July 6th, 2008 – Bearing Others’ Burdens

Father Al preached again this Sunday. Team Praise provided the volunteers.

For the Children’s time Father Al brought a heavy pack filled with weights to the altar and asked if any of the children wanted to carry the pack. The children wisely refused.

From there Al talked about the weight we sometimes feel like we have to carry; worry, fear, guilt, the feeling of not being good enough. As he talked about theses weights he would ask a child to volunteer to take one of the weights. Most of the children were carrying weights in the end and the pack was empty.

It was a simple demonstration but it worked. During the sermon Father Al made suggestions of what we should have in our packs; humility, scripture and grace. It was a sermon with imagery and reflections of the time he spent celebrating Independence Day. He communicated a beautiful image of red trumpet flowers among a field of lupines that he and his dog experienced. They were natural fireworks of a sort to him.

Geoff played viola for the offering. It was a moment of music that built into something amazing, particularly coming after this sermon of lifting each other’s burdens. Geoff’s playing lifted the burden of someone in the congregation, whose face was transformed while the piece was played.

The Holy Family Episcopal families came to the service today. Worshipping together with them had me thinking about all the intricate bonds that are developed while God’s presence is acknowledged in our lives.