Liturgies

Palm Sunday invites us to take a side in our peace making. Not a peace imposed from above with superior weapons and force, but a peace fostered through connecting and relationship building. A peace modelled in Jesus who entered Jerusalem disarmed and on a donkey, as opposed to the Roman overlords entering at the same time with displays of might and power.

In our busy lives we often forget to pause to savour the moment; to be still and experience gratitude. A moment of being quiet can be difficult. The times we do this can be real moments of Joy. As we prepare for Easter this year, may we find times to pause and savour life.

Prayer and Work – The Benedictine Rule. As we continue our Lenten focus on issues highlighted in Soul Murmurings by Andrew Kennelly, Liz will explore the interwovenness between our spirituality and our work – both paid and non-paid.

This week Margaret will be discussing the importance of reclaiming the Wisdom teaching of Jesus about non-dual consciousness. Margaret will also be drawing from Andrew Kennelly’s book, Soul Murmurings, to explain how reflecting on life experiences, such as enjoying arts and travel, can begin the journey into the heart and then out into the world again, to a lived experience of the connectedness of all.

This week, Narelle Mullins uses thoughts from Andrew Kennelly’s book “Soul Murmurings” with the focus being on the significance of rituals in our lives’’ ’everyday rituals and those that bring us together in shared spiritual experiences. Given the unfolding of the future of St Mary’s in Exile, there is an even greater need for meaningful rituals that express memories, gratitude, wonder, joy, laughter as well as possibly grief and loss and definitely enduring hope.

As we approach Lent this year and we prepare to celebrate Easter, we are choosing as our theme ‘Soul Murmurings’. It is taken from Andrew Kennelly’s new book with the same name. Andrew writes: ‘Soul Murmurings offers a new interpretation of spirituality.

This week Liz will explore a contemporary understanding of the Doctrine of Trinity. John Shelby Spong said that Trinity is not a definition of God, but a description of how we experience the ultimate reality of the sacred.

Terry will be sharing some insights from his recent retreat. A time to slow down can be an invitation to return to our deeper selves. To be grounded in the present moment where life is truly worth living.

We are beginning this year with a liturgy which focuses on Micah Projects. This year Micah celebrates 30 years of service to the community. We will be watching a wonderful brief documentary that highlights who and what Micah has meant to so many people.

Our Christmas Vigil celebration was wonderful. Beautiful music, thought provoking homily from Terry, presided so well by Heather and Tony and a liturgy that was inspired - we were on holy ground. Wow, this community is really something special.