The Journey Continues

Now that Easter is over we are starting to plan for our events for the rest of the year and beyond.
We have an exciting summer planned and hope that you will be able to join us at one of our upcoming events

Thin Space:Celtic Christianity Learning Party  June 9th 9am – 1pm at the Mustard Seed House in Seattle.  Explore Celtic Christianity and the wonderful prayers and traditions that still impact our faith today.

Emerging Writers Workshop: July 14th 8am – 4pm at the Mustard Seed House in Seattle.  Interact with young and not so young writers as we explore the art of non fiction writing together.

16th Annual Celtic Prayer Retreat: August 17th – 19th.  Join us on Camano Island for a time of contemplative prayer, reflection and fellowship.  Spend the day (Saturday) or camp on the land with us for the weekend.

If you are interested in attending the Celtic Learning Party or Emerging Writers Workshop but will be coming from outside Seattle and need a place to stay email us at mail@msainfo.org and we will try to help.

Save the Date: February 28th – March 1, 2008  will be our next MSA conference.  This is an opportunity to hear from and get creative with brothers and sisters from around the world and across a broad spectrum of denominations and ages.  Join us as we explore our rapidly changing world and how we as God’s people can make a difference in our churches and communities.

If you would like to host an MSA event in your area contact us at mail@msainfo.org

The Journey Is Just Beginning

This beautiful quilt submitted by Carol Honderich is the last of our Lenten offerings. I have saved it until after Easter because it seems to sum up the whole of the journey that we have taken together over the last few weeks. But I also realize as I reflect on its message that our journey is not really over but just beginning.

What decisions have you made during Lent and Easter this year that will have a lasting impact on your life? What changes have you decided to make that flowed from your reflections during this season? We would love to hear your thoughts and ideas from what we have shared and suggestions for the next step of the journey.

Although I didn’t make this for this series, I would like to share a Lent Quilt that I made a few years ago. There are seven blocks – each block (week) following the Life of Jesus from prophecy to resurrection. The blocks are traditional quilt blocks, selected for the connection I could make with the season and the story of Jesus. The fabrics are satins. The border and sashing quilting design (difficult to see in this photo) is a grapevine, with (top left) the Communion Wine Goblet and Bread and (top right) the Crown of Thorns and the nails of the cruxifiction.

The Blocks/Themes of this quilt are:

(Top Center) Star and Cross – the prophecy of the coming of the Messiah – prophecy of his birth (star) and death (cross).

(Row 2 – Left) Road to Jerusalem – Both figuratively and actually, the life and ministry of Jesus was a “road to Jerusalem.” This block has significance for Jesus’ entire life, and for the three years of his ministry, and especially for the days prior to the Last Supper, the cruxifiction and resurrection.

(Row 2 – Right) Hosannah – Representing Palm Sunday

(Row 3 – Center) Golgatha – Representing the Cruxifiction

(Row 4 – Left) Cross and Crown – Representing the fulfillment of the prophecy – even death did not prevent Jesus from becoming the King of Kings.

(Row 4 – Right) Lilies – the traditional flower of Easter, used in this quilt block to represent Easter Sunday and Jesus’ resurrection.

Thanks again for your meaningful series.

Carol Honderich, Marketing Assistant

Mennonite Mission Network

Jesus is Risen

How Great Thou Art

THos painting by Chinese artist He Qi is one of my favourite crucifixion scenes – it seems to bring together the agony of the cross and the hope of resurrection

How Great Thou Art.
by Rebekah Blackwolf-Mitchell.

A sacrifice from the heart,
How Great Thou Art,
That old tune rings true.
Blessed man, our burdon to cart,
One foot after the other,
Oh How Great Thou Art.
Carrying the cross of Peace,
May the terror or wars now cease,
Our pryers are answered through You
Oh Beloved Lord Jesus,
How Great Thou Art.

Jesus Falls on the Road to the Cross

Jesus Falls on the road to the Cross – Timothy McNeely

I.

The earth was still heart-dark

between his toes. He breathed

the air of Eden. Dust of earth,

man rose from the ground

where God had formed his flesh.

II.

John and the prophets came in skins

or bald; through holes in walls;

they were fed by birds,

or cooled by wild vines.

We wanted none of them.

III.

Then the second Adam stood

to drink the brimful cup;

and hit again he fell again,

weighed down by burdens

and the tree he’d hang upon.

Ground in the dust, his blood

began to mingle back with earth.

God’s son collapsed,

Golgotha close at hand.

IV.

This single man who had no sin

was a thorn in the flesh

and an embarrassment to us.

We sought no word or counsellor;

we wished for silent gods.

This man on whom we spent our wrath,

he heard our wish; and God

was silent for a time,

and turned his face away

from us in our free will.

V.

Bruised and bloodstained,

he crawled on towards that place

where we would fill his cup

and curse his name, who gave us wine,

who taught our consciences.

On the road to Calvary he fell

three times to earth – ground

that he had made himself –

the Word begotten for this day.

This poem was contributed by Timothy McNeely of Tacoma Washington. The photos come from a 2004 Stations of the Cross at Notrh Seattle Friends Church.

The Passover meal

The following reflection was sent to us earlier this week by Douglas Woods who celebrated the Jewish Passover with his family this year. It impacted me powerfully as I considered my own busy life and the contrast between what I do with my days and the incredible event we are celebrating. It seemed a very appropriate reflection for the day before Good Firday.

Today, the 15th day of the month of Nisan was Passover. It struck me as I went about my busy day today that just shy of 2000 years ago today, Jesus died, but that for God all time is now.

While I was busy getting the kids off to school, Jesus was busy staggering his cross to Calvary.

While I was busy at the store buying my bitter herbs, Jesus was busy being nailed to the cross.

While I was busy choosing the Seder wine, Jesus was rejecting the wine with gall.

While I went through my busy day – doing both good and evil – Jesus hung on the cross and took it all.

While the kids were packing up there school supplies, Jesus was commending his Mother to John.

While I was busy picking up the kids, Jesus was busy dieing.

While I went about preparing our Seder Dinner, Joseph of Arimathea was negotiating for Jesus’ body.

While our family celebrated our simple Seder dinner, Joseph and Nicodemius buried Jesus in the tomb.

While I was busy washing the dishes the authorities were busy sealing His tomb.

It was a very busy day.

Were You There

This Good Friday video was sent to me by our good friend Tom Balke. While in Quito, Ecuador he toured the Capilla del Hombre (Chapel of Man). It is a huge building which houses some of the works of Oswaldo Guayasamin. The original paintings range from 4 ft. x 7 ft. to 25 ft. x 35 ft. Reading this blog and watching the reflection videos inspired him to take the se powerful photos and add the words of the hymn “Were You There?” There is no sound though I think that you will find as I did that just watching the video makes the words of the song reverberate in your mind. Thanks Tom for this wonderful contribution.