In her book, The Long View – An Elder Woman’s Book of Wisdom, author Donna Sinclair writes, “In Scotland and England during pagan times, May 1st, was a day of pilgrimage to the holy wells. Offerings were made. The spirit of the water was honoured. After Christianization, churches were built over many of the wells and water that the priest had blessed became the only holy water. It is time for the Celtic tradition to be rediscovered, and the spirit of water honoured.”
May is the month that farmers begin planting their crops, orchard growers watch their trees for the blossoms that will bring forth the fruit, gardeners dream big dreams of flowers and vegetables; all the while watching for water levels – not enough rain, too much rain, this is always uppermost in their mind. Water is an important spiritual symbol – the waters of baptism being primary, but water is also viewed as cleansing, renewing, refreshing, and a sign of new life.
Autumn Peltier is an Anishinaabe Indigenous Rights advocate. She is from Manitoulin Island and became widely recognized as an inspiration when many heard her speak to the United Nations on World Water Day and to usher in the Water Action Decade in 2018. If you did not hear her at that time here is a link to her presentation:
She was 13 years old at that time and she has continued, over the years since, her work for the respect and preservation of clean water.
The Sundays of May, will hold delights in our worship services here at Ebenezer. May 12th is Christian Family Sunday and Mother’s Day. Many keep the old tradition of wearing a flower on their lapel on Mother’s Day. Because my mom is no longer living, I will be wearing a white flower in her memory. On May 19th , while many will spend their first weekend of the season at their trailer or cottage, here at the church we will be marking National Camping Sunday as we celebrate the gift and legacy of Church camps. Our local United Church Camp is Camp Quin-Mo-Lac in Tweed. Then, on May 26th our guest will be Lynn Liddell as I will be off that Sunday finalizing my move into my new house in Bowmanville.
As I mentioned last month we have started a prayer network – a team of people committed to spending time each week focused on prayer requests. I send an email to them each Monday to frame their prayer time for the week. If you have a prayer of gratitude or a prayer concern just let me know and we will include it in our prayer time. And if you would like to join that prayer network and receive the weekly email of inspiration and prayer requests just let me know and I will add your name to the mailing list.
It's May. Do you remember the song from the play and movie Camelot? I begins, “It’s May, it’s May, the lusty month of May!” Don’t get too lusty (!) but do enjoy every day that God gives.