Thoughts Along The Way . . .

Last week I told you that the Dances of Universal Peace are the thinnest place I know – they regularly and profoundly open me to the Sacred Source. This week I am at Wilderness Dance Camp in Montana, where I am spending my time singing and dancing and playing with an open heart – full to overflowing with wonder and gratitude. As I write these words it is only Tuesday, and already I have been moved to tears on more than one occasion. Lila Flood is one of our Dance Leaders, and several of her dances have been favorites of mine for a long time. It has been a wonderful treat to express my thanks to her for that gift in my life. This morning she led us in one of those dances – Soli Deo Gloria – Adoramus Te (all glory to God alone with deep adoration). She introduced the dance with a quote from Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. “To adore: that means to lose oneself in the unfathomable, to plunge into the inexhaustible, to find peace in the incorruptible, to be absorbed in defined immensity, to offer oneself to the fire and the transparency, to annihilate oneself in proportion as one becomes more deliberately conscious to oneself, and to give of one’s deepest to that whose depth has no end.” As I danced and sang I found myself overwhelmed with the awareness that I am living my life immersed in the unfathomable Mystery. It is such a gift to sing from my heart, to move my body, to be surrounded by music, and to dive deep into the heart of God.
- Pastor Roger

(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

Thoughts Along the Way . . .

On Sunday after church I will hop on the Max to the airport and catch a plane to Kalispell, Montana. I will spend the week at Wilderness Dance Camp on Flathead Lake. The event centers around the Dances of Universal Peace, which is a spiritual practice that has been described as body prayer - simple circle dances with songs and chants from many of the world’s faith traditions. At this particular camp all of that happens outside, on grass, under a beautifully decorated tent, while surrounded by 60 or so amazingly open-hearted people of all ages, with a host of wonderful musicians in the center of the circle. In Celtic spirituality there is a concept known as “thin places” - where the veil between this world and the spiritual world grows thin. For me the Dances are one of the thinnest places I know. My heart is opened and I become profoundly aware of being deeply and intimately connected with the Sacred Source of all that is. The opportunity to participate in this grand adventure fills me with gratitude. When I return home on Saturday I will be refreshed and renewed. I invite you to find a spiritual practice that opens your heart and fills your life with the light of God’s presence.

- Pastor Roger
(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

Thoughts Along the Way . . .

This week there was another school shooting, and this time it happened very close to home. Reynolds High School is less than 40 miles from where I am sitting as I write these words. Following the unfolding news reports, which include two students dead (one of them being the shooter), a teacher wounded and an entire community traumatized, I find myself awash with an awareness of the turmoil in the lives of all those involved in this latest in an ever-growing list of such incidents. My heart is heavy and I want to respond by opening my arms and my heart in an embrace that wraps them with the healing and transforming power of love. Such a response may seem simplistic to some. At least one person thinks that I am wearing rose-colored glasses. I know that it is not a response which everyone will feel led to make. And it is where my heart is leading me. I don’t have any clear answers. The solution will be challenging, complex and a long time in coming. A variety of particular responses will be required, as each person is led to contribute to the process. And what I know I can do right now is to send out as much light and love as I can muster - to the family and friends of the student who was killed, to the students, teachers and staff of Reynolds High School, to the parents and loved ones of those directly involved, to the police and other first responders, to the community of Troutdale, to the greater Portland community, to our country, to our world, and even (perhaps especially) to the shooter and his family. Love and light. Love and light. Love and light.

What Happens Next?

It has now been more than two months since I officially became your Transitional Pastor. I am slowly putting names and faces together. I have visited with some of you in your homes. We have shared in worship together. I have participated in meetings with more than a few of you. And through it all I am still very excited to be here with you.

In the coming months we will begin to move through a process which will eventually lead to the calling of your next Settled Pastor. At this point there is no firm time-line for all of this, but it might be helpful to lay out some of what you can anticipate along the way. If you ever have any questions about this process, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Thoughts Along The Way

This is a very active congregation, with lots going on. There are assorted meetings, social activities, outreach projects, worship experiences, opportunities for study and growth, music, and on and on the list could go. There is no way for any one person (including me) to be involved in all of it. And it is important for you to find those places where you can plug in. Get involved. You will benefit. The church will benefit. The community will benefit. First Congregational United Church of Christ in Hillsboro is a congregation worth celebrating. How will you participate in the celebration?

- Pastor Roger
(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)