The Stretch

 

My last post, as well as an earlier one (The Need to Die, April 23) make considerable reference to Corona activity, whether that be reading or building or fixing things in the backyard, etc.  It's becoming clear to me that life requires more than things to do to keep from going crazy in your own backyard.  I also know I've gotta get out of here.  Social distancing or not, my life contains more than what's inside my fence.  Life also needs stretching.

Consider the picture above.  All these cyclists are a care group which our daughter is a part of.  This particular Saturday it was decided they would go on a bike ride within the ample space of a nearby provincial park.  My wife and I were invited to come along - just because we are Kimberly's parents or maybe because I have joined a number of them at some previous men's breakfasts.  At any rate it was our privilege to ride along with some very experienced commuter cyclists, some recreationists, and even a few for whom this was a stretch beyond the usual level of physical exertion.  It was a ride which would proceed at speed of the slowest - everybody very welcome! What a good way to spend two hours of a Saturday morning just before the anticipated rains would come.  Obviously the first benefit is to stretch and work out muscles that do not 'get it' just tinkering at home or sitting at Zoom meetings or email messages or even walking walking as we do a lot of.  The more significant stretch, however, is a relational one.  This Saturday group contains several on the autism spectrum, several parents of persons on spectrum, several happily married couples, several stressed marriages, a couple of divorcees, and one recently widowed, and even a couple of no-shows who simply could not make it because of physical mobility challenge.  Simply stated this is one of many groups in one of our community's evangelical churches.  It is a way of nurturing fellowship and mutual support within a faith community.

Another stretch comes to mind, at least for this guy who is always thinking of many things.  This is a life stretch.  It is a part of new relationships coming my way precisely in this new circumstance, and probably also because of old experiences now followed by opportunity to think about them more thoroughly.  One good example is the awareness and polemics regarding systemic racism, not only in the U.S. but (gasp) also in Canada, the country of wide open spaces and a liberal (?) immigration policy.  I just read an article about immigrants and their experience here, "For immigrants, hard work isn't optional - it's a matter of survival" <hello@sprawlcalgary.com>.  Many immigrants become minimum wagers here; and that is followed by political rhetoric about "they all taking our jobs", and then that followed by "those lazy indigenous people should go get a job".  Main point here, our country, our communities including most of our churches, must recognize that a short while ago we were guests of the Indigenous, our hosts.  Unavoidably now we must think forward.  Thinking preservationist is unrealistic and counter productive.  The good life we have apparently earned really contains a huge measure of gift - from our Creator and from those who were here before.  The stretch? I've said it before, and must again; we are entering a new day.  Churches must learn how to include "all of these". This particular church of the bike ride is providing delightful support for the emotionally and spiritually needy - just because they delight in fresh opportunities because of new life in Jesus Christ.

Tomorrow, however, I will meet with some very good new friends.  They also are Christians (yes, new life in Jesus!) recently immigrated from Africa, unemployed or underemployed (see above) plus, some are refugees and some immigrants.  They are in need of Christian worship space.  Can we as Caucasian Christians accommodate?  Very appropriate request and it appears we can help, but we cannot provide for the painful needs of family members back in South Sudan.  At this point, and based on the stretch of new friends gleaned from yesterday's bike ride, we will move forward together in a good way - perhaps in a way not quite envisioned just yet.  The amalgamation, the knitting together of communities will be a process of many years affecting both us Caucasians and my very tall black African friends, perhaps even in a spirit of gratitude for the Treaty land we dwell on?  In my mind this is stretchy material and it is of God.  This is the material for the future of a world that is repopulating.

Two scriptures come to mind: Isaiah 54:2 “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes"; and Matthew 28:19
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."  God is larger than all of this (read my profile).

I enjoyed and also gained perspective from this group of adults celebrating each other even within their range of needs.  These are the occasions that make retirement exciting, even more exciting than a make-work project in my back yard.