Reflections, Prayers and Themes

A reflection on Creation - Karen Stallard

Let’s start again.

What is hope if it is not to know that we can start all over again?
At the end of a good day we hope that the next day will be just as good.

At the end of a life we hope that the next life will be better.

We long for a better moment
We long for day when we won’t feel so anxious or tired or frightened

Sometimes things go so wrong we need to start again

The dinner is burnt, the tea is spilt, the equation is wrong.

Let’s start again.

Let’s begin our conversation again,

but take it on a different course this time so we don’t end up in the same place, having the same argument.

What are we doing when we start again?

We are creating.

We are walking a slightly different path.

We are exploring what it is like to act in a different way.

Every moment we can become a new creation - perhaps that is what the stars and the sun and the moon can do so easily.

Old light turns into new light, a new day, a new night

Let’s start again,

let’s bury ourselves deep in the ground and wait for spring;

lets see how we grow, what form we will take, the old is past, the new is up for grabs.

Even with all our limitations, even though we are creatures of habit,

The new beginnings are infinite in their possibilities.

This is our work of creation.
So let’s start again.

Prayers 7 April 2013 - Karen Stallard

Gracious God

We thank you for the great reassurance we can discover through the resurrection story.

Thank you for the hope we have that our suffering is only momentary.

Thank you that your Spirit can bring new life even at the point of death.

We think of all those who are suffering as this time, whether it be through poverty, sickness, oppression, violence, war, famine or floods.

We ask that a resurrected hope which brings reassurance be with them at this time of suffering.

We thank you for the great reassurance we can discover through the resurrection story.

We pray for the people of North and South Korea.
As tensions escalate between North Korea and the US and South Korean governments we ask for the people on all sides to cling on to hope.
A hope that one day a closed door will be opened, that sanctions can be lifted,
that the poor in North Korea can have access to the aid the rest of the world can give,
that the economy of North Korea can be built through healthy relations with the rest of the world, that the people of South Korea can become friends with their neighbours without the threat of violence and bloodshed.
We pray that the US would hope they can negotiate peacefully with North Korea and not feel an aggressive need to show their military power due to fear.

We thank you for the great reassurance we can discover through the resurrection story.

Colossians 1, 15-20 - Karen Stallard

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Good Friday is the day when we remember how unjust our world can be. Good Friday is the day when we tell the story of a good man being imprisoned, tortured and hung high on a wooden stake until he died. And this man was not just a good man loved by his friends and family, he was famous, famous for his brilliant teaching and story telling, famous for his quick retorts and challenges to the academic and religious world, famous for his political insights, famous for his ability to heal people, famous for doing things which seemed to be impossible, famous for his kind words to the poor and lowly. This man it would seem had never drawn a sword or threatened another with violence yet he became subject to the most horrendous violence of humankind in what must be one of the most ludicrously unjust death sentences of all time.

How is it we can find peace through the blood shed of Jesus on the cross? How can it be that through such a cruel act of violence we could possibly be reconciled to the creator of all things, brought back into line with how we should be with the whole of creation? This is a big question which we need to think seriously about before we can begin to understand the words of scripture we have just read.

I believe that the crucifixion provides human beings with the opportunity to experience what now days we call restorative justice or reparative justice. it is through this process that peace and reconciliation is found. With restorative justice Victims take an active role in the process while offenders are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions, it involves both the victim (in our case Jesus) and the offender (us) and focuses on their personal needs. It fosters a dialogue between the victim and the offender and shows the highest rates of victim satisfaction and offender accountability.

With restorative justice the perpetrator is faced with a real victim, they hear the victim’s full version of the story, the victim has the opportunity to speak of their pain and the perpetrator is given the opportunity to speak also their story which is often also painful. Both victim and perpetrator then begin to form a relationship through action and dialogue, perhaps a thief may dig their victims garden for example and through this action and dialogue over a cup of tea a healing takes place for both parties, there is satisfaction on behalf of the victim and a sense of forgiveness and restoration on behalf of the offender. Instead of being enemies they become friends, trust is given and community is restored.

