Farnham & St. John's

Torrence's Weekly Message

Trees of Biblical Proportions And by “proportions” I don’t necessarily mean physical size. This morning I’m pondering these Biblical images: the tree in the center of the Garden of Eden in Genesis, the first book of the Bible; the tree planted by water and thriving even during droughts in Psalm 1 and Old Testament Jeremiah; the mustard seed become shrub growing into a tree of shade and sustenance for other living creatures in one of Jesus’ well known parables; the fig tree withered or mulched for one more year in the Gospels; and ultimately, in a concluding chapter in the final book of the Bible (The Revelation to John) the two trees on either side of the river of life whose leaves are prophesied to bring healing to the nations.    Trees, however large or small are towering images in the Bible and for some reason have been significant and sacred images of Presence in my life since I was a child. There was a massive line of overgrown forsythia bushes lining the boundary of the house where I lived for part of my childhood. It was within the cool centered inner sanctum of their arching branches I took refuge when the conflicted “noise” of the small house in which my family lived at that time became overwhelming. As I grew older, how exquisite I found the early tiny budding of the spring flowering trees heralding that winter was about to be over. Then the flowering of the iconic dogwood, as my grandmother explained the metaphor of its flowers, cross shaped and touched with slightly indented edges to their petals, mirroring the nail marks on the hands and feet of the One on the most famous tree in the Bible, the wooden tree cross. For some reason I cannot fathom now, my “informal” snapshot in my high school yearbook among the pages of snapshots of each of the seniors was of me perched on the lower branches of one of the trees on campus. How “nerdy” of me to use that picture I thought later, but no one questioned it.   And, yes, I’ve hugged a tree. During one of the retreats I led at St. Mary’s Whitechapel on a Celtic inspired creation themed program, during a contemplative individual “take a walk or do something creative” space of time, I wrapped my arms around one of the old, old cedar trees lining the brick walk just outside that 1600’s little Colonial church. I pressed the core of me against its old wood. To this day I can remember mysteriously feeling something moving within it: some pulse like flowing aliveness. Startled, I pressed closer, sensed some life flow within it mirroring the life flow in me. Whatever in me and in it joined in a flowing rhythm and I experienced some primal “peace.” I clung to it.   “Be like a tree planted by water,” the prophet Jeremiah urges in our lectionary passages a couple of Sundays ago, intentionally reminding the devastated about to be exiled people of Israel of a line in the first Psalm of their Hebrew Scriptures.

Which brings me to my tree, standing tall a couple of feet from the shoreline of the river flowing in front of my little home. It is an ever-green one, broad branched and an icon for Presence: protective, loving, totally constantly present to me and my life, sheltering me and the home I live in or come home too after being away. No, I haven’t actually hugged it, but I feel it embracing and sustaining my life. Or rather the Whatever, All in All Divine One, using it to remind me of the ever living Presence in each and yet all of its “created” life forms. The Presence, flowing through all of creation to serve the Divine purpose of connecting me, you and all other created life within a network, a luminous web designed to be conduits of a flowing Divine “life force.” I offer a picture of “my” tree (of course here before I came here and will be here some day when I leave here) with this reflection. I also offer another picture evidencing how this “tree” connection seems to run in my family in a second picture showing my daughter, Torre sitting in her morning meditation on Lion Rock on the other side of the world last summer in Sri Lanka. When she sent it to me, I found great comfort and joy

 seeing my child, so very, very tiny in the picture, sheltered by the overarching arms of a massive tree. The Presence of the Source and Sustainer of all of life offers its Presence of universal yet very particularized love to yet another child of the universe, wherever they may be. Here, a child who also happens to be a child held within my heart.    We are each and all a child of the Universe. How can we not know how precious each of us is in the heart of the Divine as we contemplate our place, our interwoven-ness in the Creation in which we have been birthed? One within which we called by a Divine Nature flowing within all of nature, to explore and live into becoming the beautiful “being” the One that created us envisions.    May it be so – for you, for me and for all whom we love . . . .   Torrence

Bible Quote Blessed are those who trust in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious and it does not cease to bear fruit.   Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NRSV) Poetry Quote (fragments pieced together from the poem "Trees" by Mary Oliver ) Around me the trees stir and call out. The light flows from their branches. "It's simple," they say," and you too have come into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled with light and to shine."

To communicate feedback, comments, observations, or reflections you may have as a result of reading these weekly messages, click here to E-mail Torrence directly. She welcomes the dialog, as it stimulates her creative process. A reply to this E-pistle goes to the church secretary , who welcomes dialog for her consumption, but is not comfortable being in the middle of your correspondence with Torrence.

