Monday, May 5, 2008

Mysticism

This week we greeted our new Vicar. Selected members of the Vestry were asked to share about items on our value statement. I volunteered to talk about the mysticism value - it seems to fit with the way theoretical physicists think, after all! Here's what I said:

Understanding mysticism as a direct, transformative experience of God, we celebrate that connection in our worship and every aspect of our lives.

This value brings us full circle back to our mission statement: Nurturing Connections with the Divine. By seeking to experience the mystery that is God, we recognize that that journey changes who we are. We embrace this change, recognizing that God's changes in us make us better instruments of peace in the world.

At Apostles, we strive to ensure that our corporate times together nurture this exploration of the Divine mystery, in our corporate worship, in our classes, and in our fellowship with one another and with our community. We meet each other where we are, and help one another on the journey to deeper connection with the Holy. And we help each other to see the Divine in the ordinary, transforming our everyday experiences into extraordinary fellowship with God.

At least, that's the way I see it!