In praise of winter!

By Joan Robertson in Sermons

Colin Gibson was leading worship at Mornington and Glenaven, on Winter Solstice Sunday, June 21.

The first reading was Genesis 8:22 "... While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease"

Rain, the poem by Hone Tuwhare was the second reading. For the third reading Colin read The shortest day from Michael Leunig's The Curly Pyjama letters.

Then, instead of a sermon, we were all handed a piece of paper and a pen to write down what we enjoyed about winter.

The following is a summary of these replies:

THE BLESSINGS OF WINTER:

"Curling up on the couch with a roaring fire, and a good book"

"Flames leaping in the fireplace, and a cat in her basket"

"Winter evening projects"

"Time to enjoy music"

"Doing jigsaws"

"Walking in the country"

"Longer nights, for longer resting"

"Crispy cold mornings"

"Snow flurrying to the ground"

"Tracery of trees bare of leaves, and the dappled light"

"Bright clear days after frost"

"Smell of crunchy leaves underfoot"

"Walking the dog by the stream on a frosty day"

"First walk on the new snow"

"Cutting back the trees and thinking about the new spring growth"

"Promise of coming season of new life"

"Rain and wind and contrast - a smack in our faces with 'weather' is grounding"

"On the lake surrounded by snow-capped mountains"

"Dawn - the colours of the sunrise reflected down the harbour"

"Street-lights in the soft rain"

"Storm clouds"

"Frothy foam and turbulent waves at St Clair beach"

"The beach, the wind, wild waves, blown sand, the smell of cleansing salt"

"Silvereyes at the bird feeder"

"No lawns to mow,
Nowhere to go,
Drive covered in snow,
Wood fire to blow"

"I like the tingle in my fingers and my toes,
While walking in the rain, and the drip upon my nose;
Which gives me exercise when I get my hankie out,
And give it several blows"

"Re-re-reading recipe books, with a glass of wine, and cooking up a warm feast"

"Hot soup and bread"

"Pumpkin soup"

"Mulled wine"

"French toast and bacon"

"Hot apple puddings, steaming coffee"

"The smell of roast meals"

"Snuggly jerseys"

"Flannelette sheets"

"Coolness suggests calm, ability to think rationally, patience, contemplation, and good manners, consideration for others"

"Time for reflection and good conversations"

"Fellowship with family and friends"

"Being warm with people"

Amen!