MOTHER SYLVIA
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February 2019: There is Enough

1/21/2019

2 Comments

 
Our "Song of the Month" for February 2019 was composed several years ago by my friend, Kerri Meyer.  In the recording below, you can hear Kerri Meyer teaching the song to a group of friends at church for the first time.  The sheet music can be found in Singing In Community, a songbook published by Augsburg Fortress.
Picture
The lyrics for the main part of the song are simply:

There is enough
There is enough
There is enough
Oh--enough and some to share


An optional second part or descant goes

God has blessed Her people
God has blessed Her people
God has blessed Her people
God has blessed us.


[Note: Of course we know that God is neither male nor female, God is GOD, but we sometimes choose to use gendered "he" or "she" language to refer to God because it feels more personal. If you prefer not to use gendered language for God, you can simply sing "God has blessed the people" instead.]


QUESTIONS
​ for daily reflection and discussion

  • Where did you see, feel, or experience "enough and some to share" (abundance) today? 
  • When did you see, feel, or experience "not enough" (scarcity) today?  

PRACTICE
​ Experiencing Abundance through Generosity

Picture
  • Decide how much money your household will set aside each week for sharing (tithes, offerings, charitable giving, gifts, fundraisers, etc.) 
  • Decide with whom you want to share money each week (church, school, non-profits, charities, etc.)
  • Go to the bank and withdraw your "sharing money" in small bills (quarters, $1 bills, or $5 bills, depending on the size of your household and the amount of your weekly gift.) 
  • Label envelopes or jars with the names of those organizations and/or individuals with whom you want to share money each week. (If you have non-readers in your household, be sure that your labels include pictures or symbols as well as words!)
  • Gather all members of your household together, and divide the "sharing" money equally among all household members.
  • Begin singing "There is enough".  Continue singing until each household member has divided all of  their "sharing" money into the envelopes/jars of their choice.  
  • HINT: You don't have to go to the bank every week.  Once your "sharing" money has been allocated for the week, you can tally it up and make your gifts by check or online.  That way you can re-use the same coins/bills for each week!  


FURTHER THOUGHTS
 from Mother Sylvia

Picture
A few weeks ago the Gospel assigned for Sunday was the Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11).  I wonder what it says about God that this was Jesus' first miracle?  Turning water into wine?  LOTS AND LOTS of wine?  I believe that the story of the Wedding at Cana reminds us that, from ancient times until today, our human economies and behaviors are often based on our anxious concern that there is NOT enough.  Meanwhile, the divine economy and behavior is always revealing a deeper truth--that there IS enough; enough and some to share!

Several years ago, when we were living in the San Francisco Bay Area, money was REALLY tight in our family.  Anytime my kids asked for anything, my answer was always the same "We don't have enough money for that."  Soon I heard my oldest child begin to echo me.  Johanna wants dance lessons?  "We don't have enough money for that!"  Lucia wants a goldfish? "We don't have enough money for that."  YIKES. This was NOT the refrain I wanted imprinted on my children's hearts as they grew up!  This was not the refrain I wanted imprinted on my heart and mind for that matter!  "We don't have enough" is a refrain that very quickly makes me anxious and grouchy and stingy and scared. 

We didn't have much.  We could barely pay our exorbitant Bay Area rent each month, much less offer a full "tithe" of our earnings to the church.  But I firmly believe that everyone can share something.  And so we chose to start where we were--sharing $30 a week. And we decided to do it in a way that included our whole family and all of our senses.  I went to the bank and got $30 in singles.  We sat around the kitchen table and discussed who we, as a family, wanted to share our money with.  Together we labeled and decorated four envelopes: one envelope for "Church", one envelope for "Food Pantry", one envelope for  "Homeless", one envelope for "Animal Shelter."  We divided our dollars up evenly around the table--each of the 5 people in our our family had 6 dollar bills to share in hand. And as each person divided up their dollars between the envelopes on the table we sang:

"There is enough! There is enough! There is enough--oh enough and some to share!"

As we sang, the weight of  anxiety and "not enough" began to lift.  There were still bills to pay.  But we were filled with the deep joy and assurance of remembering that we did have enough-- enough and some to share!  With this practice and this song, a new refrain had been planted in my children's heart.  And in mine. 

It may be counterintuitive, but I know no better cure for anxiety than gratitude; no better cure for scarcity than generosity.  The song of scarcity is loud and strong.  We learn it early, rehearse it often, and hear it everywhere. But we can choose to sing a different song.  This song is not new.  In the beginning it was woven by the Creator into the very fabric of creation.  It is the song of angels and archangels and all the saints of heaven.  And it is the deep song of our own hearts, as well:

"There is enough! There is enough! There is enough--oh enough and some to share!"

2 Comments
Robert Batton
2/6/2019 12:01:59 pm

I liked it (all of the above) very much Mother Sylvia.
Blessings to you.

Father B+

Reply
Don DeNoon
2/22/2019 07:45:02 am

I am inspired and hopeful about the possibilities for every household at St. Mark's to embrace the reality that "there is enough and some to share." Thank you Mother Sylvia for telling the poignant story about your family's discovery that even though "We don't have enough money for that" there was enough to share.

Reply



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    Song of the Month

    In early 2019 I began serving as assisting priest at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Albuquerque.  St. Mark's is home to a diverse and rapidly growing faith community as well as a Montessori Preschool that serves ~50 preschool children and their families.  

    One of my first areas of focus at St. Mark's will be to explore creative ways to support the spiritual growth of St. Mark's families, not only at church and school, but also at home throughout the week.  

    We'll begin our exploration with a "Song of the Month."  Each month we'll offer a simple song as an "anchor" for spiritual reflection and growth throughout the month.  Parents and other adults in the St. Mark's community are encouraged to learn the song and access further materials for reflection online.  Children will practice the song each week in Children's Chapel.   Children will be invited to share the song with the entire St. Mark's community during worship (as the offertory anthem) on the 4th Sunday of each month.  

    If you are the parent/caregiver of a very young child (age 0-2), your child will still benefit enormously from daily exposure to the "Song of the Month".  Even though they aren't yet singing, you can be sure they are already listening to you and learning!  Experiment with incorporating the song into any part of your daily routine--waking, sleeping, bathing, dressing, diaper change, etc.  From an early age, you can help your child establish a pattern of life in which prayer, spiritual practice, and song are a natural part!  

    If you are the parent/caregiver of an older child (age 3+) try incorporating the song and one short, thematically linked reflection question, action, or prayer into your daily routine--maybe at mealtime, at bedtime, or even during your daily commute.  

    If you are a teenager or adult with no young children at home, find a way to work the song into your daily routine--perhaps while your showering, driving, or cooking.  Discuss the theme or reflection question with a friend or partner--or set aside some time to journal, draw, paint, blog or reflect in some other creative way on your own.  

    Sunday School Teachers and Small Group Leaders: Consider incorporating the "Song of the Month" or one of the relevant reflection questions into your own sessions, classes, or meetings each month if appropriate.

    Everybody: Have fun!  Sing out! Experiment!  And above all--share your experiences and insights with one another and with me!  ​

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  • Home
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