Color My World

Rev. Dr. Carolyn Scanlan-Holmes • May 30, 2023

Rainbows

The sight of a rainbow has always captivated the human imagination. They mesmerize children and adults alike. Nearly every culture from Greco-Roman to Chinese, Hindu to Norse, and who can forget the Irish pot of gold... all have stories and myths related to rainbows. 


In Jewish and Christian traditions, a rainbow is more than just a pretty sight, it is a sign of God’s presence and promise to be with us through it all. It is a promise that God will work for good for all. The arc of the rainbow connects heaven and earth. It signifies the divine relationship between God and humanity. Jewish tradition notes that the rainbow is the opposite of a bow or a weapon. It serves a sign of God’s protection. In June, we will take some time to consider how we share in God’s protective promise. We will consider how we use God’s paintbrush to color the world. The first weekend in June we will paint the world ORANGE, as we unite in wearing orange in our call to end gun violence. Together, we call for meaningful action to save lives. 


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In "Together to Gather" after our first service at our temporary new venue, we enjoyed a look back to The Garden's beginning and its evolution over the past 30 years. Joleen House, who has been with The Garden since day one, shared some memories and a clip of Rev. Linda McCoy. In the clip, Linda spoke of her inspiration to create The Garden. A slide show of photos through the years followed, with discussion. Please note that we recorded this on the spur of the moment by request and a mobile phone -- while the band was doing its necessary break-down and load-out of our equipment from the space. Because of this, the audio may be difficult to hear at times. 
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