DAY
TWENTY-TWO
Lately there has been a blue heron
staying around the harbor area in Parker’s Cove. It was here this morning early and it is back
this evening near dusk. It has been seen
in the vicinity on several days. It is a
tall graceful bird with a long neck, and gray in color. It is mainly looking around through the
seaweed that covers the rocks after the tide goes out. One time I saw it with a fish in its mouth so
it has found some success in its search for food here.
This is Sunday so we went to the
same United Church of Canada congregation with whom we had worshiped two weeks
ago, the one in Annapolis Royal. The
Canadians as a whole are a bit more reserved than Americans and Nova Scotians are
even more so. So, it is difficult to
judge them as to being friendly or not friendly to visitors in worship. We had a few people talk to us and several
come to us during the passing of the peace to greet us.
The pastor does not greet people at
the door after worship as we do in our church.
She retreats to the parlor where coffee and cakes were being served,
giving an invitation to join her in there at the end of the worship
service. That may be their custom rather
than the one we are accustomed to in our congregation. We did not stay for the coffee time
afterwards though, making an exit through the rear doors instead.
The service as a whole was very good
and meaningful. Doris and I knew all the
hymns sung today although they sung some responses and the Lord’s Prayer to a
tune we did not know. The pastor read
her text for her sermon, which was one of the parables of Jesus, and then did
not preach on it. Instead, she talked
about looking at works of art as examples of parables. She had two pictures of paintings projected
on the wall in the sanctuary and used them as examples of art work that teach a
lesson. I was a bit disappointed that
she did not preach on the scripture she read since I have preached on it and
would have enjoyed hearing her interpretation of it. Anyway, we enjoyed going to worship and felt
uplifted by the experience as a whole.
As I said on an earlier Sunday, it
is valuable for me to be a visitor in worship now and then so I can understand
how someone who is new to a congregation feels.
I think it helps all of us to be the “new person” now and then in a social
setting so we can understand the feelings of others and try to reach out to
them when they are visiting in our church.
We had a rather quiet and restful
day the remainder of our day. The area
around the wharf and the campground across from it was very quiet with no one
visiting either area. We sat on the
porch a while and had coffee and cookies and finally went inside to prepare
dinner. It has been a very good Sabbath
day.
“In
returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and trust shall be your
strength.” (Isaiah 30:15b,c)
No comments:
Post a Comment