With/In God, the experience of our day-to-day living always holds the promise of helping us discover the true purpose of our lives. As someone reminded me me just last week, “The goal of life is to discover in your self, your original purpose, which is God’s concrete hope and dream for you.” I first heard this at The Trinity Retreat Center near Salter Path, my home away from home last week. I served on the leadership team for and participated in the NC Five Day Academy for Spiritual Formation.
There were approximately 60 of us there in person, and another 10 joining virtually, one from as far away as Canada. I realize that this name may be off-putting to some. It sounds kind of stiff and formal. It was not that way at all. The days were built on a particular rhythm, sometimes referred to as “Benedictine,” days shaped by silence and prayer, shared learning and shared meals, reflection and worship. I was blessed to join two pastoral colleagues from the district ( Bob Rose, and Michael Williams).
Each day began with shared worship at 7:30am (Morning Prayer) followed by breakfast, then outstanding teaching (from Amy Oden and Jerry Webber) and an hour of silent reflection, followed by large group sharing. Next we celebrated Mid-Day Prayer and then shared lunch – After lunch each day came a nice break until 2:30pm, a time to roam about in creation or even take a nap. Following the mid-day pause, our second presenter would teach, followed by an hour of reflection, and more large group sharing. This transitioned into a daily celebration of Holy Communion, which was then followed by dinner. After dinner there was sharing and worship in a small group that sent us off into the night in silence. The silence was broken the next morning at Morning Prayer. I was blessed to join two pastoral colleagues from the district (Bob Rose, and Michael Williams).
In one of my times of reflection, I journaled the following.
The Lost Wallet – I discovered upon getting dressed for bed last night that my wallet was
not in the back left pocket of my pants. I first searched the room like the woman we
met in Luke 15 – crawling on hands and knees, scrounging through the trash can, peering
in and under the bed and looking behind all the furniture. Without success, I then put on
some jeans and a shirt and walked over to the silent Conference room to see if I could see any
signs of it there. I looked at the table where I had been sitting all day for teaching and worship
back to my room, and eventually settled in for a fitful night of rest, preoccupied with creating a
checklist in my mind of all the things I would have to do as a result of my great loss.
Cancel credit cards. Figure out the processes needed to acquire a duplicate drivers license.
Determine who to contact to receive another Blue Cross card. When and how I could contact
my bank to put stops on debit and credit cards. etc.
This morning I shared the great loss with Cathy, back home, via text – Once showered and
shaved, the search resumed. After getting a few things ready for worship in the conference
room, I went back to my car, located my flashlight, and searched every dark crevice of the car
in broad daylight. Still no success. I walked over to our worship space to see if it had fallen out
the night before in the field we all crossed between the buildings. It was still nowhere to be
found.
I made my way back to the table in the Conference room and another participant came up to me
with a big smile on his face – extending my wallet to me. It had been lodged in a crevice in my
seat in the Conference Room, and had rested there all night long without any of my help. (At
least one of us got some rest.) Soon, thereafter, Morning Prayer began. I joined all the other
voices in the Opening Prayer:
New every morning is your love, great God of light, and all day
long you are working for good in the world. Stir up in us a desire
to serve you, to live peacefully with our neighbors and all your creation,
and to devote each day to your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
I think how the widow in finding her lost coin did not keep that discovery a secret.
Like the seeking shepherd in the story preceding, she not only found what was lost,
but called upon the community to join her in celebration of the finding. I did the same.
And those with whom I shared these days, rejoiced with me. It was another glimpse of the
kingdom – not far off in the distant future, but in the here-and-now.
“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life – your sleeping, eating, going–to–work, and walking–around life – and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.” Romans 12:1 | MSG
Still In ONE Peace, 
Jon (the Methodist )
If you would like to view past editions of How Sweet the Sound, follow this link: https://sounddistrictnc.org/category/from-the-ds/