This is a very different model to our more familiar punitive punishment for wrongdoing and we in our theology we must be careful not to confuse our man made model of punitive justice with the justice of God. I don’t believe God requires punishment for the crimes of human kind in order to be satisfied, God is seeking a loving relationship not revenge, rather God requires a recognition of the crimes committed and a contrite heart in the offender, in order to bring about restoration. Sometimes we need to be faced with the harsh reality of what we have done in order to become contrite, Jesus presents us with that harsh reality. On Good Friday we are confronted with the wounded God, telling his story, revealing his pain, crying for justice not with words which say “they must be punished!” but with the words “Father forgive them, they know not what they do.”

But on Good Friday we are also confronted with the stories of the perpetrators and we of course carry our own stories as we listen. We hear the story of the disillusioned betrayer, the fearful controlling priest, the friend who abandons and disowns, the bemused people pleasing leader, the politician who diminishes his responsibility, the violent bloodthirsty guard, the greedy crowd seeking a thrilling spectacle, the mocker, the bully. The Easter story covers all the darkest moments of humanity and we can find ourselves in it if we dare to look and have the courage to admit to our own story which has lead us down paths of hatred and destruction, violence, war and broken relationship.

And so Good Friday gives us the opportunity to allow restorative justice to take place, as the story of the crucified Christ is told, and as we tell our own stories we are beginning that dialogue which leads to Justice being done, the victim being satisfied and the offender being changed so as not to offend again. And then we all can experience both victim and offender the joy of resurrection, new life.

I don't have to say much about the history of the church and how it has been the perpetrator of violence, hatred and intolerance in the past. The reality is that over the centuries we as Christians have stared at the cross every Sunday at church and yet have still harboured in our hearts that same murderous intent which hung Jesus on the cross on that Friday afternoon and sometimes, often without insight we have acted on that intent and people have been harmed, Justice has not been done, Christ is not resurrected and we are not transformed. You see we can choose to witness the violence of the crucifixion in a detached way not bringing ourselves into the picture and therefore bringing no satisfaction to Christ the victim or restoration to ourselves, unless we fully enter into the program of restorative justice where we fully engage with the victims story and allow our stories to also be told and heard we will not find peace and we will just go out there again and repeat our injust actions with no sense of responsibility.

It saddens me tremendously that today as churches we still sometimes fight amongst ourselves, despising those who are different, rejecting different ideas, creating a fuss over things which really don’t matter, we kill people with our words rather than swords, we are (often unintentionally) cruel and hurtful because we too are inflicted with the same disease as those who yelled crucify him on Good Friday, we too are the perpetrators in need of restorative justice.

The difference between the two criminals being crucified next to Jesus was that one saw a good man hanging unjustly on the cross, the other did not. If we are able to bear the pain of opening our eyes and seeing the Goodness of the man hanging on the cross, then i believe something in our hearts gets changed. We too become broken, weak and vulnerable at the sight of such an injustice, but then a miracle happens, we rise up from our brokenness as instruments of peace and reconciliation, we rise up as a people committed to working towards a world where the innocents are not killed, where the prophets are not despised, where the peacemakers are not tortured.

My friends, life is too short for us to not be restored, we are called as followers of Jesus to love our enemies, we can only do that if we have fully entered into God’s restorative justice programme; this requires our willingness to participate and engage with the story of the death of Jesus, recognise our own contribution to this crime, take responsibility and allow a relationship to be formed between the victim, Jesus and the perpetrators, ourselves to bring about restorative justice.

For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Thank Goodness that God has given us the Good Friday story to ponder on. Let me encourage you today to think upon the Goodness of the man hanging on the cross, watch his blood being shed and his body being broken, be appalled, be horrified, that one so good could possibly be treated in such an evil way, recognize your own potential for evil and the part you play in destroying that which is good. Gaze on the goodness which hangs on the cross, and allow yourself to become changed and committed to never again being a part of the humanity which can performs such atrocities. Allow yourself to become committed to helping yourself and humanity to find peace. This is the gospel of Jesus Christ, it is as we look dismayed at the broken body of Jesus, seeing his goodness that we discover salvation for ourselves and become the people of peace we were created to be. The result of this kind of restorative justice is that the victim is given new life and the perpetrator is given a second chance!

