Image: tree used with permission from the artist, Wendy Newbery
Thoughts on this week’s image? What do you see?
Story: This week’s image connects to the story of Prisca. Prisca grew up in the church, was active in the youth group, and held leadership roles. She is still connected to that same congregation but admits she attends infrequently. In consultation with her partner, they intentionally chose not to have their children baptised or be active members at this time in their lives. Prisca described her relationship to the church as like a tree where the church established a foundation for her faith, enabling the roots to go deep, while still creating space for her to find her own way.
Other parents also shared that they felt the church was more than a building. They could experience the sacred volunteering in the community, hiking, gardening, and grabbing coffee with loved ones. They also shared personal prayer practices: meditating daily and having Bible prayer with their kids. The church community has provided a foundation from which some of these individuals and families have built their lives of faith. That faith extends beyond their experiences of church allowing them to see church as something not restricted to a building.
What do you think? Does this image resonate with you?
Life can be extremely busy today, especially for those who have children with disabilities. There are a lot of priorities pulling people in many different directions. Self care remains important. We are perpetually reminded that we can’t pour from an empty cup, and we need to put our own oxygen mask on first. To what extent is the church part of our self care? How does what we learn and experience at church help support us in other spiritual, self-care practices beyond the building?
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
In the Revelation to John, the image of a tree takes on new meaning. Here is life, gifted by God. This tree has twelve kinds of fruit, producing fruit each month, a reminder that God understands that as our lives shift and change, our needs shift and change. God provides through each stage fruit that nourishes and leaves that heal. All we need to do is remain aware of God’s presence in the diverse ways God comes to us and accept the gifts God generously provides.
May we embrace the wisdom of the tree of life as it roots us with a community of faith, nurtures us with fruit that we need, offers healing, and creates space for us to grow and share who we are with those around us. This we pray as we sing: (VT) 789 Be a Sower
