I have spent several hours trying to pull things together for Sunday school today. Somehow it often seems to be the case that I'm on the rota for remembrance Sunday. As a white poppy wearing pacifist it it always a tricky service for me without the added pressure of wanting to honour the expectation that we will in Sunday school discuss remembrance fully, whilst also remain true to myself.
Despite hours of prep, I still don't feel ready. My plan is to focus on the Christmas day truce and I have a few other letters from soldiers on both sides talking about choosing not to kill others when confronted face to face. I'm hoping we'll talk about how we love our enemies and how peace begins with us. It feels a bit discussion-heavy, so not much of fun or interest for the younger ones. Maybe a game of football will be called for, see how that leaves them feeling?
I think my anxiety is to do with people perhaps feeling I'm not doing it properly. But the few pages I read of my world changing book last night included the suggestion that we have to humanize our opponents.
From the very little I've seen of football, I know there's the potential to try and degrade those who are not on your own side. We'll see what happens!!
I know it's just the old doubt that others will think someone else would have done it better. Truth is I've put lots of prayerful preparation in and it's great that I'm doing this B-)
... I couldn't find a football so improvised. I imagine there was a lot of improvisation happened in the trenches. We used some plastic bags balled up and it made the whole game safer in its indoor venue. We had some good discussion.
I feel self conscious in my white poppy. I've not seen anyone else in my town wear one. Perhaps that comes of living near an army barracks in a town where many work for the local armament manufacturer. Maybe next year I could get a whole lot of white poppies on advance and do a display in church and really get conversations going?
No comments:
Post a Comment