On December 30th Rev. Roy E. Bundy conducted a Sacred Water Ceremony in conjunction with the Fifth Sunday Native American Service. Dancing and Drumming led by the Red Blanket Singers preceded worship.
Water, in every form, is one of the most vital elements of God’s creations. Without water, nothing, neither plant or animal, would exist. Every living being on earth, the two-legged, the winged ones, and the ocean, pond, and stream dwellers would cease to exist if the Creator, or humankind by their actions, would cause the waters to flee. Water not only sustains our physical lives, but it is also an integral part of our spiritual relationship with the Great One. The Bible and water are very connected.
Water is mentioned more than faith, hope, prayer, and even worship. From Genesis to Revelations, water flows through the pages of scripture. The Bible and water are primary pathways how Creator’s power and grace are revealed to the created. They both remind us of the Creator and the Savior; unite us with the Great Spirit; and transform and purify the earth and the believers who dwell upon it.
For many Native American tribes, their spirituality revolves around the belief all things are connected. The spirituality also includes a belief there is a physical and spiritual relationship with all elements of nature. All facets of the world are alive and connected.The stones and trees can hear, see, and act. Animals are cousins who possess consciousness and speak in languages humans can understand. The land, the sky, and, more importantly, the water all have a spirit which is shared with nature’s living creatures.
Please pray with us:
Creator God, we come to you thirsty.
Quench our thirst with the flow of life giving waters.
Oh, Creator, we come to you with unclean thoughts.
Cleanse our minds with the flow of life giving waters.
Great Spirit, our hands are dirty with ungodly actions.
Cleanse our hands with the flow of life giving waters.
Amen
Excerpts from the St. John UMC Sacred Water Ceremony. For more information or questions, please contact Cynthia Mosley.