A New Day 2

As you know, a day can last for more than 24 hours. When older persons say, 'back in my day...' they are not talking about one particular day, but a period of time. Likewise the new day that began officially at FUMC on November 1st is still with us; it is still a new day, at both campuses, and will be for a while. So, what to talk about in the new day?

I read a story last week about some disputed land--both Navaho and Pueblo tribes claimed it--and during the many years the land was in dispute it was basically closed to both tribes. The thing that most interested me was the tradition, practiced by one or both tribes (I can't rembmeber), that when a baby is born, its umbilical cord is buried in the earth where the birth occured, the idea being that that place was one's home, the place one belonged to and could return to and know one was connected with the souce of one's being. Because of the dispute, many could not return to their homeplace, to the place where their connection to their source of life was buried, to build an actual physical home, as they had done for generations.

This story got me to thinking about where home is for me, and for us. In what land are our umbilical cords buried? For me that land is more of a verb than a noun, an event more than a place: the praise and enjoyment of God in the worshipping community. For we are born out of that loving, life-giving, joy-filled community that is Father, Son and Holy Spirit; to that community we are bound to return. In the praising congregation our umbilical cords are buried, and in the worship of God we are truly at home. In a new day, worship is the fertile land to return to, and upon which to build our house. RS