More on Bushfire Liturgies etc

This snippet from todays WARREN cartoon in the Daily Telegraph celebrates a link between the spirit of Aussie diggers and volunteer firefighters...

The Uniting Church in Australia collection of liturgies which might be useful and adaptable for worship in corporate settings this coming week and beyond can be found here.

There is still a gaping hole for discussion> reflection> space for children, youth & families and to be honest my creativity is still in recovery from a dry 2008!!

What I do know is:

treat young people as capable of feeling, processing, understanding

take questions seriously

don't expose children to image overlaod but neither ignore their reality

shut up and ask questions

create time and space for spiritual practices with space, simplicity and appropriate resonance

water is a contrasting and useful element

maybe choose one photo to use sparingly

don't mould the story to fit your picture of God

don't impose God on this story

while the stories of volunteers, relief efforts, sandwich makers, free coffee and generous donors emerge and tv newscasters are keen to refer to 'if there's any good to come out of this story' I believe it's imporant to let those acts speak for themselves...

Suffice to say the normal reactions might include:

confusion

anger

disappointment

resolution

fear

questioning

helplessness

More than one colleague has it right, suggesting SIMPLE gestures, spaces and time where God will emerge and have space to do so...

But then, what would I know...