In the dead of winter, the members of my congregation dropped some sunflower seeds into pots of soil. It was intended to be nothing more than a ritual act. The seeds, in their pots of dry soil, sat, untended in the dark, cool sanctuary, until on Easter Sunday, signs of life were spotted, climbing out of the pots of soil. No one had watered them. No one had put them in sunlight. But the seeds sprouted anyway. The seeds broke out of their hard shells, sent roots deep into the soil and shoots reaching for the light.

On the day Christians celebrate the hope of new life that emerged from the empty tomb of Jesus, we Presbyterians had before us a real-time, real-life mystery: what made these seeds grow? One could say, that’s what seeds do when they are planted. But not always. Sometimes, even the most carefully tended seeds fail to take root and do not flourish. The easy answer is: God did it. But life doesn’t always hold up to the easy answers, does it? Life is as full of mystery and promise as is the growth of those seeds.

So, we are doing what one does in the face of such a mystery. We’re planting the evidence in the rich Ridge soil. And we’re waiting to see what happens. We’re watching to see what grows. In the meantime, we’re wondering what’s growing in Ontario. Where is hope hidden in the soil of our community? Where is peace taking root? Where are shoots of joy, sprouts of beauty growing? We’re waiting, we’re watching, we’re wondering, and we have no easy answers. Only tender young plants, and faith enough to put them in the soil. Do you enjoy a good mystery? Come, join us Sunday mornings at 10:00 a.m. for worship, Monday and Thursday evenings at 7:00 p.m. for yoga. Who knows what might grow?

Blessings,
Cheryl