Connections – the intersection between food, spirituality and community

Charles Reinhart

Join us for Winter Soups and Advent Taize Prayer on Wednesdays, December 6, 13 and 20, from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m.

Living in Arizona does not give us many opportunities to enjoy hearty winter soups, so when December comes along, we can break out the recipes that have been stored away during the hot months of the year. Our senses are heightened by the scents and smells of a good pot of soup on the stove or in the slow cooker, and we eagerly anticipate the first taste.

December is also the season of Advent in the Christian calendar and while many begin to rush around in preparation for the holidays, Advent invites us to pause, take deep breaths and just relax in the spirit. With the busyness of the holidays, Advent prayer can be like waiting in anticipation for the soup to be done so you can drink in its rich flavor.

Our December Connections will focus on a variety of winter soups with time for reflection and community prayer. Each week, we will prepare soups to share that will include hearty meat soups, vegetable soups and gluten-free soups. Each week, we will have the opportunity to breathe in the spirit of the season. We will use the format of Taize prayer that will include silent reflection and a repeated chant as used by the monks in Taize, France. What better way to prepare for the holidays than to share wonderful homemade soups and quiet reflective prayer? We will meet each week at the Sun Lakes Chapel Center, 9230 Sun Lakes Blvd., Sun Lakes, AZ 85248. If you have questions, please call Pastor Vernon Meyer at 480-895-6317. v