I bind unto myself today the hardy resilience of Scots in storm swept straths.
We started by sharing the peace of Christ outside the Crichton chapel as usual. Then, as the flooding river was topmost in our minds we followed it down to watch the tide.
A sculpture returned to the earthFoliage sculpted in stoneThe Nith at the Shoogly BridgeWatching the wind
We also read two sections from St Patricks breastplate, but in a new arrangement which brought new insights.
I bind unto myself today
I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the starlitheaven
The power of God to hold and lead
The glorious suns life giving ray
His eye to watch his might to stay
The whiteness of the moon at even
His ear to hearken to my need
The flashing of the lightning free
The wisdom of my God to teach
The whirling tempestuous shocks
His hand to guide his shield to ward
The stable solid earth, the deep salt sea
The word of God to give me speech
Around the old eternal rocks.
His heavenly host to be my guard
And by then the flooding had gone down and there was blue sky. We said the Grace together and went on, having harvested the raw material of reality to smith new spiritual mantles.
This year we are starting with the spiritual nourishment we have found. Perhaps this is in our church activities, perhaps it is in our everyday lives. Wilderness experiences may draw our attention to them, or it might be that we have taken something from our abundance and have “tried it out” to see if it is of benefit to others.
We will have a pattern of thinking about things one week, and then contemplating them in a more Ignation style the next week. Throughout the season we can think about what “fresh expressions” of Church we would like to cultivate, both personally and as a community.
All our meetings will be on Monday evening at 7pm. Please join the mailing list to keep in touch with the details of where we are meeting. You will also be able to contribute your thoughts throughout the week by commenting on posts like this. Even if we are geographically separated we can still be a community.
Week
Date
Topic
1
28th Feb
Are you spirituality hungry – where do you find food? Sharing Pancakes and stories of the good food we have experienced – both Spiritual and Physical !
We will meet at 2pm outside the Crichton chapel as usual. Please keep an especial eye out for the weather forecast as there could be snow in D&G this weekend. Dress for the weather, and even if the snowdrops are hiding under the cailleachs cloak you will be comfortable enough to find them. As usual we will adjust our practice in relationship with our surroundings.
Meeting in Christ’s name and sharing the peace
We meet in Christs name – whether you consider yourself close friends, or are just curious, all are welcome – we share his peace.
Something to set our minds
The Deers Cry, or St Patricks breastplate.
We will read or sing some of this – more details will be posted when I work out how. Please get in touch if you have suggestions. (and look at the text in the featured image on this page).
Reading the book
But someone will ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?’ Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And as for what you sow, you do not sow the body that is to be, but a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. Not all flesh is alike, but there is one flesh for human beings, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. There are both heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one thing, and that of the earthly is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; indeed, star differs from star in glory.
So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, ‘The first man, Adam, became a living being’; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the physical, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.
What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:
‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labour is not in vain.
When we start to think about experiencing the thing, we stop experiencing the thing.
When we remember an experience, we re-experience the experience.
Spring in Scotland strobes between winter and summer. One year we will be enjoying a BBQ on the beach by the Nith on Easter Sunday and the next the streets are swept clear by driving snow. There is a permanence to living things as well though. There is a danger that the above passage leads to dualistic thinking that separates the physical, temporal or secular from the spiritual, eternal and timeless.
The poetry in St Patricks breastplate defends against this. In this prayer armour for living is woven from the eternal substance of the things we experience in, combination with the eternal truths expressed through creeds. We will take some time to become aware of the eternal qualities of that which is around us. The “Solidness of Earth”, “The Suns life giving ray”, or perhaps the bravery of snowdrops and whatever we can find through exploring.
Then we can use these experiences to weave a cloak of protection from the landscape around us. Are you facing a difficult time at work? Wear the helmet of salvation, and also draw the wildness of wind around you under your coat to carry you with confidence. Are you worried about your security? Snowdrops dare the harshness of the last gasp of winter, fragile but returning each year, and the ground we stand on is solid. Perhaps you can practice binding these things to yourself, and yourself to the eternal.
Closing Prayer
If you are able, find a physical thing which represents the eternal quality you want to draw on in your daily life. We can then place these things on the ground together, letting go of the temporary but holding onto to the eternal. “I bind unto myself today the … of …”
Did you know that the Diocese of Dumfries and Galloway has an official Makar?
In this inaugural honorary post, spanning an initial term of four years, Kirstin will mark events in the life and witness of our Diocese by the creation of bespoke pieces of art that will encourage our congregations, communities, and individuals to interact with new directions of creativity and mission throughout the Diocese and further afield.
Yesterday evening the Quartz Christian Life Community met up. We discussed what was going on in our lives, and spent time listening to God.
To us do this Andy had chosen a reading, prepared some prayers, and provided a reflection/response activity.
