Message from the Minister
The Holy in the Ordinary
One of the things I like so much about Red Deer is discovering these moments of sanctuary in the middle of our daily walks. With so much happening in the world around us, I certainly don’t take for granted opportunities like this to pause, listen to the birds, and breathe deeply.
We have now entered a long liturgical season, simply called Ordinary Time. This is the time after the busy seasons of Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. This year, during these summer months, we will be continuing our Spirit of Wellness collaborations with the Kerry Wood Nature Centre. The Bird Sanctuary at the Centre gave us a great idea to focus on “sanctuary” for July and August. We invite you to think of all the places you might find sanctu-
ary in this Ordinary Time before us.
I would like to leave with you the opening stanzas of Jan Richardson’s poem, “Blessing the Ordinary”:
“Let these words lay themselves
like a blessing upon your head, your shoulders,
as if, like hands, they could pass on to you
what you most need for this day,
as if they could anoint you
not merely for the path ahead
but for this ordinary moment
that opens itself to you –”
Peace and joy for the summer,
Nancy