We had a joyful celebration. Thanks to all who joined in!

Sunday Fellowship started working with our Lenten theme, the Body Remembers, way back on February 11th. After sharing the story of Jesus’ temptation and 40 day fast in the wilderness, we recognized the tendency to think of Lent as a time to deny or punish the Body. What would happen if, instead of denying our bodies, we trusted that we could draw closer to God by focusing more on our bodies and how they impact our spirituality?

Each week, we explore different scriptures and different embodied practices. We explored Paul’s discussion of the Body of Christ in 1 Corinthians 12, the Feeding of the 5,000 and the Story of Holy Week. We did chair yoga, hand reflexology, hand/foot washing and made enough snacks for all out of a small amount of ingredients. Naturally You, a local salon, donated aromatherapy oils for us to use in our practices. Check out our photos!

As we traveled through Lent this year with the theme of “The Body Remembers”, adults were offered opportunities to try out a few embodied spiritual practices. The series opened with a session on various forms of meditation including a body scan and breathing techniques. Next, Ellie Horwitz led us in Qi Gong teaching us about body energy and deliberate movement and balancing practices. This was followed by Nan Gibbons who led us in a drum circle – the art of using our hands to make music together, basking in sound vibrations and building community. Next we tried some hand reflexology and chair yoga. And finally, we used our hands to create warmth and comfort for others making several fleece blankets for Project Linus to be distributed to children in hospitals, shelters, and foster care. You can read about this great organization here: https://www.bostonprojectlinus.com. We had such a good time feeling the Spirit in our bodies, learning some new practices, and being creative together for the sake of our neighbors.

During these first two Sundays of Lent, the children have been busy in Sunday School exploring our Lent theme of The Body Remembers. Beginning each class with mindful breathing and a yoga meditation for our bodies (the kids declare “it is so calming,” and “I feel soooooo relaxed”), we have moved through body awareness and how our bodies, minds, and spirits are connected – both to ourselves and to one another. The first Sunday of Lent we focused on the Body of Christ and the children created The Body of WCUC with all its essential parts and connections, and the second Sunday of Lent we focused on hunger and how to meet the needs of others with what we have. We even prepared a special treat for the congregation during coffee hour, feeding everyone a tasty snack made with very few ingredients. The snack was so popular I got requests for the recipe, so here it is!

No Bake Energy Bites

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup nut butter (your choice!)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Measure (roughly) 2 tablespoons of mixture and form into a ball. Makes about 24 Energy Bites. Chill to firm. Enjoy!