Courage (Kate Soles)

The Cowardly Lion lacked it. Joan of Arc had it in spades. But what do we mean by courage? How does the virtue transform a person? To a superhero, exhibiting courage involves choosing determination over fear; fighting evil villains with confidence under difficult and perilous circumstances requires it.

But Keith’s sermon this morning made me think about courage in a new light. He said that courage means not hiding the truth. Not that courage simply denotes honesty but that it implies openness, a willingness to experience vulnerability. A friend once asked me whether I was disappointed when I first found out Eliot was a boy and I said yes. I exhibited honesty. This friend then told me that he would feel scared to have a son because he had a poor relationship with his own father and didn’t want old patterns to repeat. He exhibited courage. He did not have to divulge such private thoughts; he could have said nothing or changed the subject while still preserving his own honesty. Instead, he chose to reveal part of himself, to face the truth with humility.

Courage allows us to reach out, to receive life’s invitations be they scary or uncomfortable. It embraces us, shows us new possibilities and fights the desire to give up. Honesty makes us admit the truth; courage gives us the strength to accept the truth.

Wonder and The Divine (Kate Soles)

Albert Einstein once said, “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious.” I can think of nothing more mysterious than the presence of the Divine, an air that creates overwhelming wonder due to its sheer inexplicability. How does one describe the feeling of a call from God?

Last week, I had the honour of meeting a group of courageous women, each one battling vicious inner demons. Some struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, some dealt with severe depression, all fought a constant war with negative body image and distorted eating. As I listened to their powerful stories, I asked myself, what motivates these women to keep going? What synchronicities point someone towards the decision to quit her job, leave her fiancé and give up her house in order to focus on becoming healthy? Does this constitute a call?

I wouldn’t say I felt a Divine presence among our group that night. But I did feel an appreciation for what is precious and inspiring in life. I did feel moved, centered in the moment and reflective. I did feel open to beauty and mystery. And perhaps that’s not so different from feeling the Divine after all.

Bible Study - 1 Samuel 3:1-18 (Keith Howard)

The text for this coming Sunday, September 30th, 2012 is 1 Samuel 3:1-18

What words, phrases or images reach out to you?

Why do you think they have some drawing power for you?

______________

This is one of those passages that can be looked at from a number of angles:

1. It has important religious-political implications
It can be seen as an early episode of the transition from the movable ark (think Indiana Jones) to a fixed temple. The call of Samuel is imbedded in the larger text of the end of the priestly house of Eli which is due, it is said, to the unrighteous behaviour of Eli’s sons.

2. It can be a reflection on how God calls
The casting of Samuel’s call as the prototype has traditionally led to two unfortunate trends.
a) The rise of the image of call as God speaking dramatically in the night has sometimes led to (would-be) leaders in the church rising and declaring that God has called them (and therefore their word should be followed without question); and
b) the dismissal of many Christians of their own call because it may lack the drama of the Samuel scene.

3. This story in 1 Samuel is part of what of a much larger stream within the Bible called the Deuteronomistic History. One of the characteristics of this stream is the pattern of reward and punishment. This holds a deceptively simple appeal: goodness gains God’s blessings; wrongdoing triggers retribution. As James Duke notes in Feasting on the Word this position prompted dramatic responses and outcries like: the book of Job, Augustine’s City of God and post-Holocaust theologies. “Also to be considered are those biblical testimonies of God’s refusal to give up on love, even if it is unrequited, and God’s unconditional promises of care and mercy for the “lost” as well as the least of us.” In short, it raises the question of theodicy (as it is known).

4. Finally, from a devotional point of view the text has prompted reflections about the nature of prayer. As noted on the Baylor University’s site:

Samuel’s prayer, “Here I am for you called me. Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:5, 10), teaches us three things about prayer. First, prayer is the task of a lifetime, for it requires that we really listen to God. “We only kid ourselves,” Westphal says, “if we think we have finished learning how to listen to God as God deserves to be listened to.” Second, “prayer needs silence, not only external but also internal silence; for our minds and
hearts can be and usually are very noisy places even when we emit no audible sound. God speaks in and as the silence.” Finally, Christian prayer is rooted in Scripture. “The very call to which we may respond ‘Here am I’ can come as a mysterious voice in the night, but it typically comes through the words of Scripture, directly or indirectly in preaching, hymnody, liturgy, and so forth.”

