High Ropes Day... or not...
So on Sunday we burst out of bed excited and terrified for the high ropes challenge day. A delightful breakfast was served by the staff at Canterbury Hills and then we set out toward the course.
One small problem: the folk who were to come guide us and teach us failed to turn up. Either through miscommunication or disaster the events planned for this day had to be completely reinvented on the spur of the moment!
Many of us were very disappointed. Many of us were extremely relieved (ok, I was relieved). But what came out of that day was something truly blessed and awe inspiring.
The participants were given some initiative games to work through and we decided to move our evening Eucharist to the afternoon and to use the outdoor chapel at the camp we were at. The outdoor chapel is a beautiful space. Under the canopy of oak, beech, maple and other hardwoods is a space with rough wooden pews and a stone altar. The altar is a huge, single piece of stone set in the middle of a large Celtic cross that is set in stones on the forest floor.
While the participants were involved in the initiative games I set to work preparing the space for worship. I laid out the vessels and elements and then I began to gather as many acorns as I could find. I put 22 of them in the pocket of my alb for later. I didn't really know if I was going to have the opportunity to use them or not I just thought I should have them.
Then I sat under the canopy of God's creation and thought of what I had been learning and how I could use it in my life and in my vocation. I pondered the parable of the mustard seed as I fiddled with an acorn and then it hit me like a ton of bricks, a revelation... the acorn is just like the mustard seed! Have I peaked your interest? I'll come back to it, don't worry.
Judy arrived with lunch and we ate in the chapel under the trees. We got together briefly to float around ideas as to how this worship would go and she asked me, "Are you going to give us a little homily?" And I replied, "I am prepared to do so, if you think it would be appropriate." She put her trust in me and we let the Eucharist unfold.
As I put on my vestments the participants asked me about them, where they came from, why I wore them in certain ways, etc. Then we centred ourselves with a brief song and the Eucharist began. This was the first time I had ever presided at a Eucharist outdoors and the little bit of St. Francis that lives within me was doing a dance of joy!
When it came time for me to offer my homily I spoke of my reflections on how the acorn is just like the mustard seed. If Jesus had come to this time and this place he might have used an acorn as an illustration because the acorn grows into the mighty oak. As I spoke I wandered around and periodically I handed an acorn to someone and then pulled another one out of my pocket. The effect was perfect. The participants were engaged and focused upon what I wanted to communicate.
The gist of it is this: you are the acorn so full of potential. An acorn is quite content to sit on a stone and just be an acorn but is that enough? No, not at all. When an acorn is given the right conditions, the right moisture, soil, sun and care then it bursts forth and grows into something mighty. We are the tiny little faith that is an acorn and this tiny little faith comes from the great big love of God that is the oak. Out of that tiny little faith comes great big love.
One of the participants came up to me after the worship and said, "That was the best sermon I have ever heard!"
The rest of the Eucharist was quite moving too. Standing at the huge stone altar I used Eucharistic Prayer #4 (look it up in the BAS). We sang the Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy...) and God was glorified in the Sacrament we offered and received. I'm still trying to process the emotional impact of this worship and I'm sure I'll write/preach about it again soon.
We returned to Canterbury Hills for another initiative game that was a lot of work and frustration but in the end we accomplished our task.
After dinner and a bus ride back to Huron College we had an opportunity to participate in "Bull with Bill." Fr. Bill came amongst us and answered questions. These questions were anonymous and could be on ANY topic and they were. We covered everything from sex to death and pretty much anything in between. Because they were anonymous questions participants felt free to ask those questions that they were afraid to ask in any other venue. It was an enlightening night for most of us.
One small problem: the folk who were to come guide us and teach us failed to turn up. Either through miscommunication or disaster the events planned for this day had to be completely reinvented on the spur of the moment!
Many of us were very disappointed. Many of us were extremely relieved (ok, I was relieved). But what came out of that day was something truly blessed and awe inspiring.
The participants were given some initiative games to work through and we decided to move our evening Eucharist to the afternoon and to use the outdoor chapel at the camp we were at. The outdoor chapel is a beautiful space. Under the canopy of oak, beech, maple and other hardwoods is a space with rough wooden pews and a stone altar. The altar is a huge, single piece of stone set in the middle of a large Celtic cross that is set in stones on the forest floor.
While the participants were involved in the initiative games I set to work preparing the space for worship. I laid out the vessels and elements and then I began to gather as many acorns as I could find. I put 22 of them in the pocket of my alb for later. I didn't really know if I was going to have the opportunity to use them or not I just thought I should have them.
Then I sat under the canopy of God's creation and thought of what I had been learning and how I could use it in my life and in my vocation. I pondered the parable of the mustard seed as I fiddled with an acorn and then it hit me like a ton of bricks, a revelation... the acorn is just like the mustard seed! Have I peaked your interest? I'll come back to it, don't worry.
Judy arrived with lunch and we ate in the chapel under the trees. We got together briefly to float around ideas as to how this worship would go and she asked me, "Are you going to give us a little homily?" And I replied, "I am prepared to do so, if you think it would be appropriate." She put her trust in me and we let the Eucharist unfold.
As I put on my vestments the participants asked me about them, where they came from, why I wore them in certain ways, etc. Then we centred ourselves with a brief song and the Eucharist began. This was the first time I had ever presided at a Eucharist outdoors and the little bit of St. Francis that lives within me was doing a dance of joy!
When it came time for me to offer my homily I spoke of my reflections on how the acorn is just like the mustard seed. If Jesus had come to this time and this place he might have used an acorn as an illustration because the acorn grows into the mighty oak. As I spoke I wandered around and periodically I handed an acorn to someone and then pulled another one out of my pocket. The effect was perfect. The participants were engaged and focused upon what I wanted to communicate.
The gist of it is this: you are the acorn so full of potential. An acorn is quite content to sit on a stone and just be an acorn but is that enough? No, not at all. When an acorn is given the right conditions, the right moisture, soil, sun and care then it bursts forth and grows into something mighty. We are the tiny little faith that is an acorn and this tiny little faith comes from the great big love of God that is the oak. Out of that tiny little faith comes great big love.
One of the participants came up to me after the worship and said, "That was the best sermon I have ever heard!"
The rest of the Eucharist was quite moving too. Standing at the huge stone altar I used Eucharistic Prayer #4 (look it up in the BAS). We sang the Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy...) and God was glorified in the Sacrament we offered and received. I'm still trying to process the emotional impact of this worship and I'm sure I'll write/preach about it again soon.
We returned to Canterbury Hills for another initiative game that was a lot of work and frustration but in the end we accomplished our task.
After dinner and a bus ride back to Huron College we had an opportunity to participate in "Bull with Bill." Fr. Bill came amongst us and answered questions. These questions were anonymous and could be on ANY topic and they were. We covered everything from sex to death and pretty much anything in between. Because they were anonymous questions participants felt free to ask those questions that they were afraid to ask in any other venue. It was an enlightening night for most of us.
Hi Elliott,
ReplyDeleteBTW, it's Amanda Longmoore, in case you were wondering. :)
I'm a little behind reading your blog... but had a big smile on my face as I read through your description of celebrating Eucharist outdoors. Some of the most moving Eucharists I've celebrated have been done outdoors, in God's creation. Just incredible.