Worship – 9:30 a.m.
Childcare is available for infants through preschool age, downstairs in Rooms 4 and 5.
From the Pastor/Head of Staff
Suppose you live in a community that has had a market in an old building. After 60 or so years, the enthusiasm for the market wanes, and finally the market closes. What to do with the old building, which has lots of glass and beautiful architectural detail? In Toluca Mexico, a newly elected mayor, Yoland Senties, the city’s first female mayor, had a vision. She built community support for the idea, and then everyone watched as a local artist, Leopoldo Flores, transformed the old market into Cosmovitral, with tons of stained glass from 8 countries around the world. On the floor of the old market, a botanical garden was created, and accented with works of art. The old market is now a stunning public space that inspires, as it serves the community.
The theme running through the windows centers on universal dualities and antagonisms, like the struggle between life and death, good and evil, day and night and creation and destruction. Then, at one end is the Hombre Sol, the Sun Man. Mr. Flores intended it to represent humankind “in perfect harmony with the forces of creation, virtue, art, science, truth, beauty, wisdom and other qualities.”
The parable we will hear on Sunday ends with Jesus saying that the righteous will shine like the sun. Thus, this beautiful image to contemplate. But the image, and its setting in the Cosmovitral, and the parable raise good questions about how to make something new. An old market. A farm field afflicted with weeds. The world. What might God’s ethic of renewal look like? Join us on Sunday morning and we will think about it together.
Blessings, David
Photo: “Cosmovitral,” in Toluca, Mexico