HELLO!

We had half of our usual crowd today, 85 sitting in pockets throughout the sanctuary. There were, as there have been for some time, many new faces. The highlight of the service was Lori’s Ministry of Music. Meanwhile…The United Churches for Dartmouth were gathering at Cole Harbour United Church, six churches in total. Our choir was there, 50 choir voices “raised the roof” I am told. If you missed the Woodlawn service, here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVLGBpP16mM

I felt, for the first time since coming to Woodlawn, a lot of silence in worship. That is not a bad thing. My Anglican wife, Kim, often tells me the United Church is a very chatty place in worship. “I don’t know how to tell you this but…the people sitting in front of me talked throughout your sermon”. I knew, without notes or a pulpit, I can see the faces in front of me. I don’t mind the competition, after all, I am louder than any conversation in a pew. My response to Kim reflects part of the reason I am UCC, “the chatter reflects people connecting with each other, the buzz you hear is community”. We agree to disagree. She would have loved today, a lot of silence, from beginning to end. At first, I wondered if people were sleepy or I wasn’t meeting the moment with enthusiastic “HELLO!”. At one point I whispered to someone, “I feel like the cone of silence”. Then I realize she was too young to get the reference.

As the service continued the silence became my friend, I found it helped ground me in the message of healing the Gospel offered us. As you know, I do not have a script or notes, I rely on the sermon I wrote six weeks earlier with the constant revisions from my evening walks in our neighbourhood. And…standing in front of familiar faces, other words and examples come as I speak. The sermon is always a collection of the original sermon, researched from commentaries, written six weeks ago, the rehearsing as I walk and the moment itself. The silence gave me time to consider my words. I found my pace more deliberate and intentional.

At Norm Shannon’s funeral his daughter Beth offered a poem by Mary Oliver, my favorite poet. Olivers finds words that meet the moment, and this prayer/poem reflects on the power of silence (And…I love the blue Iris). How does silence speak to you? How do you hear God’s voice?

Peace, Kevin

PS If you read yesterday’s blog, you know we are in Pride month. Frank Hartman responded, “My former church, Orchard Valley United in New Minas, received our Affirming Certificate during a special celebration service in 2022. I was asked to write a song for the occasion. I called it Come Join the Family of God. I thought I would share it with you.”

COME JOIN THE FAMILY OF GOD BY FRANK HARTMAN - JUNE 5, 2022

COME JOIN THE FAMILY OF GOD, EVERYONE IS WELCOMED HERE

NO MATTER WHO OR WHAT YOU ARE, WALK THROUGH THESE DOORS WITHOUT FEAR

COME JOIN THE FAMILY OF GOD, DON’T HIDE OR FEEL ASHAMED, OUR GOD DOES NOT MAKE MISTAKES

IN HER HEART WE’RE ALL THE SAME

CHORUS:

CAUSE WE ARE AN AFFIRMING CHURCH WE LOVE AND ACCEPT ALL WHO SEEK

A PLACE FOR GENDER DIVERSITY FOR JUSTICE AND EQUALITY

YES, WE ARE AN AFFIRMING CHURCH RAINBOW FLAGS WAVING ON HIGH

YOU WILL NEVER BE TURNED AWAY

LEAVE YOUR DOUBTS AT THE DOOR; LOVE’S WAITING INSIDE

COME JOIN THE FAMILY OF GOD

HERE YOU WILL FIND PEACE AND CALM YOU WILL NEVER WALK ALONE

GOD IS WAITING WITH OPEN ARMS