The Iona Creed

My systematics group (three very different Christians and one Unitarian Universalist) has to write a creed that we can all agree on. One of the group members showed us the Iona Creed to help spark discussion and thoughts... I think it's pretty wonderful, so I thought I'd share it in case you haven't heard it before:

We believe that God is present
in the darkness before dawn;
in the waiting and uncertainty
where fear and courage join hands,
conflict and caring link arms,
and the sun rises over barbed wire.

We believe in a with-us God
who sits down in our midst
to share our humanity.

We affirm a faith
that takes us beyond a safe place:
into action, into vulnerability
and onto the streets.

We commit ourselves to work for change
and put ourselves on the line;
to bear responsibility, take risks,
live powerfully
and face humiliation;
to stand with those on the edge;
to choose life and be used by the Spirit
for God’s new community of hope.

Amen  

Put On Some Clothes

Outward appearances: people seem split on their importance. We proclaim “inner beauty” yet, The Society Pages.org states that beauty spending “adds up to a $160 billion-a-year worldwide”[i] industry. What we say and what we believe certainly seem to be two different things.

Now, if you’re a member of my home church, you may recall the sermon where I trashed my prom dress, proclaiming that the Divine didn’t care what we wore while we did the work we are called to, so long as our hearts were in the right place. I still hold this to be true, but I’d like to make an amendment – what we wear makes a difference, not in God’s eyes, but in our own. The clothes may not make the proverbial man, but they may help the man see himself more fully.

So why the shift in perception? I tried on pastoral robes.

I didn’t even have to look in a mirror – I felt like a minister. My friend Kelly said I was “just glowing.”

Pictured: Bioluminescence.

Now, I know my ministry didn’t start with putting that robe on. Obviously not. Ever since I first felt this stirring to serve six years ago, I’ve been working to answer this calling – going on visits to friends in hospice, providing music, preaching, serving on committees, organizing community events, helping lead worship, teaching confirmation, and leading the high school youth ministry.

But, honestly, when I put that robe on, it was a sudden affirmation of what I’ve known in my heart but never really owned – I’m going to be a pastor. I’m going to walk with people on their spiritual journeys. I’m going to sit with them in times of sorrow and we are gonna dance together in times of joy.

Nothing changed. I didn’t hear the voice of God saying “Now that you have these robes on, you can really begin your ministry.” But it was a kick-start almost. It was a reminder.

My grandfather loves to tell me that ministers don’t paint their nails or have tattoos or dye their hair. I know all of this is based in his concern for my well-being and his love for me. I would always laugh and shake my head. But I see where he was coming from. I think I get the underlying message – if you don’t present yourself as a minister, other people won’t see you as one. And I’ll give in a little bit – you need to see yourself  as a minister, you need to own your calling, before other people will see you as a minister. Just like my little sister will one day have to own her calling to Mr. Berry-dom (i.e. teaching literature and film classes to high school students) before she begins to teach. Just like we all have to own our purpose in life.

And, no, you don’t need to be wearing certain clothes to own your calling in life, but if it helps you understand yourself and see yourself more in the role you feel called to, is that a bad thing? My vote is ‘no, it’s not.’

I guess what I’m getting at is, sometimes, what we think is a just a superficial outward appearance is actually our inward selves radiating out. And when your inner self is reflected out for the world to see – through your actions, attitudes, and, yes, even clothes – that is a beautiful thing.

Own it friends. And if you need a little help owning it, put on some clothes.

---

[i] http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2009/05/15/the-beauty-industry-spending-and-routines/

Where Is Church?

So this morning, I had intended to go see one of my sweet seminarian friends preach. That plan went out the window when I woke up at 10:05. I considered going to an 11 o' clock service at another church, rushing around to get ready and hop on the T... but it occured to me, what I really need right now is some "me and God" time... And I felt like walking. Yes, in the -2 degree wind chill, the best thing for my faith this morning was a walk.

So I packed up my laptop in my backpack, figuring I'd get lunch somewhere after my walk, and I took my iPhone (with headphones) and bundled up like Arctic Barbie and headed out into the blustery winds with The Decemberists' The King Is Dead as my soundtrack.

Here is a track-by-track of my spiritual formation this morning:

Don't Carry It All:
Beginning of song - This was a bad idea. It's cold outside.
Middle of song - Oh, wait, the sun is shining. I'm breathing. Things are not that bad.
End of song - Right, then. Things are actually pretty good.

Calamity Song:
I'll admit it, I broke into a kind of dance. The kind of dance you can only do with nine layers on. Sometimes this song makes me really happy.