The passage chosen was Isaiah ch.6 vs 1-8 . The prayers were inspired by the legacy of Celtic spirituality and our response was to freehand doodle a continuous line whilst reading the prayers and see what happened. This was done on acetate, so Andy could then attach them as panels onto the backlit cupboard door we had used as a visual focus. This meant that we could view what we had drawn as a collaborative ‘stained glass window’.
Kate was inspired to send a link to this Ian White song
The canopy has been a collaborative effort from the start, and the project was been designed in such a way as to invite involvement by as many people as possible and in a diversity of ways.
It has marked many moments, and for some people they will be very personal and private. The anonymity of the installation intentionally facilitates this, whilst still providing people with a way to see their contribution as part of a whole. There are many stories of making angels, discussing those moments, viewing the canopy, #SensingSpirituality and being inspired through contact with the project that are unknown to individual participants and the St John’s community who have participated in, hosted, and supported this project that could be made known though. These stories are part of what makes than canopy special, and more than just a beautiful collection of colour.
So, if you have time, please will you write down your recollections of the experience before they fade? If you have a memory which identifies someone else, please check with them before you send it to me. If you would like a story to be recorded, but not published outside the Quartz or St John’s community please let me know too. Don’t worry about making it into a fancy story, I can wordsmith the fragments of thought into an article and a record of the process. Pictures are also welcome!
Finally, I know there are people who have stories of their encounters with the canopy who this will not reach. I need your help in this too! Please invite the people you know to send in their thoughts too.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, please get in touch!
On Sunday the 30th of January we will hold the first Interweave of 2022. It runs from 6 till 7 and please remember to take a lateral flow test before you come. We will need to wear masks while moving around the building.
At an Interweave you can expect to find a broad range of music, arts, and crafts, used to help people practice #SensingSpirituality . They are collaborative but also aim to provide space to participate with integrity for everyone who comes, whether they would consider themselves a close friend of Jesus – or are just curious.
Interweaves are held within the church building, so it is assumed that participants are at least curious though. This makes them slightly different to Quartz Outerweaves, where we use similar activities but in public spaces or where invited and tailor them to the people we meet without such an expectation.
Candlemass 2022
This Interweave starts with the stories of Anna and Simeon. They have been waiting in the temple, praying and expecting their Messiah. When Simeon sees Jesus he bursts into poetry saying
Master, now you are dismissing your servant[e] in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation,
31 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
We are going to focus on the idea that Jesus is the light of the world, a revelation, and do this using candles.
We will present four ways to use the craft of candlemaking to reflect on the text. Each one could be described as being suited to head, heart, hands, or eyes. The head and hearts activities offer a chance to become aware of truths revealed within you. The hands and eyes offer a chance to discover meaning though looking and doing. You may have a preference, but the aim is to provide a diversity of ways to explore and express the subject rather than pigeon hole people!
Heart – Dip candles
This is a ritual, meditative approach. We are using pure beeswax to make these candles, and the activity will take place in a special part of the church surrounded by reflected light and artwork. You are encouraged to dip the candle, then walk around the building or sit and contemplate the events in the temple imaginatively – soaking up the atmosphere. As you build the layers on the candle, sink more deeply into the story. When you light the candle in the future let the remembered light of the experience fill your mind.
Hands – Recycled Wax
Jesus promises transformation. The broken bits of candle can be melted and remade into something new. As you participate in the action of collecting the broken pieces contemplate the spiritual need for and significance of transformation. Let the old become new.
Head – Illuminating letters
Take some time to explore the text. Look up the references and search the links to deeper meaning. This is an area for study and meditation on the meaning. You could express what you find by writing a short piece, or just pick a few words that stand out to you. The paper they are written on can then be waxed and placed into the mould. When you pour wax in they will become part of the candle, illuminated by the burning flame.
Eyes – Illuminating art
Look around the building. The people who built it have expressed their experience of the light of Christ using visual arts. They were inspired by those who came before them and used the best of the art of their era to hand things on. Does anything stand out to you? Capture it in a sketch, or use the pictures printed out to express what is important to you, wax them and place them in the mould ready to be illuminated by the candle.
Sending out
These are the main activities of the evening, but whilst doing them we can discuss with each other and help ‘illuminate’ the story by collaborating.
To recognise that this is a collective and ongoing activity everyone can roll a second beeswax candle, light it and place it in a sand tray together. The candles we have spent the evening making will then be blessed, and you can choose to light it for the first time before you take it away with you from the collective flame.
We will meet outside the Crichton church at 2pm on Sunday the 16th. So that you know what to expect – a rough order of service will probably include:
Meeting in Christ’s name and sharing the peace
We meet in Christs name – whether you consider yourself close friends, or are just curious, all are welcome – we share his peace.
