The church newsletter went out yesterday... much to my surprise, I have already received numerous requests for a copy of my "Notes from Norm" Something seems to have hit a chord with my folks... and so, not just because I am too lazy to send copies to all who ask, but also because maybe there's somebody reading my blog for whom this might also strike a chord.
or not.
Also, I haven't blogged in over 6 weeks... and I really should have written something.
So, as my way of multi-tasking, I offer this a response, inspiration and long over-due publication. (WOW, three things a once... if you include me hiding my head in shame for calling this multi-tasking, that's FOUR things at once. )
Without further delay:
January 4th,
2015. It was the first Sunday of a New
Year. I was still recovering from my
Man-Flu (formerly Man Cold) as well as the joy and efforts of Christmas at
Jubilee and in the Seli family, which involved several extra services, events
and a Christmas Dinner that would be the first meal cooked in my son’s new
house and would gather my children, parents, sister, niece and nephew,
father-in-law and two brother-in-law… as well as my son’s girlfriend who
arrived from India three days before.
Did I mention that this was our first time meeting her? Did I mention
the Man-Flu? I mention all of these details perhaps as an
excuse… either for what had already happened or what was about to happen.
I arrived at
Jubilee, eager, if not rested, to begin a New Year. Our first New Year with Music Director
Daniel, Drama Wonder Jennine and our ever exuberant intern Étienne. I was looking forward to singing more
Christmas Carols (after all the season extends beyond the day) and celebrating
Communion. There is something special
about Communion on the first Sunday of a New Year. For me, it is a balm to my soul and nerves that
have been stretched over Christmas; it is a quiet moment when I sit at table
with God and all of Creation and see
holy in the simple and mundane.
It is a moment for recognizing and embracing God’s presence and
committing to carrying it with me through the year as it unfolds.
Well…
I would love to show you a picture of the beautiful Communion set up that
greeted me at 10:15 as I darted into the sanctuary to grab check something with
Daniel before the service.
Somehow, in
the joy and stress of Christmas time, I had not communicated my dedication to
New Year’s Communion… I had not passed on my passion for the Sacrament… I had
not requested or checked that Communion be set up for Sunday.
There was nothing there.
I ran to the
kitchen… nothing was being prepared. I
checked the Craft Room where Communion Supplies are stored… nothing was
happening. I checked again and
discovered that we had NO bread… NO Grape Juice… and NObody to fix it.
I hung my
head, decided to blame my Man-Flu and went back to my office. I gathered Jennine and Étienne, told them the
news and decreed that we would have Communion next week and simply skip over
the Communion Prayers in the Order of Service.
It was Jennine
who blurted, “Aw c’mon, we can do it!”
“We don’t have
any bread” I explained.
“I have some
Christmas Cake” said Jennine as she proferred a lovely Christstollen that Pat
had given her for Christmas. I looked at
it… it was bread. And dried fruit,
marzipan and powdered sugar.. but I don’t what kind of bread Jesus had at the
Last Supper, do you??
Étienne’s
enthusiasm was instant (no shock) and Jennine set about to cut up the
Christstollen while I found some Fruit Drink, broken cookies (in case we ran
out of Christstollen)… prepared one tray of Fruit Drink in tiny cups, and
unceremoniously put the proceeds of our efforts on the Communion Table along
with our usual Cup and Plate.
As the service
proceeded, I adapted the prayers and change the focus of the service so that we
might recognize the order that God brings out of chaos; the hope when everything
seems to be falling apart; the promise that God continues to act in the world
and in our less than perfect lives. It
seemed to connect.
Of course, I
would never want my Seminary, nor the folks that ordained me to see what
transpired that cold January morning.
There was no elegance to the table, we did not have the “proper”
elements for celebrating Communion – recalling that Jesus broke the bread and
declared “This is my body broken for you” I snapped a chocolate chip cookie in
twain and hoped that no one would laugh. As people received the “body” of
Christ, Étienne reminded them that “Jesus is sweet”. The Fruit Drink was ridiculously sweet and
very, very bright. As we had no extra
servers, Jennine, Étienne and I served everybody as they came down in one line
down the centre aisle, necessitating a fair bit of weaving, cutting around
behind and in front and much less efficiency than our usual practice. And some kids tried for seconds (some
succeeded).
Not dignified.
Not orderly.
Probably not really official.
And yet…
having only one tray of small cups, I watched many people choose to dip in the
large cup, even if they would normally have taken a small cup, because they
wanted to make sure that would be enough for everybody (we had one small cup left after everybody
had been served) – simple kindness. I
saw people being patient with each other as soft collisions necessarily took
place. I got engaged in discussion
during coffee about whether what we had just done was Orthodox, Heterodox or
Heresy… and I heard many people talking about the experience. How often do we stop to talk about
Communion??
But more than
that, I felt the presence of God in our sanctuary that morning. As badly as we did it; as heretical as our
practice may have been… it was holy.
As we did our
best; made do with what we had available, God was present to make up the
difference. What a great way to start
the New Year!
It has struck
me since that this is something that happens at Jubilee quite often: We take
what we have, we put it out in our imperfect way to the community
and God is present.
At Community
Table.
At Ulterior
Worship
At Labyrinth
Walks
At Bible Study
At Living the
Questions Discussions
At Youth and
Children’s programs
At Baptism and
Communion.
As collect
food and clothing for our brothers and sisters in need.
As we try to
support our friends at Eva’s Place and the Massey Centre
As we try to
welcome the stranger who comes through our doors for the first time.
In all that we
do… God is present.
I would invite
you to be similarly inspired and recognize that even though you don’t know what
to do from time to time; even though you may not be perfect… you have the
promise that God is present and will
make up the difference.
Don’t know
what to say to a friend who has lost a loved one? You don’t have to an expert, offer what you
have with sincerity… say the wrong thing if you must…but know that it doesn’t
rest on you alone, like our January Communion, God will make up the difference.
Have a thought
about God or a question about Jesus but don’t know how to phrase it? Don’t want
to sound foolish or be wrong? Remember
the January Communion, say what you’re thinking and feeling, you don’t have to
be a graduate theologian (nobody likes them anyway) - dare to speak and let God make up the
difference.
Afraid to take on a project or a
task in the community, at work, at Jubilee?
You don’t have to be an Engineer or an experienced planner… offer your
imperfect Christstollen and remember our January Communion and expect people to
collide gently, respond politely and engage in the imperfection with love… and
trust God to make up the difference.
What started
out as a disaster and then became a great risk, proved to be a highlight of a
New Year and a wonderful reminder of what happens when we do the best with what
we have and trust in God to make up the difference…. Not just a Jubilee, but in
life, as well.
Norm.
No doubt, there will be typos and errors of grammar
in this -
but I am trusting in you to overlook them… and God
to make up the difference.
What a wonderful and inspired way of being in the moment...perfection in the imperfection! A great way to walk in the world. Thanks for sharing Norm.
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