Lent haiku

Another season, another opportunity for photos and haiku. This time I used the United Methodist Church daily prompts for Lent 2016 #rethinkchurch http://www.rethinkchurch.org/articles/spirituality/2016-lenten-photo-a-day-practice

It’s been good today, as I take a break after Holy Week and Easter, to review all the pictures and words.

Here’s the gallery of pictures and words (which you can also see on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/revhillers/):

 

Stop for a moment, and hear the voice that calls you to pay attention. #voice #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku

Look. I am growing. Down here, among the stones, here is my flowering. #look #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #lent2016 #haiku

The gaze is soft and strong. Believe, she says, kneel down, sing! Justice will come. #injustice #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #lent2016 #haiku #quietday #ettyhillesum

As around the sun the earth knows it’s revolving I’ll be loving you. #always #celebrate #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #lent2016 #haiku

Frost settles on the grass. Just enough beauty for now. Today’s soul food. #settle #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #lent2016 #haiku

Setting out again. Getting ready for the journey home. Time to go. #go #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #lent2016 #photoaday #haiku

Here on the doorstep, the mighty tree stretches up, as walkers pass by. #mighty #rethinkchurch #photoaday #rethinkphoto #lent2016 #haiku

Candles and colours take refuge on window ledge, each with their story. #refuge #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku

Taking all the cracks to heart makes love a different and a precious thing. #love #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku

A gust of wind blows and the flower head bows, dances, coming alive. #live #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku

Words making music. Four quartets celebrate time present. All is well. #celebrate #rethinkchurch#rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku #tseliot #storytelling

Sometimes the vision is clear. Often it is not. Take time. Keep looking. #vision #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku

Choose words – spoken, written, lived, that make a promise to love and live by. #covenant #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku

Shelter under a living roof, growing, shaping a strong sense of home. #shelter #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku

Walking on boldly into a tomorrow full of blessings and joy. #joy #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku This photo is of a striding sculpture in Salisbury cathedral grounds a few years ago. It reminds me of the striding Madonna which always lifts my heart. I felt the same seeing the photos yesterday of the consecration of Karen Gorham as Bishop of Sherborne in the diocese of Salisbury.

Living God, living and strong, loving and gentle have mercy on us. #heal #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku

Country skills preserved and displayed to create a living, well-laid hedge. #see #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku

Gather in the tiredness, hold on to some hope, know it is enough. #celebrate #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku Preparing for school assembly in the midst of tiredness. Didn’t feel a lot like celebrating but enjoyed making the frogs (for a leap day message!)

Longing for justice, as a girl takes the long walk in search of water. #thirst #wateraid #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku

Looking in, looking out – witness this moment before it flies away. #witness #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku

Who knows what may be found before the seasons turn and the blossom comes? #found #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku

Look up, marvel, and see the power of flight written across the sky. #power #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku

Look out at the view. Take a breath to help accept the gift of this day. #help #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku

Piece by piece. Keep putting the pieces together. The picture will come. #endure #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku #jigsaw #heartpuzzle Held a marriage preparation day yesterday and couples got very involved in this puzzle, which is a heart shape and fiendishly hard.

What flowers when we allow the time and space and let ourselves be loved? #celebrate #mothering #flowers #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku Paper flowers made at Claydon church Mothering Sunday celebrations.

What strange beauty the wild spirit of life creates if we can but see. #spirit #wild #branches #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku

In the silence may more be heard : songs of hope, voices often ignored. #silence #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku This is one of my favourite songs, arranged here by John Bell of Iona Community. We sang it at some of our Mothering Sunday services and it feels appropriate too as we remember International Women’s Day. #IWD2016

You may find yourself in a new place, seeing the world through eyes of faith. #faithful #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku

Surrounded by sights, where will you look, what will you see? Picture it now. #surround #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku

Three figures stand, reflecting on wonder, work, birth. A new world appears. #world #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku #stmartinsinthefields #dicksheppardchapel

Listen. See the words appear. The shape of conversation and question. #listen #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku #signlanguage #diocesansynod Signers listening carefully to debate at Oxford Diocesan Synod.

