Sunday Reflection: Prayer for creation with the four directions

September is the Season of Creation, and this morning the inner-city Community of Emmanuel prayed this prayer with the four directions: 

Let us turn our hearts to the East
The morning Sun begins each day there
Creator God, awaken us and help us to walk with renewed life

Let us turn our hearts to the South
Where the warm winds come from to give us comfort and joy
Creator God, soothe our aching souls

Let us turn our hearts to the West
From there the clouds bring us cleansing rain
Creator God, heal us and our relatives

Let us turn our hearts to the North
Winter comes from there and calls us to rest
Creator God, restore our strength

Let us turn our hearts to the Sky
From there Creator sees all around us
Creator God, help us to trust you to lead us

Let us turn our hearts to the Earth
From there quiet wisdom comes to teach us
Creator God, hear us as we pray to you

+Amen, let it be so.

(Adapted from the Season of Creation Ecumenical Prayer Service)

If you are looking for more creation-based prayer between now and the October 4th Feast Day of St. Francis, patron saint of ecology, here are some wonderful resources, and this link will lead you to a special prayer card.

If you're in my neighbourhood, we are having our annual Ecumenical Prayer for Creation in the style of Taizé on Sunday, September 17th, 7-8 p.m. at St. Luke's Anglican Church, 8424 95th Avenue. All are welcome!

After a summer like the one we are having, our earth needs more than prayer, but prayer is a good place to start because it changes us. 

Let Justice and Peace Flow.

Extraordinary Sunday mornings

In the past, I pretty much knew what to expect on ordinary Sunday mornings, but since I joined the team at Inner City Pastoral Ministry in September of 2020, that has definitely changed. 

For example, this past Sunday, a large man who called himself "Big Bird" asked for a pen and some paper. "I'll write a poem, you'll see," he said. He spent a portion of our 45-minute service scribbling away on his knee, and just before it ended, he handed me his poem with the instruction, "read it for everyone to hear."

I scanned the poem quickly to be sure that it was suitable for public consumption, then got the okay from pastor Jim to read it at the microphone. People were very attentive. Though there was a slightly confusing reference to a "real bonspiel that can be surreal," Big Bird's poem was an encouragement for its listeners to take 

 

the unbeaten trail 

that will not fail 

to inevitably be 

our course of action... 

a way 

that will not lead us astray 

so that we may 

be actually there.

"Thank you for these words of inspiration, Big Bird, and for sharing them with us," pastor Jim said. The community applauded and Big Bird leapt to his feet, raising his victory-sign hands high in the air, pleased and proud that his poem had been heard and well-received.

After the service, Dan (not his real name) helped distribute Sunday's bag lunches because the communities that donated them were unable to send volunteers. Dan is a big, gentle guy, a regular at our Community of Emmanuel services and bible studies, and he was hugely helpful. Because he's from the neighbourhood, he knew a lot of the people waiting in line, easily identifying folks who needed their first lunch bag, and bypassing the ones who were reaching for seconds or thirds. 

"One lunch each, at least until most folks have one," Dan said, over and over, occasionally giving more to people that he knew were supporting family members who couldn't make it from their camps to us. Dan was a pro, ensuring that the little ladies who always want to feed half of Chinatown with our bag lunches took only one or two and moved along. They know and respect him, and he always treats them kindly but firmly. 

Every so often, Dan would hand a lunch bag or coffee to someone and, with false cheerfulness, announce, "I guess I won't be seeing you at 55 Club anymore. Operation Friendship is done and gone." Dan was trying to make light of yet another loss in a neighbourhood where loss is far too commonplace, but the disappointment, anger, and grief under his words left a lump in my throat. 

On the first of February, Operation Friendship Seniors' Society closed without warning after over 50 years of hospitality offered through its seniors' drop-in, 55 Club programs and activities, and affordable housing units. The press release cited vandalism, security issues, and underfunding as reasons for closure. "We didn't even see it coming," Dan lamented. All I could do was swallow hard and say "I'm so sorry, Dan."

Our mission statement for Inner City Pastoral Ministry says that we are an interdenominational Christian Ministry of Presence, and though we can never do enough to alleviate pain and struggle for the people who come to us, just "being there" with them is our primary focus. To listen. To help when we can. To encourage. To love.

And it's a huge privilege, too. Praying and singing together, sharing life's ups and downs, serving coffee and lunches, handing out donated winterwear, and just standing with community members in their moments of grief, pride, frustration, and joy -- or any other emotion you care to name -- makes every Sunday morning extraordinary.

* * * * * * *

P.S. If you'd like to help with what we do, don't hesitate to contact me (email address on the sidebar), or click here for the ICPM website and more details or ways to donate.

This little light of mine

Today's reflection is brought to you by 

Matthew 5:13-16.

Jim, the assistant pastor for the community of Emmanuel, is one for what I'll call hands-on-homilies. He often incorporates small items to be shared with community members into his sermons, and today was no exception. Everyone received a little ziplock containing a teaspoon of salt, and a birthday candle with a paper matchbook.

