20th September 2016
We began our second year, meeting old friends or making new friends, over a cup of tea or coffee in St George’s Church on Tuesday morning. The theme was ‘Exploring the Psalms,’ beginning with the psalms of praise. We read from psalm 8, “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars ….”
Many people perceive a beauty in the world of nature that they observe around them. But not everyone acknowledges a Maker of this universe and responds to him in praise. We were invited to create something that in some way expresses our praise to the One whose beauty we perceive in the things around us.
Some embroidered biblical words of praise; others sat and created words of their own; some painted; some produced a work of collage. One group created a mobile out of paper-made geometrical regular solids with words of praise written on the sides. The balance and the movement represented the Maker’s delicacy and harmony in all that he has made.
There is, of course, a dark side within creation – wars, illness, abuse, injustice – that, for some, denies the biblical statement that ‘it is good.’ Expressing praise for the beauty expresses the biblical faith that though there is darkness, yet, “The light shines on in the darkness and the darkness has never quenched it.”
Some 30 people gathered and shared. Some people move from table to table; others stay on one project. There are spaces to be alone and sit and reflect.
Jan produced her wonderful soups, as usual, for us – each month a different choice and amazing varieties!
