Godsome Moment #9: Kindness is No Accident

From Joe Culp

The story goes on August 1st 2008, 4 weeks following the Sudden Passing of my Mom Laura on July 5, 2008, my Family and I were on our way up to Parry Sound Ontario, to the Family reunion in hopes that we can put this whole Life Altering Expirience behind us.  However that wasn't what was meant to be.  On this August Afternoon of 2008.  We were nearing Home to Parry Sound Ontario along a Secondary Muskoka District Road #3 aka The Aspdin Road between Huntsville and Rosseau Ontario near the Community of Hekkla. 

What seemed like a very quiet Drive in the Country turned into an experience that forever changed my Life.  I was in the Vehicle with My Dad, My 2 Nephews Chris and Alex and my niece Kyra when my Dad lost control of the Minivan and we went right into a Soft Shoulder.  The Van took 3 big Bounces before hitting something Hard in the Ditch, and each Bounce started sending Pains in my Ribs. When the Van came to a complete stop, The Impact sent a big pound into my chest, which knocked the wind was knocked right out of me and for a moment I was Unconscious.   When I woke, My One Nephew was screaming and I realized my dad wasn't in the Vehicle.  After losing my Mom...I was really afraid that he was gone as well!  .Then I realized I had gotten hurt by the Seatbelt and the Impact of the Crash and I couldn't Move.  My sister in Law and a Stranger had to pull me out of the vehicule not just any Stranger...He was a Vacationing Paramedic From Kitchener Ontario who happened to witnessed the Crash and came to our Aid.  This individual along with another Good Samaritan watched over me until Help arrived 13 Minutes later since Nearby Huntsville Ontario was only about 18km's from where the Crash was.  As I was being loaded up in an Ambulance all Dad could say to me was "You go with these Guys". 

At first I didn't realise that my family wasn't with me, and I feared that I was never gonna see my Family again.  I thought that maybe my Mom who died 4 weeks previously was calling me up to join her but while in that Ambulance I could hear the words in my Mind...SORRY SON...I'M JUST NOT READY TO WELCOME YOU YET...YOUR CHURCH MEMBERS STILL NEED YOU!!!

While at the Hospital My Cousin and my sister in Law had came to be with me, since Dad had to stay with the Accident.  I was going through Treatments of Minor Injuries suffered in the Crash ranging from Busted Ribs and Chest Trauma...the one thing that was running through my mind was "My weekend was gonna be ruined and I wasn't going to be able to be with my Family at all at the Campsite Reunion, as the Minutes turned into Hours at the hospital. 

Finally  after the Doctor's and Nurses delivered the News that everything was alright, I was released from the Hospital and thereafter got to be on my way to be with my Family at The Family reunion.   Once I got there the First thing I wanted to do most was "BLOW BUBBLES TO THE KIDS" and they were Glad I did!

Although my weekend full of doing the things I love most such as Swim, Play Boccee Ball, etc was shot because of the accident- The Point was I WAS ABLE TO BE WITH MY FAMILY TO HOST THE SATURDAY NIGHT TALENT SHOW AND BLOW BUBBLES TO THE KIDS AMD FEEL RIGHT AT HOME IN BEAUTIFUL PARRY SOUND COUNTRY ON DUCK LAKE!!!

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Godsome Moment #8 :Opening the Door to a New Face

By Joe Culp

On this Evening of August 3rd 2010...

I happened to be setting up for our Summer VBS program we held on Wednesday Nights that Summer of 2010 inside our Church and then the Church Door Bell Rang.  When I went up to answer the Door there was a certain Person I had never met before.   When I said "Hi...May I Help You?!!!" she replied..."Hi, Yes" and then that was when she told me who she was- and who was it?!!! It was our new Minister The Reverend Cathy Russell, and to my surprise I was not only answering the door to someone I've never seen before I was answering the Door to our Newest member of the Church!  Not just any New Member, the Reverend Cathy Russell.  After returning home from Parry Sound a day and a half later I said to myself “Good thing I was back to meet her and let her in.”  What a great co-incidence, eh?!  And two weeks after that, Reverend Cathy was official to us.  Welcome to St. Matthew’s Rev. Cathy Russell!

 

Godsome Moment #7: The Future is Now

By John F. Dugggan

The Bay of Quinte Conference Annual Meeting CAM 2011 is taking place at Cambridge Street United Church in Lindsay.  The theme is the Tree of Life.  The theme presenter is the present moderator of the United Church of Canada, Marti Tindal.  

