(Due to technical difficulties this week’s sermon is not available to listen to or read.)
 Ezekiel 37:1-14 and Psalm 23

 Anne Shirley, the main character from Anne of Green Gables, is both loved and bullied for her immense imagination. Seeing beyond what is to see what could be is also a gift given to the prophets. Ezekiel was amazing at turning an image into a story and that story into inspiration! The Psalmist that wrote Psalm 23, The Lord is my Shepherd has inspired prayer and comforted the grieving for centuries.
 As Anne encourages us we must seek out prayer and God’s activity (Providence) in all places! “Why must people kneel down to pray? If I really wanted to pray I’ll tell you what I’d do. I’d go out into a great big field all alone or in the deep, deep woods and I’d look up into the sky – up, up, up – into that lovely blue sky that looks as if there was no end to its blueness. And then I’d just feel a prayer.” — L.M. Montgomery

Jesus’ last meal with his disciples began with him telling stories and now is itself our Story! Here is some of the story as it was shared on Sunday.
It is indeed a joy to gather in community with friends and strangers to tell again our great, great story. God is the Source of all life, all stories and all voices. God made you and adores you. Wherever you may be on your journey to claim this identity – beloved child of God – you are welcome at this table. It is not mine, nor Robertson-Wesley’s. It is God’s and Jesus is our host. Thanks be to God!

We thank you God for how you have gifted us with imagination. This gift leads us to empathy, possibility, creativity and memory. It allows us to have a faith story and ancestors and rituals such as this. We thank you for the imagination of Jesus Christ, in whom you came to share stories, signs and symbols with all on earth. Thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit, which allows for these stories to continue to form and re-form, create and re-create. And so with all you have created, and all you are going to create, along with all the voices in heaven and earth we join to sing your praise. Jesus used parables to show us the mysterious depth of your love. Jesus taught to turn our expectations upside down and awaken our imaginations to the possibility of a better world for all.
On the last night he had with his community he retold the great story of your freeing the Hebrew people during the Passover and included each disciple and follower in that great unfolding story.

Help us realize that we too are a part of that story – your Holy Providence of making all things new!