Announcements

The Junior Beta Convention was held at the Hampton Convention Center on February 13th and 14th. Richmond County Middle School competed in several categories at the convention. Grace Heltzel and her team took 2nd place in the Marketing competition. Elena Milsted and her teammate took 1st place in the Book Battle.   Link to winners:   What is Beta Club? The National Beta Club is the largest independent, non-profit, educational youth organization in America. And for more than 80 years, it has prepared today's students to be tomorrow's leaders. MISSION STATEMENT To promote the ideals of academic achievement, character, service and leadership among elementary and secondary school students.  ACHIEVEMENT - Recognizing and honoring high academic achievement   CHARACTER - Preparing young people for life and empowering them to be successful   LEADERSHIP - Developing the leaders of tomorrow  SERVICE - Demonstrating our motto : Let Us Lead by Serving Others Congratulations, Grace & Elena!

Celtic Reflections If you missed Torrence's reflection at Grace Church Kilmarnock's service on Sunday evening, the text is here I also offer a reflection offered February 10 th at St. Stephen's (Richmond) by Robert Birdsey. link.  Reflections at either church are mostly from ordinary lay folks in the parish, but occasionally from ordinary people who just happen to sometimes wear a “collar” but not on such evenings.  Instructions to do this are somewhat like this: short, about 5 minutes or less; make it personal, intimate, about an event in your life; don’t sound like a theologian.

Upcoming Musical Events This Friday, February 22 nd at 7 p.m. , St. Stephen's in Richmond is proud to present Mozart's Requiem featuring the St. Stephen's choir in concert with members of the R ichmond Symphony . Tickets are $25 ($15 for students) and can be purchased on-line through St. Stephen's web-site , Saturday March 16 at 7:30 there is a Duke Ellington Tribute at Northumberland HS as part of the Rappahannock Concert Series. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the Rappahannock Concerts web-site here. Fri March 22 at 7:30 the Northern Neck Orchestra will perform Haydn and Copland (with The Chesapeake Chorale) at Lancaster Middle School. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased here Sat March 23 at 7:30 , there is a repeat performance at Northumberland HS $30 tickets   Saturday April 20 at 7:30    clarinetist Maksim Shtrykov and pianist Misuzu Tanaka will perform  at Northumberland HS. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased here.

This week

Bible Study Tuesday evening February 19 th B L & C Noon to 1 on Thursday February 21 st

Supper at 5:30 ~ Study at 6:15 and tonight we begin the Prophets All are welcome! Bag Lunch & Conversation the role of church and volunteers in the Community

Farnham Vestry Meeting Wednesday, Feb. 20th at 7:00 p.m. PNNMP Board Meeting Thursday, Feb. 21st at 10:30 a.m. Farnham ECW Meeting Thursday, Feb. 21st at 6:00 p.m.

On Next Month's Lenten Calendar

Farnham & St. John's Mar. 5 th     5:30 p.m.   Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper at St. John's Mar. 6 th      Ash Wednesday services : noon at St. John's, 5 p.m. at Farnham A Creative Journey thru Lent During Lent 2019 we will explore ways to connect with the Holy through creative expression. How this can happen with such ordinary things like words, wood, sound, the landscape around us and food will be the subject of Friday evenings in Lent. Our guides will be some special “artists” as they craft experiences for us to tap into our creative and meaning making nature. Each evening will include: 6:00 p.m. supper (potluck except for April 12th) ; 7:00-8:00 p.m. presentation; 8:00 p.m. – 8:15 p.m. closing compline/benediction. Each evening will take place at St. John’s. The dates are as follows: Friday, March 15 th    Friday, March 22 nd    Friday, March 29 th    Friday, April 5 th   Friday, April 12 th Click here for a description of each week's event. Richmond County Ministerial Association (RCMA) Lenten Season The theme for this year's Richmond County Ministerial Association's Lenten Season is the Voices of Holy Week The services are Sunday evenings at 7:00 p.m. Each sermon/ monologue will be from the perspective of a character in the narrative of Holy Week. The offering each Sunday night will go to RCMA Benevolence fund.   Mar 10 - Warsaw United Methodist Church Rev. Donald Bowen “The thief that had a change of heart”   March 17 - Cobham Park Baptist Church Revs. Kenny and Leslie Park “Judas Iscariot and his mother”   March 24 – New Zion Baptist Church Rev. Daniel Burch “Pontius Pilate”   March 31 – Rappahannock Baptist Church Rev. Gernard Reed “Barabbas”   April 7 – North Farnham Episcopal Church Rev. David Johnson “Joseph of Arimathea”   April 14 – Warsaw Baptist Church Rev. Torrence Harman “Mary Magdalene”

In the Church

Lessons for February 24th

(updated) Service Assistants' calendar

Sunday February 24 th Epiphany VII Morning Prayer  9:00 a.m. at Farnham 11:00 a.m. at St. John 's Sunday March 3 rd Epiphany VIII Holy Eucharist   9:00 a.m. at Farnham 11:00 a.m. at St. John's

Wednesday March 5 th Ash Wednesday the Imposition of Ashes 12:00 noon at St. John's 5:00 p.m. at Farnham Sunday March 10 th last Sunday of Epiphany Morning Prayer  9:00 a.m. Morning Prayer at Farnham 11:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist at St. John's

In the Parish Hall

Come Worship With Us Sunday Service this week 9:00 a.m. Farnham Church Farnham 11:00 a.m. St. John's Church Warsaw

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