Senses

We are making final plans for our trip to Israel in a couple weeks (yes, the trip is still on). We are working on a packing list, coordinating connections and group information, and getting all the things done that need done before we leave. I am excited about the trip, and looking forward to gathering people in our group together for an experience of a lifetime. The blessing of coordinating a trip with a company that has done it for decades is that the details are spelled out ahead of time. The company tells us what we need to know, where we need to be, and what we need to bring. Our job is to show up, and hopefully do it on time!

So my responsibility for the trip as trip coordinator is to keep people on time and on task. I am the one to remind the group what time dinner is, what time to be on the bus, and where to put your bags. How will I know these things? Because I will be paying attention to our tour guide, and simply relaying the message to the group. I guess that is kind of like preaching, isn't it? The information I share from the pulpit is not my message, but God's message. I am just the one conveying the message that I have heard to others.

One of the things we will be doing on our trip as a group is to take time each day to check in with each other. Our group of 14 (made up of people from Epiphany, people from my previous church in Westerville, including my colleague there, family and friends) will be traveling with two other groups - about 20 others. I found it beneficial to take time at the end of each day to talk about what we had experienced - what were the highs and lows. I will also ask the question - "Where did you see the hand of God?" That is a question we can ask ourselves every day.

When traveling to some place so unique and different in many ways than where we come from, I want to encourage my group to consider what they experienced through their senses. What did you see? What did you hear? What did you touch? What did you taste? What did you smell?

I know there will be a lot to see, but that isn't the full experience. So it is with worship, yes? Worship is more than what we see and here - it is about touch and taste and smell. It is about experiencing God in all that we are. My role is to encourage us to be mindful of all of this.

I invite you today to be mindful of what you see, what you hear, what you taste, what you touch and what you smell. How is God present in those for you?

And don't stop there. Give thanks to God for the senses.

If you want to follow along on our trip to Israel, I will be posting daily on our trip. I am adding a couple entries a week on the blog in preparation for our trip, lifting up one site from each day we are traveling and giving some background information on it.

The link to that blog is: http://israelpilgrimage2014.blogspot.com/

Peace,
Pastor Charlie