Some questions to ponder:
1. Many feel we are in the midst of a fundamental shift in the religious structure that is as profound as the shift from tabernacle to Temple. I wonder to whom God might be speaking now in a manner akin to how Samuel was addressed?

2. How would you describe your own sense of the presence and call of God? Have you had dramatic occasions? Has your journey been more a matter of subtle adjustments of the steering wheel?

3. Why do bad things happen to good people? What is the state of your reflection on this important question?

4. How does God most frequently “speak” to you? (I have found Ben Campbell Johnson’s work on this question helpful. See especially Godspeech.)

5. Samuel was a small child given a profound message of cataclysm. Many young people now look at the state of the world and pronounce cataclysm. Do you think this may be a voice of God?

Bookish Musings on Faith (Kate Soles)

In Rachel Joyce's debut novel, "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry," a retired sales representative receives a letter from an old friend, Queenie, who informs him that she's dying from cancer. Harold scribbles a polite reply and heads to the mailbox at the end of the road. Unsatisfied with such a brief walk, he makes for the next mailbox, then the next one until he finally decides to walk the 600 miles to Queenie's sickbed, convinced that this will somehow help her survive.

Harold carries no possessions and wears only "yachting shoes" but faith and determination become his armaments. Along his journey, he encounters a cast of unique characters from a famous actor to an oncologist to a group of women on a cycling tour. Some applaud Harold for his faith; others deem him crazy to believe that his pilgrimage will end with a medical miracle. As Harold ponders his past, his relationship with his wife and son and his recent interactions with strangers, he begins to see his life in a new light.

Joyce has written a poignant, thought-provoking piece of work that combines the themes of love, friendship, mortality, and burning regrets. Her prose reads beautifully and reflects a painful but deeply spiritual journey. Though at times the novel approaches over-sentimentality, it never crosses the line. It remains a story about faith, persistence, and opening oneself to the world.

The book rewards the reader with a satisfying ending but also leaves dangling questions about faith: what defines it? Where does it come from? Can hope exist without it? Though I often sense a divine presence in my own life, I have a hard time reconciling the tension between belief and knowledge; I remain skeptical that human reason will ever prove the existence of a single deity. But does one have to believe in God to have faith?

I think not. Having faith means recognizing the reality of grace. It means self-confidence. It means persevering in the face of doubt, fear or hopelessness. It means remaining open to the possibility of miracles. It means seeing with the heart first, the eyes second. Above all, faith means a community built on trust, reciprocity and, of course, willingness. I’m sure Harold Fry would agree that “we are here to help each other walk the mile and bear the load.”

Willingness (Kate Soles)

Keith’s most recent post poses a thought-provoking but difficult question: what distinguishes dedication from commitment? I think of commitment as an act of caring about a person, goal or belief. After discerning a direction, commitment makes us keep promises, achieve dreams and remain faithful to relationships. It requires us to carry responsibility with integrity and grace. Dedication grows out of commitment, turning it into a passionate focus of our life’s purpose. Dedication means wholehearted service to an endeavour, ownership of something that requires all that we have and all that we are.

But prior to commitment or dedication comes willingness: a freedom from reluctance, an openness of mind and a readiness to embrace life on its own terms. In fact, willingness lies at the core of all virtues; one cannot show kindness, sympathy or faithfulness without the desire to do so, without the openness to accept the consequences of our actions. The Serenity Prayer asks for the wisdom to know the difference between the changeable and the unchangeable but, first, one must be willing to recognize that such a difference exists.

The concept of willingness has occupied my thoughts this week as I continue my personal journey towards health, happiness and fulfillment. I cannot face truths, seek help, increase flexibility and avoid judgment without it. Therefore, before striving for serenity and courage, I seek a preparedness to accept the outcome of my own commitments.

