27 May 2012

preparation through celebration

The Godly Play lesson of the Circle of the Church Year presents a concept which I had never heard before - that just as Advent helps us get ready for Christmas and Lent for Easter, so Eastertide helps us get ready for Pentecost. Eastertide is simultaneously a time of celebration and a time of preparation.


Preparation through celebration - what a gorgeous thought.


I have heard people puzzle or even fret over the fact that Advent is not a season of fasting nowadays. But the folks at Busted Halo revel in the richness of the differences between Advent and Lent: Advent is about Hope, not Repentance, they say. And how delicious it is to think that we prepare for Pentecost with celebration.

Sheila (of Explore and Express) and I have celebrated Eastertide this year with a series of guest posts. Our final one is coming soon, but in the meantime I'd like to share a photograph from my friend, "see-through faith". In addition to her regular blog she has a photo blog, where her goal is to post a photo a day and to "find God" in it. One recent photo was of a seasonal table display, which instantly made me think of  seasonal displays that my blogging friends have created - including Sheila's nature tables and Emily's displays marking the church year (such as this wonderful Ordinary Time collection of everyday green objects). Can you guess what the difference is between their displays and this one?

photo by see-through faith - a larger version can be seen here

This one wasn't in a private home but in a church building! Isn't it sweet? It's "homely" in the British sense ("homey" for Americans). Charming! It's from the Bakewell Methodist Church, home to  Matthew Loader, who wrote a series of guest posts for me last month.

My friends, whether your Eastertide celebration has been simple and sweet, solemn and grand, or felt cursory, dry, or difficult, I pray for you a joyful Pentecost.




Here's Busted Halo's Pentecost in two minutes video. 
[I posted about their Advent one here and their Lenten one here.]

2 comments:

  1. Sheila27 May, 2012 22:30

    I have to say that Pentecost began to mean something to me for the first time after I began to work with Godly Play. And this year has been the best ever, because I feel that we celebrated Eastertide more consistently than ever. My son woke up today lamenting the fact that he could no longer paint Easter eggs. The birthday cake at the Pentecost service helped his spirits, though.: )

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sheila27 May, 2012 22:30

    Love the video, too!

    ReplyDelete

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