Rise to Me:
Okay, God. I get it. Good morning, how are you? Thanks for checking in.
The lyrics of this song don't actually make sense in relation to the feeling it imbues in me.

Rox in the Box:
"Of dirt you're made and to dirt you will return.
So while we're living here,
let's get this little one thing clear,
There's plenty of men to die,
you don't jump your turn...
What were you meant for?
What were you meant for?"

January Hymn:
It is January. I can identify with this song. This song is good stuff.
"What were the words I meant to say before she left,
when I could see her breathe lead where she was going to.
Maybe I should just let it be,
and maybe it will all come back to me.
Sing oh, Janu, oh, January, oh."

Down By the Water:
Okay, this song doesn't actually inspire much... but it continues the good feeling.

All Arise!:
"But you keep on stealing, you keep on stealing,
yes, you keep on stealing 'til there's nothing left to steal."
I like this song too.

June Hymn:
I now have this calm that was not there when I woke up this morning. It is quite pleasant.

This Is Why We Fight:
I'm now in Starbucks contemplating this good feeling that has manifested itself in my brain.
"This is why, this is why we fight,
This is why we lie awake."

Dear Avery:
"Don't you shake alone, please, Avery, come home."

It's good stuff, friends.

And I think feelings like this are a big part of why my idea of church is so nebulous and unformed. What constitutes as church? Why does the order of worship and which hymnal we use matter so much? Why do I need an old white or stone building to minister to others?

No, I know that I don't. I don't know what my ministry is going to look like, but I hope it includes cold morning walks and indie folk-rock albums.

Colby Chapel

Today I went with my friend Caitlin (who is part architect, part student, all awesome) to see Colby Chapel. Colby Chapel is a chapel on the ANTS campus that isn't used anymore because the school leases out the building to an architecture firm and, while they don't use the chapel, fire code rules say there aren't enough exits to accommodate both (or something like that).

Anyway, it's a beautiful little space... Here are some pictures I took:

Stained glass window, Colby Chapel.

M Downer, 2011

 Inscription on Pulpit, Colby Chapel.

M Downer, 2011

 Gabled roof, Colby Chapel.

M Downer, 2011

 Song of Songs, Colby Chapel.

M Downer, 2011

 Bible, Colby Chapel.

M Downer, 2011

 Altar, Colby Chapel.

M Downer, 2011

 Quiet, Please, Colby Chapel.

M Downer, 2011

Communion, Colby Chapel.

M Downer, 2011

Cross, Colby Chapel.

M Downer, 2011

An Attitude of Gratitude

One of the things I'm doing as part of my spiritual practices class is trying to cultivate an attitude of gratitude... you know, for class and for life in general. Well, I just wanted to share something...

Yesterday a woman came into Starbucks and ordered a Venti Soy Latte. I was making her drink and talking to her at the espresso bar. She told me it was her birthday and that she didn't have anyone to celebrate it with so what she was doing was treating herself to a venti instead of a tall. That didn't sound like a great birthday so I asked if I could sing to her. She said she'd enjoy that very much. So I sang Maureen happy birthday. She thanked me and told me it made her day and she was glad she stopped in. I thanked her for letting me be a part of her birthday. When I was walking home, I thought it over - she let me into her vulnerability, her loneliness, she let me take residence there for a brief time.

I am grateful to be invited into a few moments of Maureen's life and that I was gifted with the honor of being a bright spot in her day.

My New Space:

Settled In at School

Well, after waiting for what seemed like forevvvvvverrrrr... I am settled in at school! I spent most of the day with my family, pilfered some hangers from Raph (because I forgot mine, of course), and then went back to my dorm to set up my space... It's a great little space, but it photographs much better in the light...

As a little teaser, I'll show you what it looked like earlier in the day:

Home Sweet Mess

I'll post the pictures of my room all set up tomorrow... For now, I'm going to go to bed and try and wake up by 6 AM.

<3

Taste and See!

I've been baking pretty much non-stop. I want to make at least 100 cupcakes, some brownies, and other desserts for my palooza tomorrow. I'm not normally a baker, or a cook, in any capacity... but I can find my way around a kitchen when I need to.

I decided that I wanted to dye the cupcakes to match my school's colors - navy blue and purple. So I dyed the yellow cake batter blue and purple and mixed them together in the cupcake tins like a marble cake. And... ta da?

Spot on if you're colorblind.

Okay, well, that didn't work. What happened? How did the blue and purple cupcakes turn into toxic pond green and earthworm brown?