A chant to set our minds
Led by Kate
Reading the book
When reading, please remember the context within which this is written and who it is being written to. Some of the words in this translation are often used quite differently nowadays.
You might be someone for whom the recognition of beauty is like a flower blossoming in your mind, or someone who seeks it like the dawn breaking on a distant horizon. Or perhaps you find understanding when patterns of words make meaning fall into place in a beautiful harmony. It might simply be that beauty inspires you to make the world a better place.
Whatever the primary way in which you encounter beauty is, once we examine our experience, and recognise it’s reality, then we are better able to recognise the validity of another persons experience. Then, if reassured, we can develop our abilities more broadly to sense genuine spiritual experiences. This may be in a traditional setting, or it might be in an unfamiliar place.
Spend some time looking around the physical environment we live in, and take time out to reflect and become aware of all that you can sense beyond the five physical senses. The world of the knowable and known. You may be able to describe the experience, but it might also be something which is beyond words. That is fine. This could be described as the numinous, the unknowable, or mysterious.
If you would like help in finding words though, this page describes 5 beyond the physical senses. There are many more of course – but it is a start.
#SensingOtherness tags experiences of sensing an aspect of human being which is more than just its physical elements. People also talk of #SensingAwareness, experiencing a changed state of awareness that could also be described as “being at one” with Nature.
These sensations can be very personal and difficult to discuss, or even describe. When you look at a sunset and describe it as beautiful, what are you recognising?
The author of Wisdom chapter 13 contrasts the experience of sensing the creator in the created with the practice of those who make something and declare that people should worship it. The way it is written could be read as an attack on pagansism.
However, in 21st century Scotland, the emerging spiritualities called pagan are often the ones that are leaving the recieved trappings of religuon behind. They are abandoning the constructs of modern society and searching for something ‘other’. Whilst Christmas has been gift wrapped and is sold on the high street they gather round fires and look into the stars, perhaps like the magi in the gospels, who journeyed out in confidence but without knowledge of their destination.
Hopefully we are not all called into the desert to wear animal skins and eat honey and locusts like John the Baptist, but to what extent do we genuinely preserve our traditions to hand them on to future generations? or do we bind ourselves to the human constructs in order make us feel secure, and remind ourselves of the church of our childhood.
Jesus is described as discussing worship with the Samaritan woman at the well, he says that people will worship in Spirit and Truth. He contrasts the known and the unknown. The high places (often condemned by the prophets, but also a place of spiritual searching) and in the temple in Jerusalem (often condemned for legalism and false religiosity, but where God can be known). He is positive about both. It is also another example of God going out and meeting people where they are, with something to offer and to do something new.
You might be someone for whom the recognition of beauty is like a flower blossoming in your mind, or someone who seeks it like the dawn breaking on a distant horizon. Or perhaps you find understanding when patterns of words make meaning fall into place in a beautiful harmony. It might simply be that beauty inspires you to make the world a better place.
Whatever the primary way in which you encounter beauty is, once we examine our experience, and recognise it’s reality, then we are better able to recognise the validity of another persons experience. Then, if reassured, we can develop our abilities more broadly to sense genuine spiritual experiences. This may be in a traditional setting, or it might be in an unfamiliar place.
Forest Church is an attempt to go outside not only the buildings to worship but also our habits, in the confidence that God is already at work there. By leaving the known and familiar behind, we hope to discover Jesus at work, creating and sustaining all things in being. Re-wilding domestic religion so that we can find our spiritual homes.
The next Quartz Forest Church will be on Sunday the 16th of January. Meet at the front door of the Crichton church in Dumfries at 14.00 We will adapt what we do according to the weather, and using the passage from Wisdom and the lessons in the elements we explore the relationship between knowing and unknowing.
The vestry at St John’s in Dumfries have decided to pause meeting in the building as a precaution to reduce the risk of spreading Covid-19. This means that our CLC group won’t be meeting as planned on the 10th. However, activity has not stopped! This is a meditation prepared by Alison that can be used online by anyone with access to the internet.
Preparation
Have a Bible to hand, and select a piece of art to pray with or a place to pray in (if outside have appropriate clothing available!)
Become still in whatever way suits you. Maybe review the last few weeks since we last met and see what comes to mind.
Reflection
Then Listen to Bifrost Art singing Psalm 46.
Psalm 46 Bifrost Arts
Slowly read Psalm 46 two or three times.
Is there a verse or phrase which leaps out to you?
Remain in the place of your choice or with the object you have chosen and pray or repeat your chosen verse or phrase for as long as you like—maybe 20 minutes.
Response
You might like to respond to your meditation in some way, perhaps with words or a drawing.
You may or may not wish to share your response with the rest of us in the CLC group. If you like you can leave a comment on this page or e-mail a photo to Quartz
