Grace and peace to you all, and welcome to another edition of our Midweek Manna.
It was a real joy this past Sunday to return to in-person worship in our sanctuary as we celebrated Pentecost, and it is a joy this Sunday to return to in-person worship in our sanctuary again, this time at 10:00 AM as we switch to our summer schedule to celebrate Trinity Sunday, one of those Sundays that we set aside to live into the mystery of a triune God.
We’ll be reading from Romans chapter eight, verses 12 through 17 as we walk alongside Paul as he writes and explains and experiences the triune God himself. We’ll see you then. — Isaac
As we celebrate Trinity Sunday, the featured music this week is the hymn is Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty. This was written by John Bacchus Dykes in 1861 and given the tune name of Nicaea, which is after the Council of Nicaea, which took place in AD 325. This music is beautifully paired with text by Reginald Heber and has become a quintessential hymn for Trinity Sunday. So I look forward to sharing that and much more with you this Sunday. — Matthias
To close this Midweek Manna, I want to read you a poem titled “In God’s Name” by Sandy Sasso.
“The farmer whose skin was dark like the rich brown earth from which all things grew called God ‘Source of life.’
The girl whose skin was as golden as the sun that turned night into day called God ‘Creator of light.’
The man who tended sheep in the valley called God ‘Shepherd.’
The tired soldier who fought too many wars called God ‘Maker of peace.’
The artist who carved figures from the earth’s hard stone called God ‘My rock.’
The woman who cared for the sick called God ‘Healer.’
The slave who was freed from called God ‘Redeemer.’
The grandfather whose hair was white with the years called God ‘Ancient one.’
The grandmother who was bent with age and sorrow called God ‘Comforter.’
The young woman who nursed her newborn son called God ‘Mother.’
The young man who held the hand of his baby daughter called God ‘Father.’
And the child who was lonely called God ‘Friend.’
All the people called God by different names. They tried to tell one another that their name was the best, the only name for God, and that all other names were wrong.
Then one day, all the people who called God by different names came together, and they knelt by the lake that was clear and quiet like a mirror, God’s mirror. Then each person who had a name for God looked at the others who had a different name. They looked into God’s mirror and saw their own faces in the faces of all the others. And they called out their names for God. And at that moment, the people knew that all the names for God were good, and no name was better than another.
Then all at once, their voices came together and they called God ‘One.'”
Amen, and we look forward to seeing you this Trinity Sunday. Grace and peace. — Barrett