News
this week's pew bulletin
sunday 24 may 2020
from the vicar
TIf you’ve been wondering what the church gets up to when we’re not there, have a look at the front of this order of service. I caught this moment when I was in church one afternoon last week. I turned around from the organ and saw the walls bathed in this glorious light and colour. It was a warming moment that struck me as an image of encouragement to hang in there and be hopeful, for God’s light is still shining and bringing colour to our lives.
Last week I wrote about the importance of looking after our bodies, stretching and doing exercise. This week I want to touch on the need to look after our souls.
Under normal circumstances, the pattern for our spiritual nourishment would be to meet together weekly for communal worship, pray for one another, receive the sacrament and catch up socially with one another over a sumptuous morning tea. Each of those parts contribute to feeding our souls.
Now that we are not gathering together, what is feeding your spirit? We still gather online together and you participate in the worship from afar, but it’s not the same is it? It’s important, I think, to name this loss. Let’s not pretend that there isn’t a loss, but let’s also be open to this being an opportunity for us to name our need in this moment. If we can’t do what we normally do to feed our spirit, what can we do?
As I’ve travelled and welcomed travellers to my home over the years, I’ve noticed that there are different types of travellers. There are some who go to the new place and delight in all the different foods, relishing the flavours eager to learn about food, history and culture. There are others who travel to new places but try to find foods like those they ate at home because for them it’s hard to be in the new place without the comfort of the old. Then there are people somewhere in the middle-who try new things but are also glad to come home to their own beds and their own foods.
I wonder if this might be an analogy for how we might spiritually traverse this new time of the pandemic? What sort of spiritual traveller are you? Might you be willing to try some new things during this time or are you just hanging out for the journey to be over?
What could feed and inspire you during these days? What can I do to give you resources and support? Call me! 0422 603 783
Love and blessings,
Sophie
Last week I wrote about the importance of looking after our bodies, stretching and doing exercise. This week I want to touch on the need to look after our souls.
Under normal circumstances, the pattern for our spiritual nourishment would be to meet together weekly for communal worship, pray for one another, receive the sacrament and catch up socially with one another over a sumptuous morning tea. Each of those parts contribute to feeding our souls.
Now that we are not gathering together, what is feeding your spirit? We still gather online together and you participate in the worship from afar, but it’s not the same is it? It’s important, I think, to name this loss. Let’s not pretend that there isn’t a loss, but let’s also be open to this being an opportunity for us to name our need in this moment. If we can’t do what we normally do to feed our spirit, what can we do?
As I’ve travelled and welcomed travellers to my home over the years, I’ve noticed that there are different types of travellers. There are some who go to the new place and delight in all the different foods, relishing the flavours eager to learn about food, history and culture. There are others who travel to new places but try to find foods like those they ate at home because for them it’s hard to be in the new place without the comfort of the old. Then there are people somewhere in the middle-who try new things but are also glad to come home to their own beds and their own foods.
I wonder if this might be an analogy for how we might spiritually traverse this new time of the pandemic? What sort of spiritual traveller are you? Might you be willing to try some new things during this time or are you just hanging out for the journey to be over?
What could feed and inspire you during these days? What can I do to give you resources and support? Call me! 0422 603 783
Love and blessings,
Sophie
supporting the bushfire emergency relief fund
Supporting the Victorian Bushfire Emergency Relief Fund, opened by the Melbourne Anglican Foundation Trust, is a practical way you can respond to the disastrous bushfires that have devastated much of our state and nation in recent months and weeks. Funds raised will be distributed to those in need in consultation with the bishops of the Victorian dioceses effected. For more information on making a donation, please click on the link.
a message to our leaders
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Bishop Phillip Huggins hosted the filming of this video at St Silas last year. It features members from the Sudanese and South Sudanese communities speaking about the impact of recent negative comments by politicians and others in the media.
