The Pilgrim Prayer
Guardian of my soul, guide me on my way this day. Keep me safe from harm. Deepen my relationship with you, your Earth, and all your family. Strengthen your love within me that I may be a presence of your peace in our world. Amen. -------Tom Pfeffer & Joyce Rupp
Next Sunday we will baptize the grandson of one of our members. As is our custom now, we charge the parents to retell the story of their child's baptism annually on its anniversary. We give them letters from church members, a candle, a certificate, and a baby blanket woven by ladies in the church. I've done this for many years throughout my ministry. I don't know till this day if any parents ever actually follow through with the re-telling.
Yet in this simple act the seeds of faith are sown. Never will the child be able to undo the vows his parents and now church family make on his behalf. He may disown them, neglect them, forget them, or never be told about them, but that will never undo them. We as a community of faith and family of faith set out intentionally to nurture him within a community of love and Godly grace. Some days we do a better job than others. Whether those sown seeds fall on fertile ground or among thickets and thorns isn't our question. Our faithfulness is to offer our hand as he now finds his way in life as a fellow pilgrim.
"Each of us has a camino, a road of life. This road allows us access to the spiritual richness of those who traveled before us and those who travel with us now." (p.32) With each step toward our destinations, we partake of the richness, legacy, inspiration, triumph and tragedy of those who have gone before. With each step we take we can sense the sacred if we are open and attentive. After all God created the Earth we walk upon and last time I checked God pronounced it good! Walking upon it has much to teach us if we open our eyes, our hearts and souls. And it's not just the Earth that teaches us.
The communty of the pilgram nurtures and molds us. The community of fellow pilgrims, whether to Santiago, Spain or among the Epworth UMC members or the church Universal or the neighborhood pub teaches us life lessons of grace or judgmentalism, love or indifference, compassion or cynicism. What kind of learners are we? At the end of each day, what have learned? What has changed our minds, our hearts, our beliefs about God's action and human nature? Do we have a new understanding of the obstacles between ourselves and God, ourselves and others, or even ourselves with ourselves? Or is our pilgrimage one where these obstacles are being overcome and our relationships with God, others and self are being deepened and boradened? At the of the day, do we personify love in all its forms more and more or do we draw back because the risk of loving and trusting is too great? Are we more vulnerable and trusting with God, others and self or do we still hold up barriers because of an over riding beielf that once burnt twice shy? Each of us has to answer for ourselves.
Our pilgrimage isn't about something that is right or wrong or good or bad. Our pilgrimage is about what is instilled within us to share with others as we summit the moutaintops, traverse the valleys, soar with eagles or dwell in the abyss. Our pilgrimage is a journey not so much of self-discovery as it is an ever growing awareness of our ecology with the Divine and one another. On this good day, may we each walk in a relaxed manner and partake of the lessons readily offered!
Vaya con Dios!
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Friday, March 28, 2014
Backyard Pilgrimage by Rev. Tom Richards
No long journey, I take my
pilgrimage in the backyard.
It's not that I believe it
to be holier ground then
vacant lot across the street,
but that, for me, it's where I
was hijacked by a miracle.
One chilly fall evening,
I took my melot on the
veranda and sat relaxed.
On the top stone of the pond,
a prairie wolf sat smiling
while a chipmunk and squirrel
played without fear at its feet.
A plump dove settled on its
white mangy head undisturbed
and the surrounding world seemed
caught in a gigantic gawk.
Later, it came to me, that I
had stumbled into the presence
of the peacable Kingdom.
March 2014
This poem was a gift from one of my clergy colleagues among a group of local pastors we call "Da Group" for lack of anything better. We are made up of Lutherans, Roman Catholic, Disciples of Christ, Quakers and Methodist faith traditions. We meet monthly to share community, tell stories of ministry and support one another in countless ways. Unique personalities each, we have in common Christian faith and an intentional life of living that faith in response to God's love and grace.
Tom said his poem was inspired by my decision to commit to the pilgrimage to Santiago. It speakes well of the reality that each of us has all we need to experience the "peacable Kingdom" right where we are. So why go all the way across the sea, spend a relative fortune, learn a new language and culture, walk 500+ miles to say nothing of the miles walked in training. and risk failure?