(2) Bible Study 1 Samuel 1:19-28 (Keith Howard)

The text for Sunday, September 23.12 is 1 Samuel 1:19-28  (The Naming and Dedication of Samuel)

A number of developments leap out in this story

1. Hannah keeps her vow.  In our time we might be tempted to say nothing was written down, nothing recorded so there might be temptation to not honour the vow.
   
2. The significant role of sacrifice – of the bull, flour and wine. In ancient Israel, sacrifice was the prime means of communicating with God. It was neither cover charge or penance but a “giving over” to God. “When they performed sacrifices, ancient Israelites gave over to God some of what they believed God had given them, expressing their close relationship with God, and seeking to deepen that bond.” (see William K. Gilders, Sacrifice in Ancient Israel)
   
3. “In the Hebrew Bible, sacrifice always involves transformation.” In the story of Hannah and Samuel the offering of this sacrifice sets the stage for another transformation.
   
4. In commenting on this passage in Feasting on the Word, G. Malcolm Sinclair writes:

Hannah names her son Samuel, from a root word “to ask,” as if he were an answer to her prayers. Linguists feel that the root of Samuel rather means “Name of God.” This child, come among us through human will and the miracle of life transformation, is not ours for our ends, but belongs to and carries the name of God. It is so of each life, whether bullied in families, alone amid tormented thoughts, awkward in the community of faith, or waiting in the wings for life to begin. Such deep names are not ours to control or own. They each carry the purpose and nature of God. Each one we meet may well be that mystical, hopeful, riveting and terrifying catalyst that fuels the ongoing story of God.”

Dedication services are not part of our tradition (since we tend to practice infant baptism) but they are making a comeback in many Christian churches. Samuel is dedicated to the single purpose/use of serving God.

Some questions to ponder

1. Aside from wedding services, vows are not a practice commonly referred to in our time. Do you think this means people are less inclined to offer commitment through the exchange of vows? (This question of the depth of relationships and commitments has recently come to the fore through questions about the dramatic rise of practices like texting.)
   
2. We could regard Hannah as making a “deal” with God. What do you think?
   
3. If there was one practice, part of your life or relationship that you would like to see transformed, what would that be? Although the prime use of the word “sacrifice” in 1 Samuel does not refer to “giving something up,” what would you be prepared to give up/commit to in order for that to happen?
   
4. Is Hannah “giving up” Samuel a sacrifice in the biblical sense?
   
5. If “Samuel” does refer to a deep name of God, what would be some possibilities of “Deep names carved upon your soul” that you – or those you may know – carry?
   
6. Do you think there is a difference between being dedicated to something or committed to something? If so, how would you describe that difference? If not, why not?

Something Lost and Something Gained (Kate Soles)

Way back in July, when Carol proposed that I contribute to the Oak Bay United blog, I felt excited about the prospect. I frequently update my own blog (www.readingwritingrunning.blogspot.com) and I find it much easier to communicate with the written word than with the spoken. Contemplating my debut post, however, I realized the challenge of expressing “spirituality.” What meaning does the word hold? What does spiritual fulfillment look like? And what do I, an agnostic hovering on the fringes of this congregation, have to say about it? Feeling devoid of inspiration, I abandoned my musings. Then I lost my dog.

Many members of OBU know how much I love my terrier mix, Holly. I spent every day with her for almost six years, going for long walks mid-morning and throwing her favourite toy in the afternoons. When she got scared by a construction blast on Anderson Hill and bolted two weeks ago, paralysis enveloped me. In the 48 hours she was missing, I felt as though someone had cut off my right arm and I thought I would suffocate from loneliness. I became aware of my spirit because I knew it had broken.