On the restoration of the church organ... - Karen Stallard The resurrection of the king Much talked about, loved, hated, seen by some, invisible to others worn out, beaten up, broken, dirty, no longer able to reach its potential, condemned to die dismantled, pulled apart, removed from its position bumped and buffeted taken on a journey stripped, old cloth ripped off, scrapped and scoured the king lies humble in pieces, hammered and chiseled the parts are cleaned in warm soapy water, gently the holes are filled in the broken parts are fused back together new leather clothing is carefully placed oils are used to smooth and seal the pieces are brought back together carefully placed and joined, each part now clean and strong then it is given a voice, air blowing through  a bit of fine tuning still the same old body but unrecognizably new looking still the same voice but brighter and more brilliant do not touch, take great care The king is now ready for the day of resurrection!

Prayers from 1 Corinthians 12: 1-11 - Karen Stallard

12 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says ‘Let Jesus be cursed!’ and no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.

Gracious God, You call us into freedom and equip us with your Spirit to do good works.

We give thanks for those who have managed to realise their potential. We thank You for their gifts which are so carefully and generously shared in our world. We think of politicians, writers, entertainers, teachers, doctors, artists, trades people, business people, sports people, carers, parents, hosts, administrators, crafts people, inventors, scientists, travellers. We thank You for those who have blossomed and we thank You that their potential being realised has given us life.

For Your Spirit living in them, we give You thanks.

Gracious God, You call us into freedom and equip us with Your Spirit to do good works.

We pray for those who are struggling to realise their potential, we ask that they would step out in faith and do that which they feel so called to do. We pray that the resources they need to blossom will be provided. We especially pray for young people who are discovering their gifts, may they be encouraged, may they have the education they need to gain the best start in life. Inspire them to work hard, and believe in themselves and what they have to offer.

For Your Spirit living in them, we give You thanks.

Gracious God, You call us into freedom and equip us with Your Spirit to do good works. 

We pray for those who struggle to know who they are and why they are here. We ask that they would have people around them who can see the potential in them and encourage them. We pray that they would experiment boldly, and try things out in order to discover in what they are truly gifted. We pray for those who struggle to know their own identity, those who feel rootless and homeless, we ask that they would know an identity shaped by your Spirit in order to find themselves. We pray particularly for retired people who can no longer do what they were once able to do, and now struggle to see their purpose: we ask that they would discover new gifts to administer to the community, giving them new purpose as they enter a new stage in life.

For Your Spirit living in them, we give You thanks.

Gracious God, You call us into freedom and equip us with Your Spirit to do good works.

We pray for those who are disappointed in themselves, for those where life seems to have always gone against them or they have always failed. We ask that you would provide for them to do that which they are truly gifted at, and that others would highlight these gifts to them. We pray that they would know and accept their weaknesses and no longer struggle to do that which does not come naturally to them. We pray particularly for those who are stuck in jobs they hate and are no good at, we ask that there may be a way out for them which leads into new opportunities where they can blossom. We pray that the spirit of failure will be lifted from them so they may no longer feel disappointed and useless.

For Your Spirit living in them, we give You thanks.

Gracious God, You call us into freedom and equip us with Your Spirit to do good works.

We pray for those who feel unworthy and undeserving, we ask that they would learn to see themselves as You see them. We ask that they would be given numerous opportunities to achieve and that others will persist in encouraging them. We pray particularly for those in prison, those who have committed offences in society and are unable to engage with giving back to society. We pray that our communities will not compound their feelings of unworthiness but that we would see their potential and their worth even when they sabotage the opportunities we offer. Bring transformation, we pray.

For Your Spirit living in them, we give You thanks. 

Gracious God, You call us into freedom and equip us with Your Spirit to do good works.

Finally we pray for those who cannot be free to use their gifts and talents. We pray for release for captives and freedom for slaves, we ask that you would give others the gift of liberation to bring to those in captivity. We pray particularly for those trapped in domestic violence, those who are abused, those who are traded as slaves, those who are enslaved by extreme poverty, those living under oppressive dictatorships. Bring hope, bring light, bring freedom and may they be able to blossom even while they are in the midst of great oppression.

For Your Spirit living in them, we give You thanks.