ash wednesday service at drew.

twe had an awesome ash wednesday service today at the drew chapel (very experimental space and emerging church). i suppose i could venture to say it was one of the most meaningful services i've been to. until last year, i never really understood the meaning of ash wednesday. however, today i really got a good sense of what it's about. the service started with the reading of isaiah 1:11-20. it wasn't a normal reading though. one person started and read a line and then others could add in as they wished. or, they could repeat phrases that they felt strongly about. it was really neat and moving hearing all of those things repeated that were meaningful. my favorite part:

"your new moons and your appointed festivals my soul hates; they have become a burden to me, i am weary of bearing them. when you stretch out your hands, i will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, i will not listen; your hands are full of blood. wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow" isaiah 1:14-20

then, after that really neat reading. the seminary choir sang the mark miller piece, "ready for a change":

"take this broken sprit, create in me a clean heart, heal this wounded healer and point me to the good road. lord, i'm ready for a change, only you can make me change, lord i'm ready for a change...wipe away these tears, lord and end my night of weeping, wash away the old ways, replace my pain with your joy! lord, i'm ready for a change, only you can make me change, lord i'm ready for a change. Give my life a new start and plant in me a seed that grows and blossoms into the fruit of blessing."

then? this was the coolest part. they had three prayer stations set up:

1. water: a reminder of our initiation into a lifetime of discipleship in Christ.

2. clay: a reminder that we are always being molded and re-molded in the image of God.

3. oil: a reminder that we are anointed by the power of the Holy Spirit to bring the good news of justice and compassion that ushers in the holy reign of the holy one.

and they had a giant labyrinth set up, encouraging us to remember who and whose you are, reclaim yourself as a child of God, and give to God all that keeps you from loving yourself, loving God, and loving your neighbor. of course, was the imposition of ashes on our forehead. they mixed them with yummy smelling oil (i think lavender).

anyway. very meaningful. i'll reflect more about my lenten practices later on, after class :)

hope you have a blessed ash wednesday, and remember that you are the beloved!

peace.

avatar!

ahh. it's going to be a quiet week this week and next. we don't have any youth activities this upcoming sunday because of the spring break. tons of people around here go away. so, that means next week will be kind of quiet too. alleluia.

i'm exhausted! it's only monday and i'm already tired. perhaps it's because of my crazy weekend.

i went to see the movie AVATAR on saturday. let me explain for a second: we are having a staff discussion about it at the beginning of march. therefore, i had to go see it. i dragged my feet about it because i typically don't like sci-fi movies. as wynne said "all hell has frozen over if you liked a sci-fi movie". well, it was true. i loved it! i don't know what it was, but it was great. the cinematography was excellent, the 3D was really cool. i also liked the story, which a lot of people didn't like. oh well. there was science, romance, action-james cameron had it all. there was also the religious aspect of it all. i just loved it! i can't wait to have our dinner/discussion about it. it should be interesting.

that's about it around here. things are crazy. doing more reading than i have ever done in my entire life, but i suppose that's seminary for you. i've been doing a lot of thinking about my future. especially with ordination and whatnot. i'm still not sure what i want to do. i met a guy at seminary who is doing the camp and retreat certification. anyway, he's been helping with my youth groups (which is AWESOME since i need help). we were talking camp ministry, and it reminded me how great my years at aldersgate were...and how i always thought about being a camp director or something like that. it would be pretty cool. but i dunno if that's realistic or kaleigh's dreamland. probably dreamland. however, methodist ordained ministers (either deacon/elder) i suppose can be appointed to camps? or maybe one would have to be a deacon. who knows. have plenty of time to figure it out.

ok. back to work.

peace.

henri nouwen quote

This was posted on a blog I follow, and I like to put things here for future use. so, enjoy.

Nouwen writes how he imagines what God might be saying to him:

"I have called you by name, from the very beginning. You are mine and I am yours. You are my Beloved, on you my favor rests. I have molded you in the depths of the earth and knitted you together in your mother's womb. I have carved you in the palms of my hands and hidden you in the shadow of my embrace. I look at you with infinite tenderness and care for you with a care more intimate than that of a mother and her child. I have counted every hair on your head and guided you at every step. Wherever you go, I go with you, and wherever you rest, I keep watch. I will give you food that will satisfy all your hunger and drink that will quench all your thirst. I will not hide my face from you. You know me as your own as I know you as my own. You belong to me. I am your father, your mother, your brother, your sister, your lover and your spouse...yes, even your child...wherever you are I will be. Nothing will ever separate us. We are one."-Henri Nouwen

i love seminary.

i will post a more updated post sometime soon.

xoxo