Where two or more....

Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.–Matt. 18:20


In my home town the churches all get together to 'do' Holy Week. One congregation acts as host and the others take a turn at either leading the worship - or as the local Priest did tonight, do the meditation/talk/sermon.

This year the local Scottish Episcopal Church are the hosts. At last night's service we were invited to attend Morning Prayers at 8.30am each morning this week. So I thought that would be a grand idea and a good way to start my day. So off I set this morning - not really knowing what to expect and when I arrived, appart from the Vicar I was the only one there! And it remained like that.

The Vicar explained that she has to do Morning and Evening Prayers each day and usually she would do this at home - as no-one comes. But for Holy Week she opens the church and does it there - whether anyone comes or not.

So we sat together and followed the Liturgy as laid out in the useful wee daily Prayer books. It was peaceful and quiet and as we said the prayers together it felt good - God was indeed there.

Where will you find God?

From the lenten pilgrimage by Christian Aid....

Now there was great roar and a violent explosion
that split buildings and broke houses,
but God was not in the explosion;
then came the earthquake,
tearing down what once was built,
but God was not in the earthquake;
and after the earthquake came the fire,
but God was not in the fire.

And after the fire came rage and anger
and cries for vengeance,
but God was not in the hatred.

Then came the sound of sheer silence.
And when we looked, God was there.
Tending the sick,
bringing hope to the broken,
feeding the hungry and the desolate.

Based on 1 Kings 19: 11-13

Photo from BBC along with this text:
"My cousin is building a room here, just with bricks," says Helmi. "He's not using cement, just soil, because there is no cement to buy."

Israel is preventing building materials from entering Gaza under its blockade of the territory, saying they could be used by militant groups to manufacture weapons and sites to launch them from.

The Runes

Back and forth, to and fro,
In and out, ebb and flow.
In the name of the Triune
I make this sacred rune.

In the Name of the Father, Creator He,
Maker of all, in land and sea.

In the Name of Christ upon the Cross
Redeeming mankind, accepting loss.

In the Name of the Spirit, God of power
Protecting each of us every hour.

Back and forth, to and fro,
In and out, ebb and flow.
In the Name of the Triune,
I make this sacred rune.

From "Tides & Season - Modern prayers in the Celtic tradition" by David Adam

I came across this as I flicked trough this gem of a book, this morning. I found myself swaying to the rhythm of it. It physically moved me as well as spiritually. I had only every heard of runes in a new age fortune telling kindof way. So I thought I should investigate! Apparently they are of Germanic/Scandinavian origin. Runic characters are letters that can be used for writing, but each rune is also a vessel of natural potency. There is a rune for water and a rune for earth, a rune for hail and a rune for ice, a rune for horse and a rune for man. So it seems entirely appropriate for a Celtic prayer to be written using runes.

The physicalness (I know thats not a real word!) of our world is there, it is God's earth and it speaks. It speaks to us of creation - of a world given to us to look after and enjoy. I am often moved by the beauty of creation. "How can they say there is no God?" is a question that often pops into my head as I look around me and see the beauty of God in nature, in the magnificent scenery and in the faces of people. I watch my cat curled up on the couch and think how beautiful she is. I drive through the autumn trees and think how stunning the colours are. I look into the face of an wrinkled old lady who smiles despite her pain and all I see is a beautiful woman.

How can they say there is no God?