The easy answer is I don't know. The deeper answer is that when God calls us to pilgrimage it always involves something beyond ourselves and our present abilities. It requires total reliance upon and trust in God. At the same time, it requires full personal engagement in the journey with all that that entails. For it is not the destiantion that is important. Whether I arrive at Santiago, Spain or Glendale shopping center, the pilgrimage, the journey itself is where the life lessons come from. Maybe I'm drawn to Santiago because St James is the patron saint of knights and soldiers and my DNA was nurtured within a military life in the early years. Maybe I'm drawn to the El Camino because of the parallel pilgrimage my church is on, i.e. becoming a new church for the 21st century, with new vision, new life together, new ministries, new understandings of who we are as People of God. Both pilgrimages require reliance upon God, full engagement in the journey, adventure, courage and risk. Both have the naysayer and the Barnabas'. At the end of the day, perhaps all we can do is answer God's call with "here am I" and hold on tight for the experience of dead bones being made alive, lives molded and shaped in The potter's hands, and even resurrection itself.
No long journey, I take my
pilgrimage in the backyard.
It's not that I believe it
to be holier ground then
vacant lot across the street,
but that, for me, it's where I
was hijacked by a miracle.
One chilly fall evening,
I took my melot on the
veranda and sat relaxed.
On the top stone of the pond,
a prairie wolf sat smiling
while a chipmunk and squirrel
played without fear at its feet.
A plump dove settled on its
white mangy head undisturbed
and the surrounding world seemed
caught in a gigantic gawk.
Later, it came to me, that I
had stumbled into the presence
of the peacable Kingdom.
March 2014
This poem was a gift from one of my clergy colleagues among a group of local pastors we call "Da Group" for lack of anything better. We are made up of Lutherans, Roman Catholic, Disciples of Christ, Quakers and Methodist faith traditions. We meet monthly to share community, tell stories of ministry and support one another in countless ways. Unique personalities each, we have in common Christian faith and an intentional life of living that faith in response to God's love and grace.
Tom said his poem was inspired by my decision to commit to the pilgrimage to Santiago. It speakes well of the reality that each of us has all we need to experience the "peacable Kingdom" right where we are. So why go all the way across the sea, spend a relative fortune, learn a new language and culture, walk 500+ miles to say nothing of the miles walked in training. and risk failure?
The easy answer is I don't know. The deeper answer is that when God calls us to pilgrimage it always involves something beyond ourselves and our present abilities. It requires total reliance upon and trust in God. At the same time, it requires full personal engagement in the journey with all that that entails. For it is not the destiantion that is important. Whether I arrive at Santiago, Spain or Glendale shopping center, the pilgrimage, the journey itself is where the life lessons come from. Maybe I'm drawn to Santiago because St James is the patron saint of knights and soldiers and my DNA was nurtured within a military life in the early years. Maybe I'm drawn to the El Camino because of the parallel pilgrimage my church is on, i.e. becoming a new church for the 21st century, with new vision, new life together, new ministries, new understandings of who we are as People of God. Both pilgrimages require reliance upon God, full engagement in the journey, adventure, courage and risk. Both have the naysayer and the Barnabas'. At the end of the day, perhaps all we can do is answer God's call with "here am I" and hold on tight for the experience of dead bones being made alive, lives molded and shaped in The potter's hands, and even resurrection itself.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Being new to blogging the first questions are what and how to share? Seems too mundane just to report miles walked, pounds lost or fears confronted and mountaintops ascended. Why would anyone read such? What benefit would be there be for others? Who would care?
So I've decided to organize the next few months musings within the context of preparing to prepare a proposal for a Lilly Clergy Renewal Grant to fund the actual walking El Camino de Santiago in 2016. Google Lilly Clergy Renewal Grant program for details. The proposal is a joint effort between myself and the church I serve Epworth UMC, Indianapolis, IN. The grant proposal must be submitted to Lilly by early 2015 for them to make a decision in late summer 2015 for us to make the pilgrimage in 2016.
To organize my thoughts and reflections these next few months, I'll use Joyce Rupp's book, Walking In A Relaxed Manner:Life Lessons from the Camino as a beginning point. Joyce and her walking companion and friend, Tom Pfleffer drafted the following prayer and prayed it daily as they experienced a pilgrimage along El Camino a few years ago: The Pilgrim Prayer Guardian of my soul, guide me on my way this day. Keep me safe from harm. Deepen my relationship with you, your Earth, and all your family. Strengthen your love within me that I may be a presence of your peace in our world. Amen.