It's salt of the earth and light of the world Sunday, and we are all both of those, Jesus says in today's reading from Matthew's gospel -- but it requires some effort on our parts to give flavour and light to those around us. So at the end of this morning's service, we prayed with our lit candles:

You are the salt of the earth.

Sprinkle us across our community, God,

across our world,

to bring the good flavour of love

wherever we go.

You are the light of the world.

Uncover the radiance that is within us, God,

to shine the truth of your love

wherever we go.

Let your light shine before others

that everyone we meet

may see our lives of faithfulness

and glorify you,

our loving Creator.

+Amen

And Farley led us in the classic spiritual tune that Odetta and the Holmes Brothers sing so well in the video below. 

Have a good week being salt and light for all those you meet!

(And P.S. -- if you have a spare prayer for Eleanor, a friend and moodlings reader who is awaiting some very important surgery, it's most definitely appreciated!)

Another good Sunday song

Farley has sung this song at Community of Emmanuel many times, but for some unknown reason, it touched me at a deeper level today. 

I wanted to share all four verses of Rita Springer's haunting melody that are printed in the ICPM songbooks, but this is the only video recording that I could find, with only the first and last verse. Perhaps the other verses came along after the recording was made? I've put all the lyrics we sing at Community of Emmanuel below this video so you can sing them for yourselves. A blessed Sunday to you!

Make me a prayer, let my prayer be a cry.

Humble my heart, so that you may draw nigh.

Cause me to stand and cry out for this land,

Cause me to be one who's set free

to stand as a house of prayer.

Make me a cup, your love spilled out through me.

Pour out my heart, let your people be free.

Cause me to share my heart and to care,

Cause me to be one who's set free,

who stands as a chalice of love.

Make me a flame, that your light may so shine.

Ignite my heart, let me blaze in the dark.

Cause me to burn my life for your word,

Cause me to be one who's set free,

who stands as a beacon in the night.

Make us a prayer, let our prayers be a cry.

Humble our hearts so that you may draw nigh.

Cause us to stand and cry out for this land,

Cause us to be a people set free,

to stand as a house of prayer.

Hey, you missed a few!

It's been a busy Advent this year, making it hard to get to moodling here. But I have a sweet story that I've been thinking about all week.

Last Sunday, the 3rd Sunday of Advent, two fellows I had never seen before joined us for Sunday morning liturgy at the Community of Emmanuel. Or maybe I had seen them before, but many of our community are irregular in attendance, coming and going depending on their circumstances.

These two came in last minute and sat toward the back of the room, chatting with each other, clearly friends who were happy to come in from the cold and have a cup of coffee together. I wasn't really aware of them at first, busy as I was greeting people, singing the Magnificat to the tune of Wild Mountain Thyme, and supporting Farley in his music ministry during our weekly service.

It wasn't until we were into the Eucharistic Prayers that one of the fellows decided that something was wrong with the Advent Wreath and its three lit candles. In his assessment, the fourth candle and the white Christmas candle in the middle had gone out and needed to be relit. The two buddies conferred and one came forward as Quinn was praying, took the rose Advent candle, and lit the two remaining candles. Satisfied that he'd made things right, he turned around and headed back to his seat. He didn't see Quinn promptly blow out the two he'd lit.

When the candle-lighter got back to his seat, he looked back toward his handiwork and did a double take -- there were still only three candles lit. Huh? He looked bewildered. But his buddy waved him on to go make things right, so he got up and tried a second time. He picked up the rose candle, lit the last purple one and was going for the white Christmas candle when Quinn reached out and gently took the rose candle from him, saying, "We don't light those two yet."

I stepped forward and whispered a quick explanation about how the Advent wreath's four candles are lit on four different Sundays leading up to Christmas, and it was only the Third Sunday so far. "Oh, my bad," the fellow replied, looking sheepish, and I said, "It's okay, you didn't know, and you were only trying to help."

Later on, I saw him and his friend outside, and we had a little conversation about the Advent Wreath and the Mother of Jesus being everyone's mom, which made him happy because he misses his own mom. I invited him to join us for the lighting of candles for the next two weeks. If he comes, I hope we can get him to light those last two candles for us. I'll be watching for him!

A blessed last week of Advent to you all!

Sunday Reflection: Another prayer from the Inner City

(I wish I knew whose words these are so I could give credit where it is due. But perhaps it's enough for its writer that we are still praying these words, entitled Celebration of Life, in the inner city Community of Emmanuel (God with us)...

Gratitude to the author...

In the midst of hunger and war,

We celebrate the promise of plenty and peace.

In the midst of oppression and tyranny,

We celebrate the promise of service and freedom.

In the midst of doubt and despair,

We celebrate the promise of faith and hope.

In the midst of fear and betrayal,

We celebrate the promise of joy and loyalty.

In the midst of hatred and death,

We celebrate the promise of love and life.

In the midst of sin and decay,

We celebrate the promise of salvation and renewal.

In the midst of death around us, 

We celebrate the presence of the living Christ.

+Amen, hiy hiy.

And Happy Birthday and happy holidays to my sister, Jeanine!