Jewish tradition – with yeast signifying pride and sin… the three matzot on the table being known as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – and how it is ‘Isaac’ that is broken in the Passover meal – the patriarch taken to be sacrificed at Mount Moriah (associated with the Temple mount in Jerusalem)… the ‘afikomen’ – the half of ‘Isaac’ hidden during the meal – meaning  ‘afters’ or ‘that which is to come’… We shared the broken matzah and asked what  this bread said to us – the body of Christ broken – the unleavened bread – the Isaac – the that-which-is-to-come bread…

We looked again at the 4 promises remembered from Exodus 6:6-7 in the 4 cups of wine:

I will bring you out – the cup of deliverance

I will deliver you from slavery – the cup of freedom

I will redeem you with a demonstration of my power – the cup of redemption

I will acquire you as a nation – the cup of consummation

It was the third cup Jesus redefined as his blood – the one following the main meal and so also known as the cup of thanksgiving – from which we derive the term eucharist – and he refused the fourth cup, saying he would drink of this in his Father’s kingdom… We shared wine and contemplated what this wine said to us…

And we reflected on Jesus sweating blood and how this is a sign of acute stress. Jesus was terribly afraid, despairing of his friends who couldn’t stay awake for him… We found ourselves all wanting to speak to Jesus in that awful moment…

And then we talked – we asked all sorts of questions and pondered on how it was… Did God hold his breath in fear that Jesus might exert his free will and flee? Did Jesus truly have a choice? Was John Mark there (as suggested in his Gospel) meaning that even when Jesus felt alone, he was not?

Thanks to all who came – it was the most profound Maundy Thursday I have experienced and to have done that with such friends made it very special indeed.  Wend