Piloting Faith: Obsessed with taking selfies...

A Word for the Day...
This past week I had the chance to go to the Japanese Friendship Garden at Balboa Park in San Diego. The garden was created as an expression of friendship between San Diego and its sister city, Yokohama. It is stunning.

To see the garden, you walk along a weaving path that takes you between the bonsai trees and across a beautiful flowing stream with koi. You cross over a rock pathway to see the waterfall cascading over moss-covered stones. You take in the smells of Indian Hawthorns and soft pine trees that dot the pathway.
Or you miss all of it because you are obsessed with taking selfies.
I am going to sound old, but I was heartbroken to see couple after couple rushing from one selfie scene to the next without ever actually seeing the gardens. One couple stood on a rock in the middle of the stream - a truly beautiful scene - and I am certain the first time they will actually SEE it will be when they post the picture to Facebook.
This world is so very beautiful. Don't forget to take it in - to see it, touch it, smell it - and experience the richness that is all of God's creation. Then, if you must, snap a photo. No matter how amazing the photograph, it will always be a faded copy of the real thing.
- Rev. Cameron Trimble, author of Piloting Church: Helping Your Congregation Take Flight

Prayer for the Week
God is always giving birth
and getting born somewhere,
in human skin and breath,
in hands outstretched,
in hearts broke open
in endings, and in new beginnings.
God has promised to be our midwife,
our companion on the journey as we carve our humble path,
as we find our way towards love that is honest and just,
as we seek forgiveness and restoration,
as we experience the loneliness of being the only one in our particular skin,
as we find our way into ,community that will share our pain
and celebrate every
body in our midst,
as we gather our courage for the journey ahead.
An Advent Blessing from Rev. Shawna Bowman
