Thursday, February 2, 2012

Newsbrief: Elders Retreat

This Saturday the Elders will have their annual, daylong retreat. We will be at the Franciscan Renewal Center up on Lincoln Drive for a time of reflection and preparation, working together, dreaming together, seeking God’s presence together.

During the retreat I’ll be sharing some of the poems of one of my favorite poets – Mary Oliver. We’ll start the morning with her poem “Making the House Ready for the Lord” from her recent collection of poetry titled Thirst. I would like to share it with you all now too.

Dear Lord, I have swept and I have washed but
still nothing is as shining as it should be
for you. Under the sink, for example is an
uproar of mice – it is the season of their
many children. What shall I do? And under the eaves
and through the walls the squirrels
have gnawed their ragged entrances – but it is the season
when they need shelter, so what shall I do? And
the raccoon limps into the kitchen and opens the cupboard
while the dog snores, the cat hugs the pillow;
what shall I do? Beautiful is the new snow falling
in the yard and the fox who is staring boldly
up the path, to the door. And still I believe you will
come, Lord: you will, when I speak to the fox,
the sparrow, the lost dog, the shivering sea-goose, know
that really I am speaking to you whenever I say,
as I do all morning and afternoon: Come in, Come in.

As our Elders meet for their time of retreat we hope the Spirit of the Living God will indeed come in…and even do so in unexpected and surprising ways.

Here is where I need your help. If you could, please say a word of prayer for our Elders this Saturday. They will meet on Saturday from 9:30 AM until 3:00 PM, and I know that your prayers make a difference. You can pray for God’s blessings or pray for God’s peace or pray for God to use them as the servant leaders of our congregation. I look forward to reporting back to you on the wonderful things that emerge from our Elder’s Retreat…and please know that your prayerful support is an important part of that process!

Yours in the journey, Rev. Brian

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