The Graze V.182: Coming Together

Hi Friends:

My father was a gatherer. He always found any excuse to bring together friends and family in the backyard, where he would load the grill with delicious food. These gatherings were filled with belonging, laughter, and joy. The memories of my father and these gatherings bring me a sense of wholeness and peace.

Being with others is how we discover the sacred. It is how we walk together through this journey we call life. Philip Newell discusses the importance of coming together with others. He suggests that our ultimate purpose is to find the light of God, to discover the sacred in unfamiliar places and in people we do not know. He redirects our tendencies toward colonialism. We are not bringing the light, but rather seeking to uncover it in new and unexpected ways.

How is this practice of coming together present in your life? How do we travel together? How can we ensure that our physical spaces are safe and accessible for people of all ages and abilities? How can we create space for one another, even in virtual settings, that promotes healing and empowers us to enact social change? How can we gather, knowing that we cannot do it perfectly?

This embodied faith is practiced at Mission Farm. Can we seek the light of the sacred as we walk forest trails, tend to bees, clean out the garden, and stack firewood? Can we view our gatherings as an opportunity to discover the sacred in one another and in the natural world around us?

Blessings as you discover the light and the new way it’s shining in new places,

🌱 💚 Lisa