From Ron ...
For this issue, I decided to provide a detailed example of the extraordinary contribution Walter Farquharson has been making to the website. For much of the past year, Walter has been writing reflections to accompany hymn texts and song words. I urge users of this site to learn more about the these titles through Walter’s insightful writing which appears under the heading: "Comments about Song", located at the bottom of the first column on individual song pages.
When he completed creating reflections for most of his own hymn-poems, Walter was moved to begin exploring the words of Shirley Erena Murray. The more he read, the more he was inspired to write similar reflections for her poetry. Walter's writing provides his own "Amen" to Shirley's creative, faith-filled writing. In doing so, he offers to all of us a deeper understanding and appreciation of her work.
This gracious, kindred-spirited, collegial contribution has deeply moved me. The reflections created by Walter throughout the site are useful as study tools and preaching resources. In addition, they include anecdotal recollections which bring the story of the poetry into our 'here-and-now'. They are also useful as printed or spoken introductions to the singing of these songs.
Knowing Walter and Shirley as well as I have over the decades, I always secretly wished that I could arrange to have them meet one another. I almost succeeded in 2005 when I organized a gathering of my author-partners and colleagues for the Epiphany Explorations Conference in Victoria, BC. Were it not for scheduling conflicts at the time, Ruth Duck and Shirley would have been there along with Walter, Fred Kaan, Brian Wren, Sheelah Megill, John Oldham, Linnea Good, and Bruce Harding.
This hymn echoes many scriptural references – the Emmaus journey, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us”, the wind that “blows where it chooses but is not seen”, the Pentecostal dancing tongues of fire, the germinating greening shoots of grain, the pungent yeast bringing life to the dough, the wine at the wedding feast of Cana. Each of these could be visited and the multiple meanings distilled. This is the recitation of the Biblical drama, the gospel story, the faith community’s birth and rebirth.
And, tucked into this hymn’s images, comes the surprising phrase “as a kite on a string”. Of course, Jesus did observe and comment on the play of children, but nothing is recorded of him ever referring specifically to kite-flying. Had he done so, how easily “Go fly a kite!” might have become one of the final bits of instruction Jesus left with his disciples – along with directives such as “Go tell” and “Feed my sheep”.
This hymn celebrates how the Spirit works within, around and through us. Always, and all ways, “making worlds that are new, making peace come true, bringing gifts, bringing love to the world.”
