Rhythms of Life Glimpses of wholeness

Wholeness… What if wholeness meant that people were meaningfully integrated into a community? And not just any community, but a community in which the presence of God and a care for creation and each other was woven throughout? A flawed and messy community which in spite of many shortcomings equipped people with cultural and personal “practices” to make some kind of sense of their life and to wrestle and come to peace with all of their “stuff”?

1. Celebration God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. Gen remembering gratitude whatever is true, whatever is honourable … if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Phil 4.8 engagement j oy experiencing your senses envisioning alternatives music – the arts – dancing

2. Lament My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but find no rest. Ps How long, O Lord? pain groaning too deep for words doubt loss honest feelings

3. Acceptance …for I have learned to be content with whatever I have – Phil "…All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well" - Julian of Norwich mutual submission Yet I will praise… limits weakness mystery confession & forgiveness

4. Good work Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord – Col We work hard with our own hands… I Cor embodied Sabbath rest The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. Gen constructive serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. cultivating, collaborating, creating

5. Embracing the Other ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good… Matt “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.’ Matt empathy & attunement Who is my neighbour? openness and respect negotiation and reconciliation

6. Inviting towards Wholeness On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Rev incarnation - solidarity naming injustice making sense of life together blessing creating life-giving pathways

7. Love If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 1 Cor loyalty and commitment And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. 1 Cor mutuality – we are all interconnected delight