Blue Spruce Park in the Mist

The gardens surrounding the Peace Pole

A place for reflection...

To talk to God...

To listen to the "still, small voice"...

Close your eyes and pretend this is Heaven

For the beauty of the Earth...

"May Peace Prevail on Earth"

But my visit to Blue Spruce Park in the rain was prompted by a mission. Back in 2004-2005, when I lived in Indiana, PA, a group of community and nonprofit leaders gathered to develop Let There Be Peace: A Community Peacebuilding Event.

Friends from the local children's commission took part in the planning. We decided to obtain a peace pole, a wooden structure that encourages unity and peace. Twelve cultures are represented on the pole through 12 languages each saying the phrase, "May peace prevail on Earth." Here is a close-up of two of the 12 languages. I'm not sure of the language in the bottom picture, but the top picture has my favorite of all the languages--American Sign Language. Click on the picture to see a closer view of the phrase "Peace in the World" spelled out in ASL.

Let There Be Peace, or at Least a Peace Pole

On a recent trip back to Indiana, PA, I visited Blue Spruce Park, a place of beauty, as the pictures tell. Since it was pouring rain the day I went, it was also a place of serenity. I was completely alone in the park, the only person in the entire county who didn't mind getting soaked for a visit to Blue Spruce.

What Do You Think Belongs in Church?

My friend and colleague Bonni lent me a book on how to encourage people to volunteer. Close to the end of the book was this great poem by Ann Weems. We had discussed Ann Weems in Family Spirituality class last Winter. She has written a book called Psalms of Lament. It is a book of poetry on sorrow, grief, and loss. Weems lost a son at age 21. Not though illness, through senselessness. I suspect Weems may be empathetic to children and adults who hurt. Perhaps you have already read this poem. But for those who have not, here it is. It's a long poem and well worth the time it takes to read and ponder.

Balloons Belong in Church

I took to church one morning a happy four-year-old child
Holding a bright blue string to which was attached a much
loved orange balloon with pink stripes. . .
Certainly a thing of beauty.
And if not forever at least a joy for a very important now.
When later the child met me at the door,
Clutching blue string, orange and pink bobbing behind her,
She didn't have to tell me something had gone wrong.

"What's the matter?"
She wouldn't tell me.
"I bet they loved your balloon."
Out it came then, mocking the teacher's voice,
"We don't bring balloons to church."
Then that little four-year-old, her lip a little trembly, asked,
"Why aren't balloons allowed in church? I thought God would like balloons."

I celebrate balloons, parades, and chocolate chip cookies,
I celebrate seashells and elephants and lions that roar.
I celebrate roasted marshmallows and chocolate cake and fresh fish.
I celebrate aromas: bread baking, mincemeat, lemons . . .
I celebrate seeing: bright colors, wheat in a field, tiny wild flowers . . .
I celebrate hearing: waves pounding, the rain's rhythm, soft voices . . .
I celebrate touching: toes in the sand, a kitten's fur, another person . . .
I celebrate the sun that shines slab dab in our faces . . .
I celebrate snow falling . . . the wondrous quiet of the snow falling . . .
I celebrate the crashing thunder and the brazen lightning . . .
I celebrate anger at injustice
I celebrate tears for the mistreated, the hurt, the lonely . . .

I celebrate the community that cares . . . the church . . .
I celebrate the church.
I celebrate the times when we in the church made it . . .
When we answered a cry
When we held to our warm and well-fed bodies a cold and lonely world
I celebrate the times when the Church is the church
When we are Christians
When we are living, loving, contributing.
I celebrate perfect love . . . the cross . . . the Christ
Loving in spite of . . .
Giving without reward
I celebrate life . . . that we may live more abundantly . . .

Where did we get the idea that balloons don't belong in the church?
Where did we get the idea that God loves gray and sh-h-h and drab and anything will do?
I think it's blasphemy not to appreciate the joy in God's world.
I think it's blasphemy not to bring joy into His church.
For God so loved the world
That He hung there
Loving the unlovable.
What beautiful gift cannot be offered unto the Lord?
Whether it's a balloon or a song or some joy
that sits within you waiting
to have the lid taken off?

The Scripture says there's a time to laugh and a time to weep.
It's not hard to see the reasons for crying in a world where hatred is so manifest.
So celebrate!
Bring your balloons and your butterflies, your bouquets of flowers . . .
Bring the torches and hold them high!
Dance your dances, paint your feelings, sing your songs, whistle, laugh.
Life is a celebration, an affirmation of God's love.
Life is distributing more balloons.
For God so loved the world . . .
Surely that's a cause for Joy.
Surely we should celebrate it!
Good news! That he should love us that much.
Where did we ever get the idea that balloons don't belong in the church?

Ann Weems