I don't have any scientific-sounding reasons, but the best I can guess is that - like paint or nail polish - the batter looks darker than it will when it "dries" (in this case, bakes).

And this got me thinking... Things look different after they've had a chance to dry; after we've had a chance to work through our problems, taken some time to step back and look at the whole wall instead of inside a paint can - or, perhaps, a tray of cupcakes instead of a thick bowl of batter. It's almost like Seurat's paintings... If you look up close at A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grand Jatte, all you see is flecks of color... You have to step back and take it in. When it's concentrated, like when cake batter or paint is concentrated, it's not the same.

Life is the same way. When we're dealing with something, whether it's money problems, bumps in a relationship, health scares, or just general stress, we have to step back, give it a little bit of time, and see it more clearly. Maybe it looks a little murky now, but if we give it time to process, we'll see a clearer picture, a lighter shade of paint, a green and brown cupcake. We'll be able to see things more clearly, for what they are. We know that God will help us through anything, but sometimes what we need most is to get out of that close up view and let God handle it.

Maybe after that, we'll be able to see that, yes, things will all work out:

Blue and purple cupcakes!

Taste and see that the Lord is good!

from Psalm 34:8

Tag Sale Miracles

From the World English Dictionary,

Miracle (n.):
 1. an event that is contrary to the established laws of nature and attributed to a supernatural cause
 2. any amazing or wonderful event
 3. a person or thing that is a marvelous example of something
 4. short for miracle play
 5. (modifier) being or seeming a miracle

Today, my family and I held a tag sale. As I said before, it was very much last minute. On Thursday, we decided it was going to happen and began picking things out around the house and pricing items. On Friday, we hung signs and priced items (though most of the day was spent working) and then packed up the car in the middle of the night. This morning, at 8 AM, we drove our goods over to our aunt's house and unloaded everything in her driveway. We had our first customers shortly after the tag sale opened for business.

I started this blog by defining miracles because what I saw from strangers today was just that. I made up signs telling people that the money from this tag sale would help pay for books  for my first semester at seminary. And people were interested. People traded their quarters for my knick knacks, and before they departed they'd leave me with their blessings - "Good luck!" was a favorite, "It is a wonderful thing you're doing," or something similar was another; one woman told me, "It'll be hard work, what you're doing, but it's the best work you can do."  I really mean it when I say that support in spirit, even a quick blessing, is one of the most amazing things you can give to someone. And while each of these interactions was an amazing or wonderful event, there were a few instances today where I met people who really were marvelous examples of God's love between strangers others, this is one that especially touched my heart:

These two girls, who must have been about ten years old, came during a lull in the tag sale. Right away, they came to the table where I was and looked at the miniature figurines I had pulled out of a box in the basement and bought all of them at 25 cents a pop. They noticed my signs and the article from the paper on the table and asked me about school. I told them, "I want to be a pastor. I'm trying to raise money to help with supplies for the fall semester." They gave me big smiles and went off to deliberate over the other items that we'd managed to dig up out of the dark recesses of cellar. These girls had brought about $20 to the tag sale, and they picked up some keychains and chotchkes that caught their eye, and some craft supplies for their mom. They came over and made a second purchase, then went off and mulled over the tables and blankets full of items some more. They picked up a charcoal drawing I had done of a ballerina, priced at one dollar. They came over to the table and said,

 "We'd like to pay $5.50 for this. To help you with school." 

Well, when you're ten years old, it takes a long time to earn twenty dollars - that's a lot of washed dishes, walked dogs, and room cleaning. And I know they could have bought at least two ice creams each off the ice cream truck. Instead, they gave everything they had, and they didn't expect anything in return.

I offer a word of thanks for these two amazing girls, whose love is overflowing; their goodwill and kindness - what they may have thought was just a small, nice thing to do - means so much. Thank you!

Until next time, peace & blessings!

-Maddie-

Tag Sales and Tea

Hi all,

Just a reminder for the Last Minute Tag Sale!!

I've been pricing all day since I got out of work... I just stopped at about midnight and am loading up the car to bring it all to my aunt's driveway in the morning...

Remember

Last Minute Tag Sale

9 AM - 2 PM  (Saturday, August 13)

48 Harrison Road in North Branford

There's tons of crafts stuff, fabric, video games, movies, books, accessories, misc. household items, and more! There's also going to be some handmade items.

All the money we raise tomorrow will go into my graduate school fund.

But now I'm going to have a cup of tea and go to bed...

Photo: We Heart It

Peace,

Maddie