Joyce notes the descriptions of Joseph Campbell of a mythic hero "as someone who ends a journey with one of two kinds of heroic acts: a physical act in which the individual gives his or her life in sacrifice for others, or a spiritual act, in which the hero returns to share an extraordinary experience, and thus deeply benefits the community." While I'm no mythic hero, sharing with the community(s) that have shaped, molded, nurtured, taught, prayed and journeyed with me for six decades brings consolation. The calling is similar to what I experienced when I hiked the Maryland portion of theAppalachian Trail in memory of my father who worked on the AT during the Great Depression as a member of the Civilian Conservation Corps. The communities include Epworth UMC, the church I serve now, my covenant group, family, friends, clergy colleagues.
What if I could return with new insights with my lessons learned on the camino regarding church leadership in the 21st century? How could life as a pilgrim influence the church as pilgrim? Could there be new expressions of what it would be like to intentionally be a "pilgrim people?" Could there be new expressions of living generously, simply, with a sense of adventure and faith, purpose, companionship, trust and courage? Could we share our perspectives about the how of living life vs living life doing what? Let's see.
Vaya con Dios pilgrims
So I've decided to organize the next few months musings within the context of preparing to prepare a proposal for a Lilly Clergy Renewal Grant to fund the actual walking El Camino de Santiago in 2016. Google Lilly Clergy Renewal Grant program for details. The proposal is a joint effort between myself and the church I serve Epworth UMC, Indianapolis, IN. The grant proposal must be submitted to Lilly by early 2015 for them to make a decision in late summer 2015 for us to make the pilgrimage in 2016.
To organize my thoughts and reflections these next few months, I'll use Joyce Rupp's book, Walking In A Relaxed Manner:Life Lessons from the Camino as a beginning point. Joyce and her walking companion and friend, Tom Pfleffer drafted the following prayer and prayed it daily as they experienced a pilgrimage along El Camino a few years ago: The Pilgrim Prayer Guardian of my soul, guide me on my way this day. Keep me safe from harm. Deepen my relationship with you, your Earth, and all your family. Strengthen your love within me that I may be a presence of your peace in our world. Amen.
Joyce notes the descriptions of Joseph Campbell of a mythic hero "as someone who ends a journey with one of two kinds of heroic acts: a physical act in which the individual gives his or her life in sacrifice for others, or a spiritual act, in which the hero returns to share an extraordinary experience, and thus deeply benefits the community." While I'm no mythic hero, sharing with the community(s) that have shaped, molded, nurtured, taught, prayed and journeyed with me for six decades brings consolation. The calling is similar to what I experienced when I hiked the Maryland portion of theAppalachian Trail in memory of my father who worked on the AT during the Great Depression as a member of the Civilian Conservation Corps. The communities include Epworth UMC, the church I serve now, my covenant group, family, friends, clergy colleagues.
What if I could return with new insights with my lessons learned on the camino regarding church leadership in the 21st century? How could life as a pilgrim influence the church as pilgrim? Could there be new expressions of what it would be like to intentionally be a "pilgrim people?" Could there be new expressions of living generously, simply, with a sense of adventure and faith, purpose, companionship, trust and courage? Could we share our perspectives about the how of living life vs living life doing what? Let's see.
Vaya con Dios pilgrims
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Was introduced to Spanish cuisine today at BarcelonaTapas restaurant on Delaware downtown Indy. Five stars!!! Ask for Christina!!!
Church folks today offered advice re training, hiking shoes, equipment and learning Spanish. Am taking it all one stride at a time. Prayer support awesome!
Vaya con Dios!
I have committed to my covenant group and my church to walk the El Camino de Santiago in 2016. To do so requires absolute trust in God to provide the way because the obstacles to overcome are legion: funding--Lilly Renewal Grant, self, other?????, loose 80 pounds, get in shape to walk a mini-marathon daily despite bad knees and back, become somewhat proficient in Spanish--at least enough to survive.
With such reliance upon God, this isn't just a walk or a vacation experience. It's an intentional pilgrimage with God, ie being intentional about experiencing, looking for naming and claiming God in the midst of all. The blog will be a recording of thoughts, feelings, accomplishments and set backs along the way. I invite you to join me. Feel free to share whatever feedback would be helpful. Prayers are coveted. Encouragement welcome. Accountability daily.
Vaya on dios pilgrims!
With such reliance upon God, this isn't just a walk or a vacation experience. It's an intentional pilgrimage with God, ie being intentional about experiencing, looking for naming and claiming God in the midst of all. The blog will be a recording of thoughts, feelings, accomplishments and set backs along the way. I invite you to join me. Feel free to share whatever feedback would be helpful. Prayers are coveted. Encouragement welcome. Accountability daily.
Vaya on dios pilgrims!
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