Mòrar’s Musings
In my last week, I am overcome with gratitude for the people who have cared for this church over the past three months. I thank Rev. Kathi for inviting me, the Search Committee for completing a process that seemed equal to looking for a permanent minister, to the Ministry and Personnel Committee and our treasurer for completing the appointment process, the Leadership Circle for working hard at planning for the future, and for the pastoral care team for continuing to care for those in need.
I am grateful for Tina our administrator for so carefully enabling me to fit into worship and church life. To Sylvia who curates and tends to worship in such a beautifully detailed way that impacts the way each of us worships God, you made my leadership possible and enjoyable. To all I have met and to such a receptive and accepting congregation, thank you!
I think about Jesus, on his last night with the disciples, when he shares a meal with them, washes their feet, gives them a new commandment, and answers question after question concerning the fact that he is about to leave them.
After all that, Jesus begins to pray the last prayer we have. And he prays “that all may be one.”
Jesus was praying not only for the people seated around him at table that evening but also for his future followers, which thanks be to God, includes us.
‘That all may be one’ is the motto of the United Church of Canada.
When union happened 98 years ago, it brought together people who worshipped in fairly different ways. Most often people think that when people unite, they should all behave in similar ways. So one of the miraculous aspects of the UCC is that we were freed to worship in different ways. I enjoyed your unique ways of worshipping and thank you for experiencing a few differences in mine.
There is a clip circulating in which famous English actors give different interpretations to Hamlet’s “To be or not to be; that is the question. Each emphasizes a different word in the line, ending with now King Charles, ‘to be or not to be, that is the QUESTION.’
Often Jesus’ words are read, ‘that all may be ONE,’ but hear it as. ‘That ALL may be one.’ This changes the emphasis from sameness to inclusion.
We are one in Christ whether we agree with each other or not. We are one in Christ whether we are like one another or not.
As it was for the disciples then, so too is it crucial for us today to return to Jesus’ prayer, for it describes his hope, his vision of what we are to look like and how we are to live our lives together.
Let’s celebrate all the virtues that we see in the lives of the faithful folk who care for us. Let’s emulate all the virtues we see in others we admire. Jesus offers us a prayer for community: that all may be one.
I’ve been thinking of Jesus leaving the disciples this week as our time together ends. Jesus is calling us to live out the values we remember and celebrate in our own lives wherever we are, so that we may truly be signs to the world of God’s love for us in Jesus Christ.
That All May be One Andrew King
May your people be one
as the seas are one
though salting a thousand shores.
May your people be one
as the wind is one
though whisper, though rush, though roar.
May your people be one
as the birds are one
though they sing a thousand songs.
May your people be one
as our prayers are one
though voiced in a thousand tongues.
May your people be one
as the light is one
though made of the colours of the rainbow.
May your people be one
as your love is one –
your love for all people, we know.
May your people be one
as you are one:
you in Christ, and Christ in you.
May your people be one
as the Spirit is one,
moving in us, moving through us.
Blessings,
Mòrar
