Four things about me

From Jen

A) FOUR PLACES I GO OVER AND OVER: School, Church, School, the market.

B) FOUR PEOPLE WHO ENCOURAGED MY FAITH ALONG THE WAY: my parents, my science teacher Mr Park, my college lecturer Fr. John, my best friend (and no 5. my internet buddy Ian)

C) FOUR OF MY FAVORITE FOODS: roast sweet potato, lasagna, bruschetta, banana pancakes

D) FOUR PLACES I WOULD RATHER BE RIGHT NOW: on a warm northern beach, in a tent, in the bush, in bed

E) FOUR MOVIES I WOULD WATCH OVER AND OVER: The Princess Bride, Love Actually, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Alex and Emma

F)FOUR THINGS I LIKE ABOUT THE ORTHODOX CHURCH: the truth, the unchangingness, the humility of long time Orthodox Christians, the physicalness of it all

G) FOUR OF MY FAVORITE HOBBIES: gardening, writing, walking, reading

If you are reading this, you are tagged! Please be sure to post a link to your blog in the comments, so we can all read about each other.

Pentecost in Australia

Pentecost by Jacqui Grace

The colour of Pentecost for the Orthodox is green. Bright spring green as a sign of new life, growth, eternal spring, eternal new life, rebirth, regeneration. Churches are decorated all over with spring growth. I can imagine it is very beautiful. But I can only imagine, because here there are no spring flowers to bring to into the home or church.

True, I can find some camellias, azaleas and correa branches with their little red and yellow winter bells. But there is a certain incongruity in my soul, a pretending and dishonesty to celebrate new life in this way when all around the dark is closing in. I've tried to tell myself that the flowers are a sign of the Holy Spirit's new life in the midst of darkness, the spiritual reality as opposed to the physical, in the depth of winter a sign and reminder of new life. But it did not ring true.

We did bring in some camellia flowers to church Pentecost day. The children placed them at the front at the pictures of Jesus. They scattered pink petals where ever there was a flat surface to do so. But what remained in my heart, my soul, was the feeling of warmth from our camp fire the night before.

In a little hesian lined hut with no electricity we prayed together by lantern light, the room aglow with candles. Following prayer we headed to the bonfire to make chai tea, heat our dinner, chat and paint flags with images and symbols of Pentecost to some world beats. On a cold wet night it was nice to be outside, warmed by the fire, safe and peaceful in it's light in the darkness. What better symbol for the Holy Spirit than a burning fire that gives warmth, and peace in the darkness.

Our Pentecost flags, painted with symbols of the Holy Spirit and new life, we will (when I sew them on their string) hang on the walls in the church. For the moment they are pinned to the edges of tablecloths that cover the tables in the church. We've decorated the church in red, our flags and Pentecost icon add touches of yellow and gold. It's warm, and life giving.

Pentecost Resource

I've been hunting for some ideas for Pentecost. A little note I read on Pentecost says, "the church is decorated with flowers to symbolise the joy of eternal spring which started when the Holy Spirit came."

That does sound lovely, and here at the onset of winter, thoughts of eternal spring are encouraging. However, it does make it a little hard to decorate the church with flowers, when there aren't that many around.

A quick internet search came up with some great ideas for symbolic kites and candles and luminstas and ballons and banners here.

I was thinking of making some lanterns or a string Pentecost flags. To make a lantern, draw or paint on a piece of paper. Paint the paper with linseed oil on both sides. Staple two edges of the paper together to make a tube. You can simply place this tube over a candle, or staple a cardboard base to the tube and attach a handle. Make sure the handle is fairly long otherwise the heat from the candle will make holding the lantern difficult.

The Pentecost flags I am envisaging would be squares of material painted with pentecost symbols or stories and then sewn onto a string.

We will be having a bit of a bonfire and listening to some world music. I'll give you an update and some pictures soon.

Ascension celebrations

Today standing in the lovely Autumn sunshine we blew bubbles as part of our Ascension celebrations.

Our church has a deck outside, and after church we all came to be there, standing in the sunshine, watching bubbles rise in the sky.

The kids made Ascension spirals after communion. I had some thin cardboard with the outline of a circle drawn on. The kids cut out the circle, and then cut a spiral out of the paper. It works best of the spiral is thick, only going around twice. Then we poked holes in the centre, threaded some wool through the hole, and tied it onto a stick.

When the kids ran up and down the decking with their ascension spirals, they spun round and round. How lovely to hear the sound of running, laughing children in that peaceful little space between worship and rushing to make lunch, made all the better by a sun warmed face.

If the spiral is made from a foil and hung over a candle, then the air warmed by the candle will rise and cause the spiral to spiral upwards.

We had a new family at church today. Their little 2 year old followed the big kids, sitting where they were sitting, standing when they were standing, holding a candle for the gospel reading. I never cease to be amazed how still a two year old can stand when given the big responsibility of holding a candle next to the priest for the gospel reading. They seem to have such a sense of awe, of ceremony and purpose. And I never cease to be amazed how an 11 year old can have such gentleness, patience and understanding given the big responsibility of having a two year old following his every move.

Now if only I can have the same sense of awe, purpose, gentleness, patience and understanding with three little ones watching my every move as they learn how to live.