Running parallel to the general conference is the Youth Conference.  Marly Bown and David Kai Numbers of those attending the youth portion are up from last year.  50 or so in 2010 and 60 plus in 2011.  The youth and the adults associated with the youth forum follow a separate program that intersects at points with the general conference.  The youth bring energy to the event and put on view their capacity for leadership.  Some members of the youth section are also voting members in the court of the Conference. 

I am one of the leaders of the small groups of youth -- identified under the sycamore tree.  The first evening the group members shared something about background and current interests.  They talk about "social justice" and "care for the environment" as personal priorities.

 

There is so much happening here.  Michiko is flamboyant in striped pajama trousers.  She is leading Yoga before breakfast.  Later she is Spanish style long black skirt topped by a turquoise shirt.  She is a student of politics at Western and has just returned from a group trip to El Salvador and Guatemala.  We played with a Spanish language conversation over over pita supper last evening.

Jonathan (Jon) rapidly develops on all fronts.  He has plans to replace his riding's M.P., if not four years, then eight years from now.  At 17 he has time to make long range plans.  His guitar skills advance and he leads us in a jam session of Beatle songs.

The volume of conversation rises in the rooms.  We learn various techniques for gaining silence -- hand raised up, mouth closed shut.  Shy youth learn to speak.    The group show insight and compassion.  Being with them lifts me up.

 

Godsome Moment #6: A Banner Day

We wear ribbons for all kinds of worthy causes these days- pink for breast cancer, yellow for soldiers serving overseas, red for HIV/AIDS, purples for epilepsy.  Today, John and I were part of a huge ribbon that stretched over 700 feet and several blocks.  This huge ribbon made up of over 170 banners from across the country was an initiative of Kairos Canada a Christian Justice organisation.  The banners displayed images and messages of solidarity with our First Nations people, and called on the Canadian government to implement the articles of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (which turns into the rather  unfortunate acronym of UNDRIP) 

We marched carrying the banners from Victoria Island to Parliament Hill and then to the Human Rights Monument.  There were singers, drummers and speech makers.  But for me, the most impressive statement and the most moving was the banners themselves- small lengths of fabric from all across the country-Halifax NS , Victoria BC, Calgary AB, Nunavut, Belleville, ON, Montreal QC and many points in between.  

Before the march began I wandered  through the many rows of banners joined together on the ground, and I was awestruck by the variety of creativity, colours, images and words, all on the same theme of solidarity with First Nations.   Each banner tells a story- or rather two stories- a story about the group who made it and a story of their prayers for their First Nations brothers and sisters. The groups are Christians- United Churches, Anglicans, Lutherans, Roman Catholics, Christian Reformed and Presbyterian.  They are Unitarians and Quakers, Karios Chapters, Unions and NGOs.  The prayers are for basic equality in areas like education, clean water and health care, and for recognition of land claims and treaty rights.   Though you would never have known it from our most recent election these things matter to many Canadians.   One banner stops me in my tracks- its message so profound and so simple “God's love is more powerful than racism.”  It’s a perfect summary of Paul’s words to the Romans- For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 8:38

Today, surrounded by people and messages of faith and solidarity and good will, I am proud to be a Christian, a member of Kairos Quinte, a United Church minister, and a Canadian, even though I know we are still a long way from God’s kingdom come.  Speaker Cindy Blackstock, from the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada summed it up for me- “Canada is a great country, but we can be better.”  May God make it truly so!

Godsome Moment #5: A Bird Named Easter

From Cathy Russell

I still don’t know how I saw it.  Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am notoriously unobservant.  A whole building could disappear from a city block and I might not notice for weeks.  But on that Easter Sunday as I walked down a busy downtown Toronto Street, with my brother Luke, my husband John and my dog Ruby I did notice out of the corner of my eye, a splash of brilliant almost neon yellow on the far side of street.  I kept looking.  What is that- is that a bird?  I asked my brother.  “No I don’t think so, I think it’s just a piece of garbage.”  And then the splash of yellow moved.  I was sure it was a bird- a budgie, and it was in real peril sitting in the road, on the far edge of the bike lane on Sherbourne St.   “Here” I said handing my brother the dog’s leash, and the next thing I knew I had crossed the road, removed my sweater and scooped up a little yellow and green budgie- whom I immediately christened Easter.

We got Easter a box, and some twigs, and gave him some water and some spinach out of my brother’s fridge.  At first we thought he was injured and couldn’t fly- but we discovered how wrong we were when he flew out of the box and landed first on my shoulder, then on Luke’s and then on John’s- chirping happily.  Who knew budgies were so sociable?

