Moments
Reflecting on a vacation. A collage of pictures, words, and feelings on a “time away.” Vacation: a word with origins in the late 14th century, formed from the Latin vacare meaning to be empty, to be free. A contemporary sense of “getting away from it all” – emptying oneself from the usual routine of work, “vacating” standard patterns of life and day to day responsibilities, even vacating one’s everyday habitats (work and home places). Emptying personal spaces (external and internal) so that busy spaces are freed up for rest, reflection, different experiences, refreshment, and re-creation.
As I write this “Message” images and experiences are still emerging after my first week in the mountains of western North Carolina and as I indulge in a second week while on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
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An early morning quiet moment sitting on a stone bench tucked in the corner of my daughter’s fern garden feeling the gentle grace of St. Francis beside me. |
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Blue grey mountain ranges that seem to go on forever till they merge into that misty thin place where earth’s horizon melts into heaven. |
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Wally-time. The grand-dog with the velvet ears who adopts me, shadows me when I come to visit – intuiting my need for his quiet, care giving presence. |
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Cradling my new great-niece in my arms, brushing her down soft wisps of hair with my fingertips, wondering what her beautiful light blue eyes see in my heart as she gazes into my eyes. |
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- Sunset and sickle moon moments on a sandy beach on the Eastern Shore of Virginia as the music of children’s laughter is carried on twilight breezes.
- A rainstorm in a little mountain top town and picking out fragrant peaches at a roadside farm stand to grace a later morning break-fast time.
- Sun and sea bathing, floating moments, facing the sky, spirit drifting as effortlessly as a sea bird on wind currents.
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For this vacation time in the mountains, then the seashore, I am vulnerable and open to the presence of the Holy in both the high places and the low places of creation. Sanctuary time. Renewal. Mountains remind me of God’s sheltering, cradling protecting nature. Psalmist images emerge, of rocks, crags, strongholds, places of refuge and yet horizons that call me to look up, up, up and ponder what lies beyond. The sea and the thin places where sea touches shore, where sea merges with sky remind me of the breadth and depth of God’s love, the expanse of God’s mercy and grace. Waters, whether mountain streams or broad bays emptying into the |
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ocean, remind me of the ebb and flow of life. And within me waiting, empty places are filled to overflowing with peace.
May you, too, find and be found by it, such peace, this summer.
Torrence
Torrence Harman photos
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Altar of the Week
One of the special moments of vacation time for me is to visit and sit in the pew of a church where I can simply "be" and not "do" anything but rest in the Presence of the moment. When in Boone I attend St. Mary's of the Hills, a beautiful small stone church in Blowing Rock with an exquisite picture of Mary and baby Jesus over the altar. The altar this past Sunday was inspired by a mountain meadow. The altar ledge was filled with blossoms anchored in rich earth, interwoven with stones, moss covered branches, vines and woody twigs. Real bird crafted nests nestled among the meadow elements. This altar scene was crafted for a wedding held there the the Saturday afternoon before. What a vision! A meadow garden visual homily needing no words.
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Prayer of the week
Blessed are You, O Lord our God,
Wellspring of all that is.
You are the sea on which we float,
You are the wind that fills our sails,
You are the storm that buffets us,
You are the calm that brings us peace.
Open our ears to hear Your word,
Open our eyes to see Your beauty,
Open our hearts to be warmed by Your love.
Free us from our lonely prisons of fear and selfishness,
And make us over, day by day, into bearers of Your peace. Amen.
Richard Rosenberg
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Last week at Farnham & St. John's |
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Stella watches intently as the eagle reads the lessons at Farnham.
No, its really St. John's Senior Warden, Courtenay Altaffer, with just the tip of her head appearing at the Lectern, but due to her height, it appears that the eagle is giving voice to the Scripture.
Anne Neuman photos
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Please send family vacation pictures for the next
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the Forward Day by Day meditation link.
or sign up to receive the daily meditation by e-mail.
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Sunday, July 18th
Pentecost VIII
10 a.m. Service of Holy Baptism & Communion
St. John's
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Sunday, July 25th
Pentecost IX
10 a.m. Service of Morning Prayer
N. Farnham
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Sunday, August 1st
Pentecost X
10 a.m. Service of Holy Communion
St. John's
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Sunday, August 8th
Pentecost XI
10 a.m. Service of Morning Prayer
N. Farnham
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The Parish Prayer List
for those in need of God's comfort and healing:
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Courtenay Altaffer
Ford Becker
Junius Berger
Martha Berger
Randall Bone
Sue Bowie
Sallie Cox
Constance Edwards
Bob File
David Gallagher
Carlton George
Regina Griggs
Barbara Grander
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Dorothy Grove
Sandy Wade Hagan
The Rev. Howard Hanchey
Kelsey Heidenreich
Billy Hooper
Rebecca Hubert
Marcia Jenkins
Mary Douglas Lawton
The Rt. Rev. Peter Lee
Susan Lewis
Frank Lynch
Susannah Marais
Tommy Neuman
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Judi Newman
James Rynd
Debbie Belfield Stacks
Scott Strickler
Waldy Sulik
Billy Tennyson
Roclyn Tennyson
John Welch, II
Turner Williamson
Matthew Yates
Rose Mary Zellner and
the people of Haiti
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and for those serving in our armed forces: |
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Royce Baker
David Berger
Ryan Berger
Allen Crocker
Randy Crocker
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Court Garretson
Cameron Heidenreich
Dan Heidenreich
Charles Jones
Daniel Kirk
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Mark Lawton
Scott Longar
Luis Loya
Gavin Wade McClung
Christopher Strickler
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We also pray for those who have died. |
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July 28th – Susan Crowley
July 30th - Mary Sulik
Aug. 1st - Junius Berger
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Aug. 2nd - Courtney Sisson
Aug. 3rd - Kathleen Sulik
Aug. 7th Patricia Gallagher
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Aug. 11th - Carlton George
Aug. 16th - Sallie Cox
Aug. 27th -Ed Elliott
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The Episcopal Church Welcomes You!
This Sunday at 10 a.m. we are having a service of Baptism & Communion at St. John's. We have returned to the sanctuary. Masks are not required, but if you are unvaccinated, please consider wearing one to protect those who cannot be vaccinated, especially if you want to sing. Our website is farnhamwithstjohns.org
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Background Photo by Wes Hicks on Unsplash Blue Ridge Mountain taken February 2021. No permissions required.
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