Feel the warmth, allow the herbal scent to soothe weary feet. Time to rest. #celebrate #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku #feet Today’s gospel is of Mary of Bethany anointing Jesus’ feet. Later in Holy Week we will remember Christ washing feet. This photo from a few years’ ago is after I’d done a sponsored walk in Kidlington. Ahh!

One more step along the way. Follow the sign or take road less travelled? #path #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku

Find a way to remember the stories that come just at the right time. #remember #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku Holy Week box to remember and re-tell the stories coming up to Easter.

A place where people come to discover another way to see life. #people #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku #art #nationalgallery

Move, dance, sing out. Who needs to hear this? Today it will restore their soul. #restore #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku

Heard the joyful song of the skylark, somewhere up in the cloud-filled sky. #beloved #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku

To have and not to hold onto. Shock of yellow flowering by road. #have #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #haiku

Lay down your cries, call out your hopes, shout for true peace. Do not be silent. #celebrate #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #lent2016 #palmsunday #haiku

Give thanks for the word crafters, making room, allowing more to happen. #thanks #rethinkchurch#rethinkphoto #photoaday #holyweek #poetryday #rsthomas #jimcotter

Stone by stone this pillar stands for all that lasts and what we need to know. #steadfast #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #holyweek #haiku

Once part of a home, now discarded chaos, as something new begins. #rejected #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #holyweek #haiku

Something stark, simple, imperfect, chaotic. Stop. No words are needed. #need #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #holyweek #haiku

Walking in sunshine and shade. Wondering what will be found on this path. #path #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #goodfriday #haiku

Enter this day, which is for breathing, in and out. Feel the earth breathing. #enter #rethinkchurch#rethinkphoto #photoaday #holyweek #haiku Photo taken 4 years ago at the beautiful Lumen URC looking up to the Ray of Light in the ceiling

This is the day when a line is drawn, when anything is possible. #celebrate #rethinkchurch #rethinkphoto #photoaday #easter #haiku

#Adventword

This Advent I’ve been following the #adventword practice from the Anglican Communion http://adventword.org/ with daily photos and words shared on instagram https://www.instagram.com/revhillers/

It developed into a daily haiku. Here are the pictures and words.

#wakeup

Musical angels make the most of their gifts. #bathabbey #proclaim

First Christingles of this year ready to give away. #adventword #give

Forgive. Sit down side by side in winter sunshine. Then turn face to face. #adventword #haiku #forgive

See. There is a crack. See. There is a crack. See. There is a crack. The door will open. You’ll be surprised by welcome. #repent #adventword #haiku

Pay attention to that which feeds the soul. It may not all be sparkly. #worship #adventword #haiku

Longing to find more time the season offers the gift of this moment. #believe #adventword #haiku

Take care, I always say, needing still to learn how to risk being loved. #care #adventword #haiku

Be ready to be surprised by life, open to gift of company. #be #adventword #haiku

The light in this place always surprises. Patterns appear from nowhere. #surprise #adventword #haiku

Why is the world so beautiful? Why not, asks the blushing evening sky. #ask #adventword #haiku

Go, go, go! Leap over the barriers and take on life in its fullness.#dare #adventword #haiku

Into the embrace of darkness a window of light holds out a hand. #shine #adventword #haiku

Wait. Into this dark season colour will come. There will be blossoming. #wait #adventword #haiku

Never fail to find joy in the ordinary. Oh star of wonder! #wonder #adventword #haiku

Make room to accept tiredness as today’s gift. Time to take time out. #accept #adventword #haiku

Listen. The children know how to tell the story so that we can hear. #listen #adventword #schoolnativity #haiku

Come. Sit. The story will begin again soon. This time is just for you. #invite #adventword #haiku

Lean into the light. Let longing flower, opening up this moment. #desire #adventword #haiku

Prepare to go in a different direction. Take a road less travelled? #prepare #adventword #haiku

The journey is long. Will it come to an end? May rest and refuge come. #hope #adventword #haiku

Find another view. What can be seen from this place? Take a good long look. #look #adventword #haiku

