I invite you to reflect with me on an idea, several images and a prayer to bless us.

We all know and treasure the fact that the experiences of Holden Village change our lives. “Newness” is a term we often use to describe what happens, what we see and feel. Thus, new friends, teachers, insights, worship, recipes, ice cream flavors and expressions of Christ-like faith. But it is not we who get the credit. Rather we are blessed with all the promises for God, who lovingly works via many media of life in this Village. God refreshes our outlook and perspective, translates our images with new words, edits and rewrites our life script.

Life together in this Village prompts us to ask, “What is my script? I think of my script as the part and lines for living on the stage of life. It defines and characterizes who we are, how we act, what we value and in whom we believe more than what we believe.

Here’s an image you might try: Riki Thompson in a writing session challenged us to write our autobiography in 10 words or less. You can see the results on the wall in the entrance of Koinonia. Some were serious, some insightful, some humorous or touching. I like these:

-- Chance encounters and life-altering insignificant events.
-- Found myself, then we got lost.
-- Still learning how much I don’t know.
-- Child: pretend grown-up; parent: real grown-up; child again.

Ann Niedringhaus and Carol Hinderlie (subbing for Eunice Scarfe who was caring for her dying father) had our group writing as prompted by their suggested possibilities. I chose to receive some words Ann pulled from a plastic bag. I got these: sober, baffle, margin, island, cut, dawdle, collapse. It was interesting how that script came out.

More realistically, God challenges and helps us write the script of our divine drama. God directs, giving us the words and themes, then edits our delivery and surprises with grace. So we sing new songs. We sing old words to a new tune. We hear new translations, see new visions on the horizon and hear doors closing on the already.

So, I learn again. It is not me but God who authors my newness. Let me close with this image: Like Ann and Carol’s class, God sprinkles words on us and then by God’s grace and mercy assists us in writing a life script we know as faith.

Here is a flutter of such words I now toss your way: reverence, forgiven, respect, mystery, doubt, justice, love, Jesus, memoir, poetry, relationships, gift.

Let us pray.
O lord our God, gracious provider: Thank you for the words that offer a script of faithful living. Help us keep writing.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.