Summer Landscape 4 – Jan Rippingham

Welcoming Prayer

We have passed the half way mark of summer. I hope each of you are finding moments, wherever you are, to relish the feast of sunshine, the abundance of fresh produce, and the spaciousness of summer skies.

This summer I have been once again moved by the sacredness of our planet, as well as its fragility.  I find myself feeling such profound gratitude to the earth, and such profound lament for her wounds.  I feel such delight in simple things, like sitting next to my dog in the sunshine. And I feel such horror at the eruption and racism and violence around us.  There is a lot to feel when I let my heart speak.   Sometimes its tempting to feel what’s comfortable and suppress what makes us uncomfortable. God invites us into a life of vulnerability and transparency where we are awake and alert to all that is.

This brings me to the topic of Welcoming Prayer. A few weeks ago Leah spoke about welcoming prayer.   Welcoming prayer is a way of living with the full breadth of our human experience with God.  Her talk was well received, and we promised to include a summary of the actual prayer in a Southpoint News. Forgive the delay!   Here it is. If you missed the talk and would like to know more, please contact Leah.

There are three movements of the prayer:

Feel and sink into

what you are experiencing this moment in your body.

“WELCOME”

what you are experiencing this moment in your body as an opportunity to consent to the Divine Indwelling.

Let go by saying:

“I let go of my desire for security, affection, control and embrace this moment as it is.”

A Summer of Sundays:

Aug 11: Markku Kostamo: “Polar Bears and Dark Nights”

Text: Deuteronomy 30: 19-20, John 10:10

Aug 18: TBA:  I am still looking for a person to fill this date. If you are available and willing to share, please let me know.

Aug 25: ALL OUT – Gathering Group

September 1st: Baptism Sunday

Have an Announcement?

If you have an addition you would like included in this newsletter, please send a prepared announcement as you would like it to appear to: office@southpoint.ca by Tuesday and we will get back to you.

Prayer

If you have a need for prayer that you would like to pass on to the prayer chain, please contact John Hardy.
johnandwendyhardy@gmail.com