Last weekend, my next-door neighbors had a bonfire in their backyard. They said they were celebrating the last weekend of Spring break. I hadn’t noticed how they set up the wood during the day. About an hour after sunset on Friday night, they started the fire and gathered around it in a circle. Saturday night was a sleepover for one of the children. She and her friends added another circle to the one already set up to bask in the glow of the flames. Each fire burned for about six hours before the flame began to ebb. From time to time, I looked out my window to watch the flames as they danced in the night. When the fire started they were about three feet high, but as the night progressed, they dwindled down to no more than a few inches. I was never up late enough to see the flames go out. And from my angle, I couldn’t see where the embers were, as the burning logs created their own bed of glowing ash.
By daylight, there weren’t any remnants of the bonfire. The flame my neighbors lit was short-lived. Still, it created a time of togetherness for family and friends. Even my dog, Tucker, was able to watch the flames and get a couple of rubs from the children next door. I have used candles and fireplace flames as part of my centering meditation; before, during and after prayer. There is a different kind of peace which is reflected in the dancing light of fire.
There is another flame in our lives. We call it the eternal flame. There is a special spot in each church reserved for this heaven-sent light. Sometimes its container is difficult to see. The light is small and often sits in a red vessel perched high above the altar. Rarely have I heard anyone talk about its significance during the time of worship. The flame which shines in the Sanctuary is a reminder of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives.
Our denomination is at a crossroads. I don’t know what the future holds. I hear the voices of those who believe the ruling from Generation Conference means we are done. I also hear the voices of those who believe we are just beginning a new conversation around how we care for those who are marginalized and discriminated.
The eternal flame still burns in each worship space within our District, across the nation and around the world. The Holy Spirit of the living God dwells within each of us, calling us to be transformative agents for the world. God’s light will never go out. It is fueled by the love God shares with all of us. It is a reminder that God is still at work in the world, in our lives and in all that we say and do for the least, the lost, the sick and the sinners, who journey with us or may even be us. May the Holy Spirit inspire us to continue to be God’s instruments of grace, peace and especially love every day. And Amen.