Clergy Notes — February 17, 2019

It was an exhilarating experience a week ago to share with almost 200 people in the “Earth, Wind, Fire and Life” event organised by the St. James’ Music Series: Bob McDonald of CBC Radio’s “Quirks and Quarks” offered reflections on the beauty, wonder and complexity of Creation, to which the organist Jenny Vincent responded with resonant organ pieces, whilst beautiful images of sea and sky, mountains and trees, creatures, stars and space, – and Jenny’s playing of our Casavant organ – were projected onto a large screen.

Humbling, uplifting, joyful, awe-inspiring…  I was reminded of the four primeval elements of the ancients, Earth, Air, Fire and Water; of the closeness of our Indigenous relations to the created order; of the Salal and Cedar ministry and its encouragement to our diocese to have a deeper reverence and care for the universe in which we live.

This visual, musical and verbal presentation drew me into a deeper sense of awe and wonder before the splendour of the creation, and before the majesty and wonder of the Creator. For me, this experience was enhanced by the setting in St. James’: the projector screen stood immediately below the hanging Calvary at the chancel-step, our crucified Redeemer looking down on the world, the universe, which he created, and for which he gave and gives himself. (There was a resonance here too, I felt, with Salvador Dali’s remarkable Christ of St John of the Cross.)

“God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good!”

My thanks and appreciation to Bob McDonald, Jenny Vincent and their technicians, and to the Music Series.

Fr. Kevin