Center FOcus October 2012

THE CENTER FOCUS – OCTOBER 2012 In What Kind of Story Are We? As part of a small group of ministers in which I participate, we often read various books of theolo gy, philosophy, history and other ty pes of writings. Yet, interestingly enough, some of our favorite “reads” have been within the category of fi ction or novels. The old saying, “everyone loves a good story” finds validation in this small group of friends. You might discover this to be equally true about yourself and your own friends. Stories serve neither as just a pretext for a set of ideas(truths) nor are they a bunch of fragmented stuff that just “seems to happen.” Stories are moving accounts with a beginning and an ending. They move from a starting point to an eventual destination. Drawing us into the concrete events, lives and actions of their characters , they provide for us a picture of ourselves, of others, of the world and ultimately, our own story together. Some would say that the mo st effective way that all of us can make sense of our own lives is dep endent upon discerning the “larger” story which we operate. The prevailing story(not only of our circumstances but of the world around us) shapes our understanding, our decisions, our actions, our hopes and our dreams. Without a larger story, our lives appear to be isolated details left to randomness and chance. Our individual stories have meaning and significance when placed within the context of a much larger, grander story. So, the question that must be asked, is; “in what kind of story are we?” It is that basic question that “Sam” contemplates in conversation with “Frodo” in the Tolkien trilogy. “that’s not the way of it with the tales that really mattered, or the ones that stay in the mind. Folk seem to have been just land ed in them, usually -- their paths were laid that way, as you put it. But I expect they had lots of chances, like us, of turning back, only they didn’t. And if they had, we shouldn’t know because they’d have been forgotten. We hear about those as just went on -- and not all to a good end, mind you; at least not to what folk inside a story and not outside it call a good end. You know coming home, and finding things all right, though not quite the same -- like old Mr. Bilbo. But those aren’t always the best tales to hear though they may be the best tales to get landed in! I wonder what sort of tale we’ve fallen into?"( The Two Towers) Often, the stories (or tales) that we discover ourselves becoming part are not necessarily the stories of our own choosing, but rather ones that we “landed in” or had our “paths laid that way.” What counts most in these stories is not the individual outcome, but rather that the figure (you and I) who “just went on.” THE CENTER FOCUS Center Presbyterian Church 255 Center Church Road McMurray , PA 15317 Phone: 724 -941-9050 Fax: 724 -941-4189 Rev. Noftzger: 724-986-4572 Email: [email protected] www.center-church.org [email protected]

Documents

Center FOcus October 2012