This coming weekend at the “Freeing and Healing of the Spirit” reunion located at Ziontario there is a “Health Fair”. I have asked to have an exhibit table along with the other alternative health modalities to talk to folks about the sacraments of the church as tangible expressions of God’s presence and reality. As my thoughts in preparation have dwelt upon the meaning of the sacraments I found for myself a personal analogy. I have over the past month visited every reunion in Ontario. I find that the reunion experience of sacred community is the living expression of what we talk about in church. For a week of our lives we have the blessed opportunity to form community in our midst; to be with, share deeply with, dialogue with, engage in collective living one with another in a setting where we each prayerfully are guided by our intimately personal God. We glimpse the Zionic ideal, the “on earth as it is in heaven” hope that yearns from within us. Our lives are changed and imprinted by God’s presence and we understand the meaning of the phrase “sacred community”. Likewise with the sacraments, understanding and encounter with God becomes real and the sacred becomes present to us. The ordinary uses of hands, oil and caring touch as symbols become precious means of grace by which God empowers lives.
No sacrament is more closely entwined in our human condition than laying on of hands for the health and life of another. God meets us in the broken moments of life wherever they might be encountered and whatever they might be; desperate times, spiritual despair, endings and beginnings, suffering or renewal. This God given sacrament blesses and affirms the most intimate of all promises; that nothing, shall separate us from the love of God. In this sacrament the church is saying that Jesus who blessed lives then, is present now, still blessing, amongst us and through us. Celebrating this sacrament we affirm that our world is never hopeless even in the midst of our darkest moments. This sacrament excludes no one. All may receive of this sacred and personal touch of the Divine.
Kerry Richards
Incoming MCFO for CEM
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Well written Kerry. It was such a great opportunity for me to be at Healing & Freeing Reunion at Ziontario for the weekend. My daughter and two grandsons, as welI as my niece & her boyfriend were there for me to visit and many other old & new friends were there to connect with.
ReplyDeleteI received my very first axiatonal treatment from Allen Leeder & I could not feel my chronic pain afterwards. I continue to feel a very minimum amount of pain
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My dear friend Shelley Buffett did a very accurate E.S.P. reading using my senses, colour & number choices etc.
For the first time ever I was given a henna design on both of my hands, also by Shelley.
The great opportunity continued as I was able to travel back with Kerry Richards & Rod McLean. Rod shared, in detail, the history of the church in the area, including a guided tour of the Proton Congregation.
Written by Colleen Mercer in Tignish, P.E.I. on Friday, August 9th.