John 17:1-11
Remember way back when, when they had a musical interlude at intermission time in the movies. You could go get more popcorn or soda while you waited to see if the car was going to crash in Chitty, Chitty Bang, Bang or if Cleopatra and Mark Antony were going to keep fighting or get together since Caesar had died. It was those times between one thing and another. A filler or a transition time. This is what we have today.
Jesus prays at the end of his long instructions to his disciples, just before the garden, before the arrest, before anything bad has happened. What does he pray? Well, he prays for them. He prays his disciples will not lose heart, he prays they may realize their unity as a strength, he prays for them because he love them. It is this time between all the good and all the bad. We have the same in Acts it is the time between the disciples being disciples and becoming apostles. It is where Jesus is lifted up into heaven and they stand there, with their mouths open, just watching and waiting.
These interludes do not mean they didn't go through struggles, or hard times. It is a break though between all that has been and all they are to become. A time of thought, a time to listen deeply, a time of inaction, and a time of inner contemplation.
This is what is our next phase. June 1st I leave you for a time. A time of rest, a time of contemplation, a time of renewal, and a time for us to play the interlude music. I will pray for this community as I am away. We are still opening the door on new things, but it is now time to take the rest, time to gape with our mouths open, time to just be one with another.
When you want a field to produce better crops you allow it a time to lay fallow, this time allows nutrients to go back into the soil. Nutrients which were lost while it was growing. If you don't allow that time it is disastrous for the crop and the soil. It may never recover. This is another way to describe this time apart. In order for us to continue to grow as a community of faith we need to experience this short time away.
We have new experiences, for Pentecost Peggy Schaffer from St Andrew will do the 8:30 service here and at 11 the 10:30 crowd will speak in tongues for our first worship mob at Brown Chapel AME this year. Mike Malone will preach once a month, Parker Williams will also. Then there are share times to sign up for. At 10:30 we need someone to fill in with a children's story and there is a sheet for that also. We have new people who are filling in to become worship leaders and we still have the regulars we rely on too. There is a sheet for that also.
Life will still go on at Holy Cross. New people will come to our door the regular community will greet them and take them in. Laura Clark is at the helm as Senior Warden and has the support of the vestry. Take this time to pause, catch our breaths, pray. So we may come back together renewed and refreshed. Don't look at this time as an ending, it is only an interlude. The time between all we have done and all we will do together. We are a community, Jesus prays for us to be one just as he and the Father are. We are one even though apart.
Take the blessings of this time to grow in faith. Take the time to continue to love and provide for one another. Know you are not forgotten, just as God sent the angels to help the disciples begin to move through this time, pay attention and watch, pray. We will be better for this time between and we will come together again knowing we can go on in our journey of faith as this community of Holy Cross.
Remember way back when, when they had a musical interlude at intermission time in the movies. You could go get more popcorn or soda while you waited to see if the car was going to crash in Chitty, Chitty Bang, Bang or if Cleopatra and Mark Antony were going to keep fighting or get together since Caesar had died. It was those times between one thing and another. A filler or a transition time. This is what we have today.
Jesus prays at the end of his long instructions to his disciples, just before the garden, before the arrest, before anything bad has happened. What does he pray? Well, he prays for them. He prays his disciples will not lose heart, he prays they may realize their unity as a strength, he prays for them because he love them. It is this time between all the good and all the bad. We have the same in Acts it is the time between the disciples being disciples and becoming apostles. It is where Jesus is lifted up into heaven and they stand there, with their mouths open, just watching and waiting.
These interludes do not mean they didn't go through struggles, or hard times. It is a break though between all that has been and all they are to become. A time of thought, a time to listen deeply, a time of inaction, and a time of inner contemplation.
This is what is our next phase. June 1st I leave you for a time. A time of rest, a time of contemplation, a time of renewal, and a time for us to play the interlude music. I will pray for this community as I am away. We are still opening the door on new things, but it is now time to take the rest, time to gape with our mouths open, time to just be one with another.
When you want a field to produce better crops you allow it a time to lay fallow, this time allows nutrients to go back into the soil. Nutrients which were lost while it was growing. If you don't allow that time it is disastrous for the crop and the soil. It may never recover. This is another way to describe this time apart. In order for us to continue to grow as a community of faith we need to experience this short time away.
We have new experiences, for Pentecost Peggy Schaffer from St Andrew will do the 8:30 service here and at 11 the 10:30 crowd will speak in tongues for our first worship mob at Brown Chapel AME this year. Mike Malone will preach once a month, Parker Williams will also. Then there are share times to sign up for. At 10:30 we need someone to fill in with a children's story and there is a sheet for that also. We have new people who are filling in to become worship leaders and we still have the regulars we rely on too. There is a sheet for that also.
Life will still go on at Holy Cross. New people will come to our door the regular community will greet them and take them in. Laura Clark is at the helm as Senior Warden and has the support of the vestry. Take this time to pause, catch our breaths, pray. So we may come back together renewed and refreshed. Don't look at this time as an ending, it is only an interlude. The time between all we have done and all we will do together. We are a community, Jesus prays for us to be one just as he and the Father are. We are one even though apart.
Take the blessings of this time to grow in faith. Take the time to continue to love and provide for one another. Know you are not forgotten, just as God sent the angels to help the disciples begin to move through this time, pay attention and watch, pray. We will be better for this time between and we will come together again knowing we can go on in our journey of faith as this community of Holy Cross.
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