The Dance
The Dance
One of my favorite poets, Wendell Berry, uses the metaphor of a couple dancing to describe twists and turns of life. In his poem, “The Dance,” he asks:
What is fidelity? To what
does it hold? The point
of departure, or the turning road
that is departure and absence
and the way home? What we are
and what we were once
are far estranged.
How would you answer the question? Are we grounded in the origins of our journeys or the destination—or something in the middle? Berry describes what we all experience in the ebb and flow of our relationships: departure, absence, return, change.
For Christians, the “point of fidelity” isn’t abstract: it’s grounded concretely in the promise of a New World that brings all of our journeys to their proper destination.
In the Book of Revelation, all of the threads that originate from the very beginning in Genesis 1 and that are woven throughout Scripture find their way into John’s vision. There, the story of God and people come to resolution.
That’s why the Book of Revelation has the unique statement that “blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it…” (Rev. 1:3). Jesus the Messiah is the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End, “the point of departure…and the way home.”
I look forward to seeing you on Sunday to discover more about the dance and the way home.
Steve Engstrom+
Altar Guild
A vital part of our worship at Redeemer that few people see is the proper setting and “unsetting” of the Lord’s Table. Historically, this has been seen as so important to the worship of the church that a Guild was formed to ensure its propriety: “The Altar Guild”.
We are currently seeking two additional attention-to-detail members of our Guild at Redeemer. The work (once a month or so) requires about a half hour before worship and 15-20 minutes afterward.
If you think this might be in your wheelhouse and you’d like more information, email Terri Evans here.
Second Sunday Sandwiches
This Sunday, May 8, following worship.
Picture credit: Thái Huỳnh on Pexels