The children were invited to admire a bag of coloured feathers. They were beautiful – blue, pink, white, copper, turquoise- representing the beauty, peace, and joy brought into the world when we live as Christ’s lights. To admire the feathers, the bag was opened in the middle of the aisle with all of us gathered around; the children on the floor, the adults from the pews.
Guess what happened? The feathers had been spread on the heating grate. The furnace came on and the feathers kind of moved. The furnace came on and off a few times that Sunday and each time the feathers spread a little further, floating through the air. The feathers were trampled and spread farther during communion.
For weeks, conversations included the continual finding of feathers. The wagging of tongues was quieted as the object lesson followed us from week to week.
Years later, feathers still work their way out of the grate. Members reflect back to where the feathers came from, are reminded that their words have meaning, and they share a story they will never forget.