Luke, being the man of conscience that he is, put an ad on Craig’s List- Found Budgie, along with a photo, where and when the bird was found and Luke’s e-mail.  The next day, I bought Easter a cage, a couple of perches, some bird food, even some bird toys.  The following morning I took the bird to the vet for a check-up- everything looked good- and I went home sure that my brother now had himself a bird. 

But as it turns out, Easter’s family, a couple of guys in the neighbourhood, were desperately seeking their little feathered friend who is something of an escape artists.  They saw Luke's ad on Craig's List, and they contacted my brother..  After sending some photos to confirm it was the same bird, they came over to be blissfully reunited with their budgie- whose real name turned out to be- and I am not making this up- Cujo.   They reimbursed us for the cage and supplies and the vet visit, and even arranged with the local pet store that Luke can pick out his own budgie for FREE if he ever decides to get one. 

It’s such a great, improbable story of danger, tragic loss and joyful reunion, and extreme gratitude over a three day period- and it all began on Easter Sunday.  Call me crazy, but I just can't say it was coincidence.  Instead, I'd say it was a tiny miracle, a real life, feathered parable of resurrection, and an Easter present I will never forget.

Godsome Moment #4: Youth-full Consolation

From John F. Duggan

Cathy's invitation to speak in Sunday's service about a moment of being graced leads me to think about a phrase -- "consolation without cause." What is meant by the phrase "consolation without cause"? It refers to a religious experience that goes beyond antecedent conditions. In other words, I feel deeply consoled and it's not because I had a good night's sleep, nor is it because a friend told me I was a fine person, nor is it because of listening to music nor eating a delicious meal. This graced moment is not something that I did. It is an experience that happened to me. I recall that when we trained as spiritual directors the question we were to ask of people in direction was what happened to them. We did not ask what they did during their time of prayer; we asked what happened to them.

For the person experiencing "consolation without cause," the experience can support the choice of a particular course of action. Of course, I have to take care to not read too much into the meaning of the "consolation" event. The idea is to keep watch for a pattern of consolation- and to ask what insight I can gain from this pattern.

In the service I spoke of a recent experience of a graced moment, an experience of "consolation without cause." The experience of being touched, consoled in the Holy Spirit, occurred at Bay of Quinte Conference Annual Meeting in the church in Lindsay last weekend. I was sitting in the upper balcony of the church at the edge of the group of young people attending the Youth Forum connected to the Conference. I had too little sleep the night before and was not particularly interested in the prolonged discussion taking place in the assembly below. Suddenly I felt a touch of peace and joy. I asked myself -- where did that come from?

After the experience I asked myself whether it was a sign that I was in the right place? Did it mean that working with youth was a calling for me at this point in my life?  Maybe? I will have to test out this possibility, and see whether there are further moments of consolation confirming decisions I make along this path.

Godsome Moment #3: The Turtles of Turtle Island

John F. Duggan

Godsome Moment #3: The Turtles of Turtle Island

John F. Duggan

Turtles!!!  Cathy, Ruby the dog and I were out in the canoe in and around the Belleville marina.  Just in front of the shoreline by the Ramada Inn there is a brakewater made up of old tires.  As we drew closer, I caught a glimpse of something on top of the tires.  "Oh-look at the turtles!"  I said!  'Where?"  Cathy asked and then a moment later she saw them too. 

 

There must have been well over100 turtles basking in the sun.  

As we paddled closer, I recalled reading about North America as Turtle Island. A native elder had told the creation story about the land being built on the back of a great turtle. A child listening asked the logical question: What is below the turtle? The elder had answered: "It's turtles all the way down."

Watching the basking turtles slipping warily one after the other into the water I had the sense that I was close to the native story of creation. The backs of the turtles were shaped like maps criss-crossed by river-like lines on the rounded shells. As far as I can tell, most of the turtles we saw are what are called the northern "map turtle".

Now my imagination takes me back to the time when the people who invented the canoe paddled these waters. For years now the canoe has been a "sacred" vehicle for me. When I get into the canoe, I slip away from the cares of my everyday life and into the luminous places of creation. The canoe is the perfect entrance into this world away from cars and trucks and noise, quiet and close to the water and little disturbance to the creatures who draw life here.

Even so, the sight of so many of these turtles is a surprise and a gift.

It wasn't so long ago that the mouth of the Moira river was the home of the Mississauga Ojibway. Was it only last year that there was a money settlement of a land claim that took in most of downtown Belleville?

This coming Monday June 20 at 10 a.m. Cathy, Ruby the dog and I will be on Parliament Hill to unfurl a banner as KAIROS gathers us to show our support for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Canada has finally signed on to the Declaration and the effort now is to generate public support so that the promise of the Declaration will be fulfilled in the lives of our Aboriginal peoples. We have received so much from these ancestors who lived so close to the earth on Turtle Island.

