Earthy Wisdom: Fauna

Wood Duck
Lisa Brawn, Calgary (link)

The Liturgy after the Liturgy

Johanna came home today from an early morning grocery store run and told me about her encounter with a lonely wood duck standing guard in the middle of the road. Worried it would be hit by someone, she stopped her car and tried to chase it off. To no avail. It simply hissed at her and waddled a bit further down the middle of the road.

Her verbal warnings to the duck about the dangers of “rogue truck drivers who run innocent ducks over for kicks” didn’t work. She continued her by now rather humorous attempts to chase it away to safety. Finally, she gave up and got back in her car, leaving the duck standing in the road.

On her return trip she was relieved that it had made its way to safer grounds. For her it was a comical story of a stubborn duck. For me it was a moment of living liturgy. 

The Orthodox tradition speaks of “the Liturgy after the Liturgy: After worship ends, the liturgy of life continues. Every aspect of life is worship.”

Authors Annika Spalde and Pelle Strindlund noticed this addition in the 2003 Lutheran liturgical handbook: “the Eucharistic bread left over from mass can be crumbled and given to birds in the church yard”. The liturgy continues as the bread is shared with the birds. 

Bishop Kallistos of Diokleia wrote that the Eucharist is offered “in all things, and for all things, involving service not just for all persons, but ministry to the whole creation, to all created things.” 

I find it a comfort and an encouragement that God receives simple compassionate acts—such as scattering bread for birds, or stopping to save a stubborn duck—as liturgy. As the work of the people.

I wonder what living liturgy will look like for you this week?

Worship Calendar

Location & Zoom. We meet on Sundays at 15639 24 Avenue, Surrey. Zoom is offered if you cannot attend in person. Zoom link. Meeting ID: 831 1690 9977 password: 753319

Listen to Sermons
Follow “Meditations from the Church at Southpoint” on Spotify and Apple.

Blogs
Catch up on Anne’s recent blogs under “News” on our website, southpoint.ca

New to Southpoint?

At Southpoint, it all begins with God’s love. Just as a plant grows, it receives sunshine, so we grow as we receive God’s love. At Southpoint, we are growing in our capacity to love God, ourselves, one another, and Creation.

We seek to be a community of grace that is intentional yet organic, spacious yet authentic, grace-filled yet accountable. * We are fully welcoming. *

We encourage relationships rather than run programs, yet we recognize the importance of intentionality and structure as we nurture life together.

As a community, we seek to put our love in action. We value helping out on Sunday mornings, sharing food, and showing up in hard times. We keep our church life simple so folk have time to build relationships with family, friends, and neighbours. We encourage folk to serve in tangible ways within the wider community. We rent space rather than own a building, allowing us to do more with less, supporting missions at home and abroad.

Curious to know more?

These six slides express what motivates our ministry (best viewed on a monitor). Here’s the bio of our Pastor, Rev. Anne Baxter Smith.

If you’d like to really peek inside, sign up for our weekly Southpoint News (scroll to brown footer at bottom of page). The Southpoint News is a MailChimp distributed email—you can unsubscribe anytime and will not be added to our contacts list. Email us at office@southpoint.ca. Website: southpoint.ca.

Progress Pride Flag by Daniel Quasar (link)

We’re observing the Season of Creation over the Sundays leading to St Francis of Assisi day on Oct 2.

With readings in a liturgical pattern similar to that of Advent, the series follows a broad pattern of creation, alienation, passion and new creation, giving special attention to the story of the Earth, which complements the story of God and the story of humanity in the Scriptures.

Celebrating Kinship with Creation

Sun. Sep 18Storm Sunday

Sun. Sep 25 ALL IN
Cosmos Sunday

Sun. Oct 2St Francis Sunday
Blessing of the animals

Joining by Zoom?
By the way, we continue to have a zoom offering if you cannot attend in  person! The Zoom meeting link is here.
If you have trouble with the link, use
meeting ID: 831 1690 9977
with password: 753319

New to Southpoint?

At Southpoint, it all begins with God’s love. Just as a plant grows, it receives sunshine, so we grow as we receive God’s love. At Southpoint, we are growing in our capacity to love God, ourselves, one another, and Creation.

We seek to be a community of grace that is intentional yet organic, spacious yet authentic, grace-filled yet accountable. * We are fully welcoming. *

We encourage relationships rather than run programs, yet we recognize the importance of intentionality and structure as we nurture life together.

As a community, we seek to put our love in action. We value helping out on Sunday mornings, sharing food, and showing up in hard times. We keep our church life simple so folk have time to build relationships with family, friends, and neighbours. We encourage folk to serve in tangible ways within the wider community. We rent space rather than own a building, allowing us to do more with less, supporting missions at home and abroad.

Curious to know more?

These six slides express what motivates our ministry (best viewed on a monitor). Here’s the bio of our Pastor, Rev. Anne Baxter Smith.

If you’d like to really peek inside, sign up for our weekly Southpoint News (scroll to brown footer at bottom of page). The Southpoint News is a MailChimp distributed email—you can unsubscribe anytime and will not be added to our contacts list. Email us at office@southpoint.ca. Website: southpoint.ca.

Progress Pride Flag by Daniel Quasar (link)

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