Words of Light and Hope from Tony Foottit

Words of Light and Hope from Tony Foottit.
Sea aster – Michaelmas daisies – Michael and All Angels.
Michaelmas daisies are so called because they flower at Michaelmas in
September. Wild Michaelmas daisies, usually called sea asters, give a
purple haze to some of the salt marshes along our coasts. Who are the
angels and what do they look like? Birds with their wings and their
beautiful singing have inspired the way we imagine angels. Cicely Mary
Barker’s pictures of flower fairies may have played a part too. But you
don’t have to think of angels with wings and harps: they are unseen
powers for good. God in his humility does not try to do everything
himself; he has plenty of assistants. Angels are spiritual powers who
assist God and indeed all creation. Michaelmas is a traditional time for
ordinations when men and women are ordained deacon and priest.
They are called to do angels’ work, which is first and foremost, to lead
worship. When people come to church they want to feel part of the
service. It should never be just a spectacle. The minister has to be as
much producer as performer who helps each to play their part. There
are so many strands of service to unite in worship – music, drama and
craftmanship. Music provides atmosphere, uplifts spirits, requires
leadership and practice and needs a variety of instruments and
expression. There are also all those equally angelic duties of cleaning
and polishing, sewing and embroidery, flower arranging, gardening
and maintenance, and, most importantly, welcoming, hospitality and
catering……
Let the Michaelmas daisies remind us to worship with angels and
archangels and the whole company of heaven, to be messengers of the
gospel and to love, and guard and care for God’s people and God’s
world. A Calendar of Wild Flowers (part),
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.