Meegsha! (Ojibway word meaning Amen!)

Godsome Moment #2: Sticky Fingers, Open Hearts, Generous Hands

Glenn Fillatre

About a year ago,  I decided to try and come up with another fundraiseing event for the church.  The cookbooks had been a big success, so I wanted to try something new.  I came up with the idea of an Artisan and Crafters show and sale- something a little different from the typical Christmas craft sale.  I had no idea how much work was invovled- promotions, attracting exhibitors, advertising, alloting space, prices to charge, etc.  

I travelled The County with flyers, attended different show, visited different craft stores and got to work on plans.  I was really worried that there woudln't be enough exhibitors to make it worthwile, so my nerves started to act up.  I lost a lot of sleep.  It was on my mind 24/7.  Finally the time came to put it all together and the the show opened on November 27.

During the first night of the show, one of the cash boxes containng the entry fee at the front door went missing.  I'm not sure how it happend or who was responsible.  We had a suspicion, but no proof.  Everyone was upset.  My first reation was "who would do that?"  But after a  while I thought "Well, mayber whoever took it needed the money more than we did."  Of course, all this added to the stress of the first show!

Well, somehow, word got out among the exhibitors, and the next day, one of them presented me with a shoebox.  I opened it and it contained $75.  The exhibitors had taken it upon themselves to replace the missing money!

This gesture totally shocked me and I broke down.  Some stress was relieved, but it was a very emotional day, and by Saturday night, I was quite exhausted. When I told the congregation the story the next morning in church, I had tears in my eyes. 

The show was a success financially, and many of the exhibitors asked me to reserve them a spot for next year. 

God was surely watching over us and I pray that next year's sale will be blessed as well.

Godsome #1: More Than Enough- Always!

From Lenore Dixon

I subsrcibe to a weekly electronic newlsetter.  On Feb 7 2011,  10:30 am, I received a newsletter entitled, "What mind messages guide your attitude toward abundance or lack of abundance in your life?"

I "listened" for that internal reply and heard this recurrent phrase, "I won't have enough to make my commitments." That phrase is always in my consciousness.

I "listened" once again and heard this counter question, "when have you not had enough?" Mmm, I reflected for a few moments and the reply was, "I've ALWAYS had enough!"--I had never thought about that before.

And then I heard yet another message, "YOU WILL HAVE ENOUGH!" It was good news.

However, the bigger impact of this message came 12 hours later at 10:30 pm when I received a phone call that said I had been laid off from my job without notice!

I now knew why the earlier message had come to me. I gave thanks for that earlier message. But, this is not the final message; a few weeks later, an insert in the weekly church bulletin was titled, MORE THAN ENOUGH! It was a  language I understood, "you will have MORE THAN ENOUGH!"

A few weeks later, I was considering how I could cut back on my obligations.  I decided I could stop going to the gymn.  This did not make me happy- I love going to the gym!  I went in to tell them that I was giving up my membership.  The staff said "stop right there!"  The long term trainers have the option of giving away a $200 gift certificate, and I received one of these without even having to ask.  The message was confirmed again- MORE THAN ENOUGH!

Soli Deo Gloria--To God alone be the glory!

Not Just Awesome, Godsome!

A Godsome Moment is a tiny moment of grace, a moment when we feel the blessing of being alive and we are aware of the presence of God.  It could be a moment in nature- a perfect snowfall, an elusive blue bunting at your birdfeeder, a glorious sunset.

It could be a moment when a stranger told you the blouse you tried on was just the right colour for you, or when a neighbour shovelled your driveway when you were at work. 

It could be a moment with a family member- when your grandchild wrote an essay for school about how you were his hero, or the crazy dance you and your cousins made up for the family reunion talent show.

 It could be a moment at church- when everyone was singing one of your favourite hymns with such energy it made all the hair on the back of your neck stand up and your eyes get misty. 

It could be in the midst of a really hard moment, when a friend came round with a casserole and a friendly ear after you got the news of that terrrifying diagnoses.

These are the cracks that let the light in, the moments of epiphany of kairos, when we feel our Spirits touched by the Holy Spirit of God. 

This is a place to share these moments with one another.  We hope that the time you spend here, offering your own Godsome Moments and reading those offered by others will lead to a greater sense of just how Godsome this world and our life together, really is, even amidst all the trials and tribulations.

Godsome Moments originated with St. Matthew's United Church, Belleville, ON, but we hope that we will hear about Godsome moments far beyond our own community.  

To submit your own Godsome Moment e-mail me, Cathy Russell
@ mydogisruby@hotmail.com