Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Walnut Hill Church Weekly Letter

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Greetings to all:

"Time" is a word known to all of us, perhaps too well known.  Madeleine
L'Engle appeals to the ancient Greeks to remind us that not all "time" is the
same.

   Chronology: the word about the measurable passage of time, although its
duration varies: how long is a toothache?  how long standing in the line at
the supermarket? how long is a tramp through the fields with the dogs? or
dinner with friends, or a sunset, or the birth of a baby?
   Thank God there is kairos, too: again the Greeks were wiser than we are.
They had two words for time: chronos and kairos.
   Kairos is not measurable.  Kairos is ontological.  In kairos we are, we are
fully in isness, not negatively, as Sartre saw the isness of the oak tree, but
fully, wholly, positively.  Kairos can sometimes enter, penetrate, break 
through the chronos: the child at play, the painter at the easel...the saint at
prayer, friends around the dinner table, the mother reaching out her arms
for her newborn baby, are in kairos.  The bush, the burning bush, is in
kairos, not any burning bush, but the very particular burning bush before 
which Moses removed his shoes; the bush I pass on my way to the brook.
In kairos that part of us which is not consumed in the burning is wholly 
awake.  We too often let it fall asleep...
   I sit in the rocking chair with a baby in my arms, and I am in both kairos and
chronos.  In chronos I may be nothing more than some cybernetic salad
on the bottom left-hand corner of a check; or my social security number; or
my passport number.  In kairos I am known by my name:  Madeleine.  The
baby doesn't know about chronos yet.
(from A Circle of Quiet)

The lectionary readings for Sunday, July 31:
Genesis 32:22-31
Romans 9:1-5
Matthew 14:13-21

Walnut Hill men are invited to gather for coffee each Saturday morning,
8am, at Paneras on Richmond Road.  Feel free to stop by for as long or
short a time as your schedule allows.

Sunday Conversations continue each Sunday morning, 10am, in Trinity
Hall.  For the next several Sundays we will view and discuss brief
video presentations by persons of various religious traditions describing
their faith journeys.  The videos will provide a starting point for discovering
similarities and differences between religious traditions as well as 
enhancing our own spiritual journey.  Come and enjoy a cup of coffee,
join the conversation, or just listen in.

Sunday School continues for children each Sunday during the 11am 
worship hour.  Be sure to include Sunday School among your children's 
many summer activities.

The Big Blue Barrel is steadily filling up with your donations of non-
perishable food items.  There is still plenty of room in the barrel for your
donation.  The barrel is located just inside the double doors leading into
Trinity Hall.  Once filled, God's Pantry will distribute the barrel's contents
throughout central and eastern Kentucky.

In the pulpit for the next three Sundays will be the Rev. Jackie Lindberg 
(July 31), the Rev. David Sharrard (August 7), and the Rev. John
Cavendish (August 14).

Peace to all.

Mike Ward



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