Many members of OBU also know that I suffer from disordered eating and compulsive exercise. Friends, acquaintances and even strangers have expressed concern that this fact makes me unfit to care for Holly, especially considering the demands imposed on me by my toddler, Eliot. When I learned that Holly had turned up safely at the SPCA, relief washed over me. When I learned that the SPCA thought it best that I surrender her, panic ensued. The abridged outcome of a stressful and upsetting week is that, after much serious thought and many tears, I finally took my mom up on her long-standing offer to look after Holly.

With no dog to walk, I nervously decided to attend church last Sunday for the first time since Christmas. Walking into the sanctuary holding Eliot’s hand, I immediately felt the familiar, boundless warmth and support I have always felt emanating from the building. This is the church that married Jean and me. This is the church that provided daily babysitting and catering the week we brought Eliot home. This is the church that baptized my son. Listening to Gail’s farewell, I felt included in her expression of love and gratitude. I felt my spirit beginning to heal.

I struggle every day with feelings of anxiety, with a harsh inner critic and with fears of never being “good enough.” But, through this little story of a lost dog and a free Sunday morning, I have found both a physical and mental place of universal acceptance. If only I could learn to stay there.

1 Samuel 1:19-28 - Bible Study and Worship text for September 23.12 (Keith Howard)

The text for this coming Sunday, September 23th, 2012 is 1 Samuel  1:19-28.

What words, phrases or images reach out to you?

Why do you think they have some drawing power for you?

(2) Bible Study 1 Samuel 1:1-18 (Keith Howard)

The text this week is part of the normal lectionary reading although at Oak Bay we have moved it from its normal place since we will follow the Samuel story until Thanksgiving.

The story is important on a number of levels

1. Not only does this story (1 Samuel  1:1-18) pick up a very important Biblical theme of God attending to those “on the outside” (the poor, the broken, the barren) but politically it lays the foundation for the rise of the monarchy (Saul/David/Solomon) in Israel. Prior to Samuel Israel was basically a tribal society ruled by a variety of chieftains/warlords (judges). As the surrounding political landscape changed the pressure was great upon the people to find a different political structure. The story of Samuel is part of that transition. And the not too subtle message is that God is part of the shift.
2. The image of God highlighted here is of a God that responds to need. This is a powerful theological and spiritual assertion. It is also dangerous because it can be so easily distorted into “Pray and God will answer with what you want.” This is not only theologically slippery but not the experience of many of us.
3. The birth of human life is a powerful assertion and symbol of hope, particularly when everything “reasonable” seems conspired against life and hope. In times of chaos and uncertainty the birth of a child signals both investment in and the possibility of a future.
4. The conversation between Hannah and God takes place at Shiloh, an ancient place of the meeting of God and the people.

Some questions to ponder

1. In the biblical stories dramatic shifts in the larger reality often seem to begin with God moving – or answering a prayer of someone ‘on the outside.’ Have you had a time or do you know of a time when prayer was answered? What is that story?
2. Are there places in your life or the life of our congregation which, like Hannah, cry out for hope and new life?
3. How accurate is it that there are special places where God seems to draw closer to us than at other places? Some say the sanctuary of our congregation is one of those “thin places.” Would you agree with that? Why?
4. We could easily draw some parallels between our social and political situation and that of Hannah/Samuel in that the effectiveness of many of our social and political institutions is deeply questioned by many. Do you think this is a fair comparison? In Samuel’s time the people looked to neighboring countries for a new model, that of the monarchy. Do you have any sense of new models of church, government or other institutions that may be on the horizon?

For September 16.12 ... 1 Samuel 1:1-18 (Keith Howard)

We are excited to be starting this online Bible Study.
Tuesday afternoon we will post the text for the following Sunday and provide an initial opportunity to engage the text in a more devotional way.

On Wednesday we will provide some input and questions for reflection. Although participants may choose to simply observe and do their work offline, the hope is that people will contribute the results of their own research and reflection.

Depending upon the discussion, the leader may offer resources and comment as well.
This Bible Study is open to all and the usual standards for online discussion apply.
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The text for this coming Sunday, September 16th, 2012 is 1 Samuel  1:1-18.

What words, phrases or images reach out to you?

Why do you think they have some drawing power for you?