Summer Solstice
Bless the large grey owl who sits immobile glaring down at me.
Bless the conscientious robin catching worms.
Bless the smart crow tearing into garbage making mess.
Bless the mourning dove, her sadness.
Bless the hummingbirds, returned at last.
Bless the angels.
Amen.

~ Donna Sinclair, The Long View: An Elderwoman’s Book of Wisdom

Never lose a holy curiosity.

~ Albert Einstein

The focus passage, relating the story of Isaiah’s awesome and mysterious encounter with God’s presence, offers a wonderful opportunity to experience the story with all our senses. This first session in the Season after Pentecost, or Ordinary Time, has suggestions for creating an atmosphere of awe and wonder.

God calls us to lives of purpose. Today’s scripture lessons speak to us about different ways faithful people hear and respond to God’s call. The session for youth and adults offers opportunities to affirm group members wherever they are in their journeys, encouraging all to remain open to the relationship God desires with them. What are some of the ways you have experienced God? How do you listen to God’s call as your life’s story unfolds?

• Access Spirit Sightings for connections between current events and the focus passage.

• Digging Deeper: Visions of God (Adult and Ages 15-18) explores the word “theophany,” or those times when people experience God’s presence in a tangible way.
• Option: use the paraphrase “Isaiah Becomes a Prophet” (p. 126) based on Isaiah 6:1-8 or “Visit of Nicodemus” (p. 129) based on John 3:1-21 from the Lectionary Story Bible, Year B; also available as mp3 and projectable art downloads

Some of the many options for experiencing the story of Isaiah:

• Ages 3-5: encounter God’s presence through senses, abstract art and/or songs
• Ages 6-8: response centre, interviewing guests, or writing poems
• Ages 9-11: exploring God’s presence through senses, meditation
• Multiage: exploring God’s presence through senses, abstract art, interviews, poetry
• Ages 12-14: exploring experiences of God’s presence through senses, breath prayers
• Ages 15-18 experiencing the sacred through senses, breath prayers, or response centre
• Adult: exploring God’s presence and call through review of scripture, or response centre

• Response Centres: offering a variety of ways in which to respond to a story invites participants to explore the stories of God from within their own experiences. Set out a variety of craft material (suggestions are included in the session material). Create a comfortable environment by playing quiet music. Affirm all creative work, reminding the group that it is the process, not the product, that counts.
• Listen to the songs “Teach Me Wisdom” (#24) and “May You Find Peace” (#19) on the Seasons Vol. 7 Music CD; also available as mp3 downloads.

With Trinity Sunday we begin the Season after Pentecost called Ordinary Time. Prepare by reading through the session material (note the ritual and response centre suggestions), listening to the music, and looking at the posters while reading “About the Art” (p. 89).

June 10: Listening to God

(Focus: 1 Samuel 8:4-11, (12-15), 16-20, (11:14-15))

Today’s story begins with the prophet Samuel already retired after serving for many years as Israel’s judge – the highest authority in a nation loosely governed by elders of various tribes. In the story we discover impulses that resist and reject God’s good leadership and vision for our lives in the face of human ambition.

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