Liturgy for Imbolc

Let's just spend a moment or two in quietness. Consider the winter that is drawing to a close, the bareness of trees awaiting spring's warmth, the first snowdrops to emerge and flower, fallen leaves from winter that now are taken up once again by the soil as a source of nutrients (nature's endless cycle of life and death), signs of life within our own gardens as plants that seemed dead just a month ago are now beginning to show green.

Springtime - the promise of new life

Springtime - the potential for growth

Springtime - the hope of harvests to come

(Silence)

‘Let us live in awe of the Lord our God, for he gives us rain each spring and fall, assuring us of a harvest when the time is right.’ Jer 5:24 'Where man sees but withered leaves, God sees sweet flowers growing.' Albert Laighton 'The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring.' Bern Williams

In the lengthening of days

Snowdrops emerging

from winter's frozen ground

 

A. WE SEE THE CREATOR'S HAND

In the sight of a tiny lamb

joyfully bounding

across hillside farm

A. WE SEE THE CREATOR'S HAND

Creator God, forgive our moments of ingratitude,

the spiritual blindness that prevents us

from appreciating the wonder that is this world,

the endless cycle of nature,

of life and death and rebirth.

Forgive us for taking without giving

reaping without sowing.

Open our eyes to see

our lips to praise

our hands to share

and may our feet tread lightly on the road.

 

Here a song, chant or hymn might be sung

Psalm 8 3 When I consider your heavens,the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? 5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: 7 all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, 8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. 9 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

A sleeping world emerges to new possibilities

Weakening winter's icy grip

And birdsong and bleating lamb

Announce to all the promise

That in due season

Creation bursts into life

And whilst leaves that fell in winter

Lie upon the ground

Soon to feed the earth

In nature's wondrous cycle

Of death and rebirth

Within the tree is a stirring of new growth

For the cycle of life

Which brings death and rebirth

A. We rejoice in the promise of Spring

For lengthening days

And sunlight's warmth upon the soil

A. We rejoice in the promise of Spring

For a snowdrop's beauty

Reflecting its Creator's artistry

A. We rejoice in the promise of Spring

For new born lambs

Their joy and exuberance

A. We rejoice in the promise of Spring

For all of creation

And the majesty of its Creator

A. We rejoice in the promise of Spring

'Spring makes its own statement, so loud and clear that the gardener seems to be only one of the instruments, not the composer.' Geoffrey B. Charlesworth Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems. Rainer Maria Rilke

This is your garden, Creator God

A thing of beauty

Beyond understanding

A poem that is being written

Not in words

But in colours

Wind's whisper

Soaring bird

Snowdrop's petal

Gentle rain

Sunlight's warmth

This is your garden, Creator God

A thing of beauty

Beyond understanding

We bless you,

God of Seed and Harvest

And we bless each other

That the beauty of this world

And the love that created it

Might be expressed though our lives

And be a blessing to others

Now and always

A. AMEN

photo: b culver