God is all around us doing God's work

When I was in Los Angeles this summer, I went out into Echo Park across from the diocesan offices and conference center. I saw God. God usually shows up in a burning bush or a descending dove. This time God was dressed as a city sanitation worker. God was wearing an orange vest and was walking over the grass in the park picking up trash and putting it into a bag.

God was doing what God does best. Working to restore paradise while we go through our lives unaware. God is always at work. Unfortunately, we are usually looking for a burning bush or a dove. How comforting to know that even when we don't recognize what is happening, god is working to heal the broken places, to clean-up the messes we make, when we turn away from God.

There was God dressed as a tall black man in an orange sanitation vest. Thank you God for always being on the job.

Open the file, below. This is my project from the Kaleidoscope Institute July 2010, my inspiration for this post.

file:///Users/karencampbell/Desktop/KI%20Slide%20show%20project/

God Mend Thy Every Flaw

My husband loves to watch the Sunday morning news shows while we get ready for church. Sometimes, I get drawn into the conversation. This morning the emphasis was on the Tea Party movement and other conservative groups. At one of the rallies they were singing "America."

I dream of a day when I will preach about Katherine Bates who wrote the lyrics to this favorite hymn. I especially like the verse which prays, "God mend thy every flaw." Katherine was a lesbian. Most conservatives, if they knew this, would fall off the podium.

Imagine a world with no homosexuals. Some of our favorite music, literature, films, and scientific discoveries would disappear. More to the point friends, doctors, sisters, cousins, brothers, nurses, CEOs, teachers, military, would be no more. I do not want to live in this world without my friends and family whom I love. I don't want to live in this world in which many of the brightest and best would cease to be. Like Katherine Bates, I pray for God to mend our flaws.

Blessings, Karen

Waking in the dark

I seem to be on the "child" schedule. I am sleepy in the evening, going to bed earlier and earlier and waking before the dawn. I feed the impatient cats who do not understand that the dark world is dangerous and they must wait for the light to go out.

Once I was a "night owl." Convinced I did my best work after ten at night, I would work well past midnight. My internal clock is shifting and now I find myself more clear headed in the early morning hours. The blessing to this is that I can rise with the cats and the dog and while drinking a sweet cup of coffee, I can say my prayers in the silence. I never realized how peaceful the hours before dawn are.

Whatever your schedule, I hope that you find a quiet place to pray, to reflect on scripture and more than that to sit and let God love you. To do nothing but feel God's generous love enveloping you. We are too busy. We are too active. We feel compelled to do do do. Sometimes we need to just sit and feel God's love. Absorb the grace and peace, recharge our batteries, and reweave our connections with God.

I pray you may have a blessed day. May you see Christ in all the people you meet today. May you be surprised by God.

Blessings, Karen

Farewell to Good Shepherd

On May 30^th we held the final worship service at Good Shepherd Church. This 2 ½ hour service is available here. Kent McVey, a gifted piper and dear friend, shared his music along with 2 trumpeters (George Condon and Jason Cote) and our wonderful organist Linda Stevenson played our organ for the last time. During the sermon people shared their special stories about Good Shepherd. You will hear real tears and laughter as we said goodbye to our building that has sheltered many for 109 years.

Sharing Our Feelings

On May 16^th back in our own community, Good Shepherd parish shared thoughts on merging during the 10:00am worship service. This whole service is recorded and posted on this blog site.

Bishop Scruton at Good Shepherd

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.” llCor 13:13

The Holy Spirit is very busy! Not only is it the season of Pentecost when we remember the first giving of the Spirit to the followers of Jesus but in the lives of my congregation the Holy Spirit has acted mightily.

During the season of Lent and the time of Holy

Week my parish, Good Shepherd, exchanged services with other parishes in our deanery (the North Worcester Deanery). On March 7^th you will find Bishop Gordon Scruton’s sermon preached at the time of his visit to Good Shepherd parish.

Following that date we attended other parishes and heard other preachers.

Sermon 1_3_2010

Sermon 12_24_09