Richelieu Valley United Church

Even with the unusal heat of this September, the signs of the change of season are around us... on the table as enjoy peaches and berries... plums and green beans... corn to our hearts content... and all from close to home!  The maple in our yard has already started her change of cloths to that gorgeous red we so enjoy. The grass needs to be cut less often. The darkness joins us a little earlier each night. All of these are the signs of the planets turn that will bring us into fall.

The wonderful thing about all these changes is they really grab our attention. Creation is the star of the show right now. We can be blessed by the eyeful if we but look around. In the United Church we have decided to name this time as a seaon of the church year - The Season of Creation will include the sundays from Sept 5th to thanksgiving sunday on October 10th. It's a time for us to focus our ponderings on the image of the Divine as Creator. It's a time for us to SEE the message of the Divine all around us. It's a time to more deeply understand the connectedness of all of life.

Some of us bemoan the changing of the season... the sun was so wonderful... the time off was so refreshing.... the extra time with family and friends was so enriching. Amen to all of that! But let's not lose the blessing and richness of the changing of the season either. Let's soak it up by the eye full... by the heart full... and let it shape us into people who are more connected to the life of the planet.

Pix

July 3.... summer has officially arrived... a few of us braved the pouring rain on June 16 to gather on the mountain to look forward to the soltice... the longest day... the shortest night... as the earth turned to face of the sun's hightest point for us. With that turning summer began for those of us in North America.... and we could hear the collective sigh... "Ahhhhhhhhhhh" as we who have been winter bound anticipate the summer sun... and maybe vacation... a little down time... maybe some visitors... or some visiting... all good.

Sabbath is a great Bible principle that so many have lost (or at least misplaced) in our society. It refers to time away from the usual...liek summer.... but with intentional time set aside  for some inner reflection and contempation... dare we say in 2010, time to listen for a word / direction from the Divine in our midst. Even with the thought of summer relaxation, many of us still don't take in much sabbath time - we just change the events on our calendars.

Maybe this summer will be different!

blessings on it all,

Pix

April 10

Last Sunday many people gathered in places of worship to celebrate this "high day" in the Christian church calender. For those of us at RVUC we  began the day at Lac Hertel on Mt St Hilaire... at 6:15 a.m.!! Twenty-one of us in all... soaking  the spirit of creation in our midst... finding renewed energy from this early spring warmth, and from each other.  We didn't all know each other, as many "mountain friends" joined us,  but we knew that we all wanted to mark this day in a special way..... that the symbol of the first light of this day - Easter - holds something special for us - pointing us to new life and new possibilities.

For many of us, just being in the beauty of nature stirs something  within us... that spirit connection that can sometimes get lost in the lists and obligations of our days. In the church we speak of the Bible as "the word of God"... but standing by the lake on that lovely warm morning it was apparent that the birth trees... the water... the birds singing to us... these were also "the word of God" for us... and we were encouraged and renewed in our time together. Creation can do that for us on every day... the bird outside the window.. the geese in formation... the buds on the trees... the little crocus peeking out of the earth... if we but stop and notice. 

There's lots of Easter left for us. On the Christian calendar the "season of Easter" continues until May 23 - Pentecost Sunday. But even beyond the calender... every time we feel renewed and enlived, it's Easter all over again ... for those who take notice and enjoy!

Happy Easter!

Pix 

We are hours away from the official calendar declaration - It's Spring!! and this year it feels like it! We've all been enjoying it now for days. Spring is Creation's way of nudging us to see life all around us... to see in bold print the cycles of life that ebb and flow through us and around us all year round... but are literally in our face with every tree bud, every crocus peeking out of the soil, every robin and skein of geese we marvel at in flight. Spring is that time when LIFE becomes the obvious Spirit leader for us.

In the Christian tradition Easter is that same Spirit leader - symbol - declaration for us. The story of life after death reminds us that life is not just a here and now thing... life is the eternal turning of the spirit... changing the way we experience her... changing the way we allow her to live through us... all about change. Just as the planet is turning in it's usual way to give us the seasonal reality... the spirit is turning within, around, in our midst to bring us spiritual realities.

Easter sunday is THE day for recognizing this great sympol of life and hope in our faith filled living. May it be just that for you as you journey on.

Pix Butt

We have now gathered for 2 sundays of Lent... with 4 to go! We know this is the pre-Easter time... but what do we do this this season we call Lent? Traditionally people have been encouraged to "give something up"... that was supposed to help us relate to Jesus' suffering. But the "sacrifices" of chocolate or wine don't seem to really connect us with anything we read about in Jesus' life!!

In the United Church we have been encouraging people to "take something up"... a new practice or behaviour that might allow you to grow in your spiritual life... now that would be like Jesus. Some take to reading a book that helps focus on the inner life. Some take on a time of prayer or meditation each day. Some offer extra gifts to others... of time, caring, compassion. Some give more time to the faith community they belong to. Whatever it is... Lent is about taking an intentional look at how we are doing as spiritual beings on a human journey.

I was reading lately about the greatest threat today to organized/traditional religion - the market. Our society is consumed with consuming!! Now maybe shopping is a worth while thing to give up!!

join us on the journey any time....

Pix Butt