What comes to your mind when you hear the word “wilderness”? There are likely a few of things. First, while the amount of wilderness territory is diminishing, there are those untamed parts of the world where any hiker or camper relinquishes convenience and safety. In those places, nature is most alive, and if you allow, it will speak to you. Second, if you have had a long exposure to the Scriptures, you will remember that the Israelites wandered for forty years in the “wilderness”, and that after being baptized, Jesus went to the “wilderness” to be tempted. Third, drawing on those blended meanings, wilderness can be used to describe a spiritual season of uncertainty, struggle and “wildness”.
So, is the wilderness an experience to be feared and avoided? Emma Gatewood did not feel that way. She was the first woman, and only the fifth person, to hike the entire Appalachian Trail, and she was 67 when she did so. She was a mother, a grandmother and a great grandmother, and she walked the entire distance without tent or backpack. She only carried a small knapsack, and relied on her trusty Keds sneakers. But, many in the admiring public did not know she had endured thirty years of a violently abusive marriage. She would escape from her husband’s rampages by running into the woods, and came to view the wilderness as a safe and restoring place. And, when the marriage ended, she headed for the trail.
The wilderness, both the literal and metaphorical wilderness, holds for us a place where we find ourselves and experience the power of God. Belden Lane would say, “Desert and mountain places, located on the margins of society are locations of choice in luring God’s people to a deeper understanding of who they are. Yahweh frequently moves to the boundary in order to restore the center, calling a broken people back to justice and compassion.” In Lent, we are called to move to the boundary. We are called to wilderness.
We’ll discuss this in service on Sunday, the first Sunday of the Lenten Season. The sermon is titled, “Tending the Wild and Precious Life We are Given.” It arises from Luke 4: 1-13, which will be read by Rev. Sarah Gettie McNeill. The Sanctuary Singers, accompanied by Matthew Wachtman, will sing “Prayer for Ukraine”. We will also celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion, have a moment for children, and sing and pray together.
We do hope, whether you have been a part of St. Mark’s for a while, or are just engaging us, that you join us in person or online. For the livestream, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Live Stream banner.