The Fermata Weekly: Children Helping Adults Rest

Fourth Presbyterian of Chicago

Fermata on Julian’s Note is the weekly recap & preview of my artistic activity, with special attention given to Notes of Rest, my contemplative-musical retreat, and The JuJu Exchange, my jazz-electronic fusion band.

Hi everyone,

I hope you’re well. A few weeks ago I was at a Fourth Presbyterian Church Chicago for their youth group fall retreat. We had a wonderful time talking about rest in the Bible and how they can help their community rest. It was a gift to see these middle-schoolers thinking about who takes care of them and how their caretakers need rest. One kid said that he can help his mother rest when she gets home after work and then after working out. (I suggested helping out by cleaning up your room.) Another reflected on how he can help his parents and teachers rest. It was a beautiful time of planting seeds.

Our time reminded me that this is an inclusive movement of rest. Imagine a society in which children were thinking of ways to help adults rest too. The power of God’s gift of rest is that it shows us our mutuality. One prayer I often pray for my friends with kids is that the kids behave and provide rest for the parents. While I know that doesn’t always happen - I ain’t naive about the needs of a 1 year old lol - I do stand by that prayer, because I see how rest is given and provided by the generations. How does the next generation help you rest?

May God bring you rest this weekend from unexpected places, including from the children in your midst.

peace for the journey,

Julian

Upcoming:

Oct 16 Notes of Rest at North Shore UMC (10a central, Glencoe, IL)

Oct 20 Playing with BSA Gold (9p, Sleeping Village in Chicago)

Oct 28 - Nov 16 Touring Europe! (more details tuned)