Category: Febreflection

Transcendence

Post author By admin
Post date 01/09/2021
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There is a much quoted insight gained by Jeremiah when he watched a potter working away making clay pots.

This can be encountered in many ways. For a moment though, imagine what it is like to be the clay on a potters wheel.

Your centre is hardly moving at all, but travelling outwards the speed at which your substance moves increases. If you were standing, spinning and stretched out your arms they would fly at a dizzying speed. It would feel like every atom of your being had an urge to fly off into space.

(Please read the artists description as well as watching the film)

Tags #SensingSpirituality, Christfulness, Creative Worship, Ignation, poetry, rituals, Sprituality

Febreflection Lent Thought of the Day

Walking Through Lent

In 2019 we spent time every Sunday walking, watching, #SensingSpirituality and noticing the changes in ourselves and environment.

For Easter Sunday we had a BBQ on a beach by the river. In 2020 during lockdown we did something similar, but with a few adjustments to be covid safe.

This video is probably a good way to wind up #Febreflection for 2021

Febreflection Thought of the Day

Standing in Stones

#SensingSpirituality is not restricted to religon or religious people. There are places which draw you in.

‘Most people, when they stand in an ancient stone circle, can sense the timeless presence of the place… …There is a temptation to be still and to ponder what surrounds you…. …There are ties and bonds between all people and organisations and I hoped that my rope carvings might symbolise that.’
Max Nowell – Sculptor

Having recognised sensations like beauty, timelessness, love, and so on, what do you do about it? Who, having switched the light on, would then hide it somewhere and go back to blundering around in the dark?

Febreflection Fresh Expressions

Faith and Art

Post author By admin
Post date 26/02/2021
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It takes a lot of faith to be an artist. Politicians will tell you that you are unnecessary whilst relying on the creative industries to get their message accross. People will ask you what your proper job is, while you fight the preasure to place profit and exploitative working practices above integrity and your vocation. If you succeed, this is likely to be followed by a backlash where you question the quality of your work and if in doing something that is recognisable you have compromised the vision you know but can only just glimpse.

This should, and at times has, led to great shared experiences between artists and the Church. In some places, perhaps, even as the doctrine fades all that is left of the connection with God is the music, the truth of a right angle and a building which doesn’t fall down, or the painted ceiling which inspires people to look beyond their boundaries and encounter a change of heart and mind.

If any of this resonates with you, you may be interested in the work of this organisation.

Tags #febreflection

Febreflection Lent

Passion and plants

This weaving, by Alison Fair Bixler, is inspired by plants and the Passion (of Christ)

“Plants and the passion…dyes from willow, Veronica, hawthorn etc”

The BBC radio programme is currently not available, but who knows what you will find if you look in the garden and online!

Link to the BBC radio page

Febreflection

#Febreflection so far

Some images and thoughts from people taking part in #Febreflection in 2021

There are more! Find them online using #Febreflection

Tags #febreflection, #SensingSpirituality, Christfulness, mindfulness

creation Febreflection

Beauty

Post author By admin
Post date 16/02/2021
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Beauty is both ordinary, understandable, here – and wonderful, incomprehensible, beyond.

What moments make you? Take time out to notice good things. #Febreflection #SensingSpirituality

Febreflection Lent Thought of the Day

Knowing Water

Post author By admin
Post date 11/02/2021
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You think you know water. But how well do you know water? We experience snow, ice, steam, fresh and salt, different tastes. Water can be moving or still. Our experience can be of a silent, but very present mass, or a rapidly changing and noisy waterfall.

Water is essential to life on earth, but there is an enormous variety in personal experiences if it. It is quite possible to be afraid of water (experienced as, say, the sea) but to delight in drinking a fresh, clean, glass of it.

This years Lent group will be called “Knowing Jesus”. It will be an opportunity to deepen what we think we know – however much we think we know.

(Oh and this insight into water I think counts as my #Febreflection for today)

Febreflection Thought of the Day

Brigid

Post author By admin
Post date 07/02/2021
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Telling stories at the start of February, and thinking about the story of St Brigid.

What was the King of Leinster thinking when he was offered the gift of a bride by one of his chieftains? How did he react then she gave away the chieftains sword to a leper in an act of heroic generosity?

Did Brigit consider the option of becoming like Esther and entering the royal court. Using her beauty to serve the kingdom of heaven and look after the poor from within a gilded cage?

Did her generosity, courage, and conviction to ally her life with slaves and outsiders make her too ugly for the Kings taste? Or threaten his confidence in his ability to match her skill and wit if he let her into his court? If someone is willing to pluck out their own eye to demonstrate their commitment to follow Jesus it is difficult to anticipate what they will do if given the keys to your treasure…

And so the phrase which is the featured image for this post becomes my #febreflection . Make of it what you will.

Febreflection Thought of the Day