An Iona Sunday

Soon after arriving, B.J. and I mentioned that we would like the church here to think about us

Iona Service Program
Although it looks very brief, the service took the
allotted time; the program was condensed
for this service format.

contributing to a Sunday service using material we collected in two pilgrimages we made to Iona; an island off the east coast of Scotland.  In 563 the Irish monk St. Columba established a monastic settlement there that brought Christianity to large parts of Scotland and the north of England and in the middle ages became the site of a Benedictine abbey.  Well, be careful for what you ask.  As we progressed into our stay I discovered that I had been assigned a Sunday during the holiday period to create a service.  OK..... a bit more than I anticipated but so be it.  During one of our Iona trips we bought the Iona Abbey Worship Book at the bookstore there so we had ample material.  We have become familiar with and enamored by Celtic Christianity and its love of the Earth so we chose the Creation Liturgy from the worship guide and, with the valuable translation skills and guidance of Renata Popelář, composed a service for the period when the pastor, Jiřina, was on sabbatical.

Replacing the live tree branch
after attaching paper leaves and flowers.
(The Connie Moran memorial chandelier is on the right.)

Initially, we had planned for a brief sermon but opted for an extended Bible reading from the creation story in Genesis and a passage in the Psalms about care and love for the earth.  After assembling several passages from the Worship guide and selecting music (one English song and the remainder in Czech) we wanted to include an action during the otherwise meditative service.  Renata came up with the idea of  removing the pulpit and having a live tree branch displayed in the front of the sanctuary and have the children attach paper flowers and leaves.  With all in order we arrived the morning of the service and quickly organized the music, readers and props.  As mentioned, the service was a combination of songs, readings, and a couple recorded Taize tunes during the children's tree branch activity.  At the end of the service, I was very pleased with the final arrangement; as everyone filed out of the

The final, expanded Reception Line

sanctuary Renata and I acted as hosts and shook hands with each as they filed by.....but, instead of leaving, the members of the congregation simply fell in place by us and extended the 'reception line' around the outer room which grew as all the people took their places.  Eventually, everyone was encircling the room until all posed a final greeting and then headed for the coffee and cakes.  Super thanks to EVERYONE who made this so meaningful!