[Post-It on the E Train, 2016]
Sunday was “extended worship”at my Quaker meeting, a two-hour-rather-than-one meeting for worship which began an hour early. (We do this from time to time.) Only a handful sat in silence for that first hour. I was one of them.
Here’s The Thing: Somehow the presence of a scattering of people in a commodious meetinghouse* for that first/extra hour altered that space in some profound and mysterious way so that when the bulk of worshippers arrived at their usual 10:30 arrival time, they stepped into a room “”that felt different.” (Someone told me this later.) And worship felt deeper, more grounded, too. Why?
Part of me wants to dissect this phenomenon, to explain it—so that it can be replicated! But a larger part of me wants to give over, to let go of my need to put words to this mystery. And to simply and to gratefully celebrate That Which Is Beyond Words.
* Factoring in its balcony, the Friends Meeting at Cambridge meetinghouse can easily seat one-hundred fifty people; two-hundred scrunched together.
Dear Patricia,
Hi, there, Patricia, my so, so very For Always absolutely awesome soul sisterfriend who you’re For Always so, so very much as my very special and precious friend and sister!!!!! Wow, what a greatly blessed blog post article this is here of yours, sister!!!!!! The title of this spectacular blog post article is perfect here as it perfectly accents and complements the splendid theme and topic of this blog post article with the glorious mystery as to how the extra hour of Meeting felt deeper, more grounded. Sister, I, too, wonder why, and I’ve even experienced similar dynamics at my church here where I live in Iowa City, Iowa at my Faith United Church of Christ when we have had different kinds of services with varied attendances, Patricia. The picture which you have very graciously and generously featured with this very cool full of such spirit from your very, very heart and spirit, and so full of our Dear, Dear Precious Spirit blog post article is just picture perfect here adding to and complementing this very fine and excellent writing here! Right now I am like you are probably doing as well very eagerly and delightfully waiting for the Vice-Presidential Debates to begin with our remarkable Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate, Tim Kaine, against the other person, Republican Vice-Presidential candidate, Mike Pence. Wow, this is going to be good, sister, and I hope, pray, and wish that our Tim Kaine does so well here. Sister, I can so relate to you and the other fabulous people at your blessed Meeting at your Friends Meeting at Cambridge this past Sunday. I’ve experienced, too, energy both from my Faith United Church Of Christ when we used to have many more members and even now that our church is much smaller with lower attendance, Patricia. YOU dear, dear precious Patricia, and the other along with YOU blessedly pure in heart friendsfamily at your Friends Meeting at Cambridge are such a so, so very dear, engaging, blessed, and very endearingly special group of folks, sister!!!!!! Sister, I thank-you so, so very much for as usual as always once again very graciously and generously providing a great link regarding your blessedly holy Friends Meeting at Cambridge. Wow, sister, wow!!!! This is such a greatly immense and such a blessed joy to read here, Patricia!!!!!! What very inclusive, welcoming, awesome, and awe-inspiring words here, “We believe that every person is loved by the Divine Spirit.” And these words are so sweetly precious and inviting, “You are welcome to join us as you are,” which remind me of the greatly classic old hymn, Just As I Am. Sister, I could just go on and on about the very many superlatives I have for YOU, my so, so very dearest and darling friend and sister, Patricia, and for all of you and your blessedly holy and full of such sweet spirit in each and every one of you and of our Divine God Spirit with your very deeply spiritual Friends Meeting at Cambridge! I just so, so very much love, like, and enjoy this great link here regarding your awesome Meeting, and I love just how open, affirming, and welcoming your Meeting is to ALL people in such an eagerly and delightfully inclusive manner!!!!! Wow, here, wow!!!!! Wow, sister, wow!!!!! Sister, I notice and observe, too, that at my Faith United Church of Christ when there are very many more persons in attendance like at our Christmas Eve services and our Easter Sunday services that there is more of and a different kind of energy of our spirit with a kind of like electricity in the air compared to our services with a lower attendance that have a more quiet type of energy. Wow, your writing here is very interesting and fascinating, and makes me think of the varied dynamics with our church services, too, just like what your Meeting sometimes experiences, sisterfriend. Sister, WOW, you For Always keep me percolating and get my creative juices flowing with your great food for thought, Patricia!!!!! Yay!!!!! Wow!!!!!! Yay yay yay yay!!!!! I, too, celebrate with you, Patricia and to simply and to gratefully celebrate That Which Is Beyond Words with this great Mystery which is the very Eternal Mystery and Glory of our So, So Very Dearest and Darling, Sweetly Divine and So, So Very Good and Loving Divine Spirit God!!!! And I along with you, sister, say a very hearty, heartfelt, and wholehearted, “Praise Be!!!!!!!”
Sister, I’m a good sport and very sportmanslike with rooting for my Cleveland Indians against your Boston Red Sox in the ALDS. I am originally from and grew up in suburban Cleveland, Ohio in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and have always been an ardent Cleveland Indians fan, sisterfriend. Go Cleveland Indians!!!!! Boston Red Sox!!!!!! Boo!!!!!! Just kidding, sister!!!!!:)!!!!! I’m a good sport and very sportmanslike, and I don’t take my sports or my teams too seriously although I do hope my Cleveland Indians win(SMILE!!!!!!). If my Cleveland Indians lose I am a good sport and very sportsmanlike and will wish all of the best in rooting for your Boston Red Sox, sister!!!!! Sister, I have something in common with you and other Boston Red Sox fans-I can’t stand the New York Yankees!!!!!!(SMILE!!!!!!).
Sister, I have such greatly immense joy and blessings reading your very sagacious blog post articles and other stupendous writings and responding very joyously in such a heartfelt manner with my very heartfelt, detailed, and thorough thoughts, ideas, and comments!!!! I feel even better, brighter, and more cheerful after reading all of your very full of such grace writings and responding with such sheer joy with my comments, Patricia!!!!!! Yay!!!!! Yay for YOU, Patricia!!!!!! Yay for all of your very magnificent writings, Patricia!!!!! Yay!!!!! Yay for our sisterhood and friendship, Patricia!!!!!! Yay!!!!!! Yay yay yay yay!!!!!! Please have such a totally terrific and very thrilling Tuesday evening, a wondrously wonderful rest of your week and weekend ahead, and may all of your days be so, so very especially blessed, Patricia!!!!! Our Divine Spirit so, so very much loves and cherishes YOU, Patricia, and so do I!!!!!!
Very Warmly and Sincerely For Always, my so, so very For Always very special and precious soul sisterfriend Christian Quaker white woman who you’re For Always so, so very much, Patricia, with Such Very Peace and Love To You For Always, my sister, and with Such Very Blessings and Such Very More Blessings To You For Always, my so, so very dearest friend,
Yours For Always soul sisterfriend Christian black woman and For Always in the very spirit and solidarity, Sherry Gordon in Iowa City, Iowa