February 2022

Dear Kind and Gentle People,

To my tender readers, xhere is the February edition of “Epiphanies from the Mill House.” I want to let you know that “The Mill” or Mill House is my home in Newfield, Maine. It is a perfect place to ponder the Universe. Each day of life is greeted with a grand view of the mill pond from almost every window and most importantly from my UnKuL Petah-sized rocking prayer chair. Yup, might as well be comfortable when seeking the master of the Universe and discerning how to allow the day to unfold. There is also the “Peace Porch,” a magical porch that overlooks a waterfall. Many a powerful prayer gathering has been hosted here.

The Mill House

Sacred practices like prayer, study, fasting, and other spiritual disciplines that cultivate a dependence on God are profitable ways to spend our time. Immersing your being each day in scripture and quiet time will certainly help your day to unfold and help to embrace the riches the Light offers to us. As sacred musicians we all study the scriptures to coordinate our music for worship, usually months in advance so that music is ordered and we can prepare our choirs and accompaniments properly.

In preparing the sermon for February 6, 2022, I was so happy to see one of my favorite scriptures -- Isaiah 6:1-8. I came to love the Isaiah scripture through conducting the musical setting, “In the year that King Uzziah died,” by David Williams. This is such a dramatic scripture. “Woe is me” indeed! The prophet witnesses the hem of God’s robe on fire, the house is shaking and is filled with smoke. He receives a special delivery from the Seraph, (visions of a six-winged dragon here), in the form of a live hot coal from the altar direct to his lips, cleansing him from guilt and sin thus enabling him to say “Here am I; send me!”

The Isaiah story is paired with a good old fish story in Luke 5:1-11. Jesus is beginning his ministry. He has been baptized and then off to the wilderness to pray, study, fast and resist temptations. With the fish story Jesus really shows that the Holy One expects us to take a part in building the kingdom of God. We are all called to make a difference where we are! Each of us has been anointed to be a witness to the Creator. The very least of which is to proclaim to the people of Gaia, “Don’t be afraid” and “Be at Peace.”

So, as our aforementioned sacred practices yield results; such as direction through a thought, idea, leaning, calling or even a terrifying experience such as Isaiah had, let our response to the God of the Universal Universes be, “Here am I, send Me!” and affirm “I am not afraid.” In other words, “Don’t be afraid.”

Gobs of blessings and heaps of happiness,

PETAH

Rev. Dr. Peter Stickney, Chaplain