IN JUNE
I Will Not Die an Unlived Life
By Dawna Markova
JUNE
Artful Worship, Joyful Service
Sunday Celebration: Weekly at 10:30 am
I Will Not Life an Unlived Life by Dawna Markova
I will not die an unlived life.
I will not live in fear
of falling or catching fire.
I choose to inhabit my days,
to allow my living to open me,
to make me less afraid, more accessible.
To loosen my heart, until it becomes a wing
A touch, a promise.
I choose to risk my significance;
To live so that which came to me a seed
goes to the next as blossom
And that which came to me as blossom,
goes on as fruit.
This famous poem by Dawna Markova could be a manifesto for a woman named Thecla, whose story is not nearly as well known as it should be. Thecla was a young, first century woman living in the Roman province of Iconium. She was betrothed to be married and expected to fulfill all the duties of becoming a wife, which would have meant she was the property of her husband and had little power of her own.
But a man named Paul starts teaching about the love of Christ and how equality is available for all people and Thecla is mesmerized. She no longer wants to get married - she wants to learn and study and share this good news.
Her decision to break with convention is met with much resistance and even attempts on her life, but she is miraculously saved each time. Through her story in the first century document The Acts of Paul and Thecla, we see her go from a timid, duty bound girl to a fearless woman who finds her calling.
How might her story inspire us to live lives of love, resistance and persistence in the midst of the challenges going on in the world today? Join us for this three part series in June that will include excerpts from Meggan Watterson’s book The Girl Who Baptized Herself.
Our series will conclude with a Summer Solstice ritual on June 21st that will include parts of Thecla’s story where she finds her courage and lives an empowered life. See below for more details of each Sunday.
May we follow Thecla’s example and live in light, love and courage.
Pastor Kimberly
Honoring Your Spiritual Authority
A Three Part Series on Thecla: The FIrst Century Feminist who Baptized Herself
Join us for this three part series in June that will include excerpts from Meggan Watterson’s book The Girl Who Baptized Herself.
Our series will conclude with a Summer Solstice ritual on June 21st that will include parts of Thecla’s story where she finds her courage and lives an empowered life. See below for more details of each Sunday.
Upcoming Sundays in June
June 7 Honoring Your Inner Authority - A Love That Liberates Thecla listens to the Voice of Spirit, not the expectations of patriarchy and finds her freedom in a new spiritual awakening.
June 14 Surviving the Flames: Claiming Power from Within When authorities try to kill her, Thecla is miraculously saved when the love in her heart outshines & overcomes the attempts to destroy her and she goes on to joyfully live her best life.
June 21 Summer Solstice Celebration - Finding Our Courage Honoring the courage of Thecla to baptize herself and pick up the torch as teacher and preacher, we will reflect on the ways that we too can find bravery in the midst of the challenges of this world. This Sunday will include a Summer Solstice Ritual where we will honor the light of the sun at its zenith and how we can be energized to live an empowered life.