Experience the full picture of Advent – room for colour and space. #experience #adventword #haiku

Light, symbol, colour. Each prayerful step has its own way of revealing. #pray #adventword #haiku

Light comes in and out of this place, built of wood, stone, breath, prayers, tears and joy. #reflect #adventword #haiku

Receive the gift of this precious night, lit by the full moon, and rejoice. #receive #adventword #haiku

Hush! The child sleeps, dreaming of dazz’ling starlit skies, enfolded in love. #dazzle #adventword #haiku

Playtime

Play time

Anything with the word ‘play’ in it immediately draws my attention. Why? Well, I need to play, basically! I notice that since I’ve been ordained I have found ways to give myself permission to play. I’ve been drawn to play with words in storytelling. I’ve been drawn to play with singing. I’ve been drawn to the Godly Play approach to discipleship and exploring the language of faith. I’ve been drawn to drawing and doodling prayers.

I’m about to start an online course, called ‘Exploring Play’. So far the participants are introducing themselves. Some (like myself) a little shyly and others with paragraphs packed with descriptions of experience and expectations. There are common themes: curiosity, learning, fun, stretch, pondering, passion, work, time, creativity, risk …

Why think about play, when all around us is so much that might cause us to despair? Because play can dare us to face dark, dangerous places and times, tapping into our sometimes underused imagination and finding ways to respond. Play can invite us into doing serious work, it can beckon us to find the delight of true rejoicing, play can put us back into good relationship with the world around us, with other people, with ourselves … with God.

As the seasons change once more, as autumn playfully colours the land and Advent peeps out of the darkening skies, maybe play will be a good ministerial companion. The playgroup that is the community of God continues to draw me, and keeps drawing us into becoming radical, playful and compassionate communities.

It is time. Let us play.

Let us colour over the

faithful lines of life.

May it be so.

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June doodlings – #30dayswild

A kind-of summary of what I did as part of the #30dayswild challenge. I wrote some haikus which can be seen on my twitter page. https://twitter.com/revhillers/with_replies

30 days wild calendar

Now I’m going to have a bit of a break from a daily doodle. Though I’m sure that I’ll return to it in good time.

30 days Wild

This is what I am doing for June:

http://www.mywildlife.org.uk/30dayswild/

I love this idea of random acts of wildness, of remembering how much we need the wild.

Here are a couple of haikus I’ve written for the first couple of days:

The sound of wind down the chimney: wild singing to celebrate June.

Raindrops glisten on clover leaves, a green growing three-in-one carpet.

Hedgerow flowers along the road to Great Bourton.

#30dayswild

Celebrating Saint Joseph

This Thursday I had a very welcome quiet day at one of my favourite places, Burnham Abbey. According to the church calendar it was the day to remember Joseph of Nazareth.

Working with the grain Joseph learns the craft of love: obedient, hands-on.

In the walled garden of Burnham Abbey.

Joseph, what would you make of the child who was born with God in his eyes?

Would angel voices comfort the father Joseph?

For the gift of the word..

A lovely day yesterday at Burnham Abbey, taking time to explore the themes of Epiphany. Working with the gift of a star word, writing haiku, sharing stories.

This is the place for

turning. In a graceful curve

the sky’s the limit.

Looking out of the window from St Michael’s room, Burnham Abbey

Spiral stone sculpture at Burnham Abbey.

Epiphany quotes and resources for quiet day at Burnham Abbey.

Epiphany bible verses for quiet day, Burnham Abbey.

Lent 17: Here be lions

Turning the corner,
Dare I face the wildness and
adventure of faith?

‘The desert is a dangerous place …’ Godly Play story used in prayer morning at Claydon church, 22nd March 2014

Prayer prompt: “Alas for you who desire the day of the LORD! Why do you want the day of the LORD? It is darkness, not light; as if someone fled from a lion and was met by a bear.” (Amos 5:18-19a) posted at http://rachelhackenberg.com/blog/

 

Lent 15: Missing

What is missing?
The search continues. Look .. there.
Held close. It is you.

Shadow cast on the lawn of the garden where I grew up. Photo taken 2011