Words of Hope: Ferch Church
When I was growing up, Dad made time with God something sacred, intentional, and interesting. He hated the idea of church or discussion about God being boring. He lamented when students attending Christian schools or colleges said that their least favorite class was Bible. Dad thought that was a travesty. We sometimes had family Church in our home when someone was too ill to attend, or we had some obstacle that prevented us. Our family has carried on this tradition with Ferch Church—a nice rhyme and reminder to carry on Dad’s legacy of a 24/7 – 360 relationship with God that is alive, dynamic, and transformational.
Everyone would bring a verse or story they are learning from in their life. They may sing a song, recite a poem, read a passage of scripture, or share a work of art that helps show the family how God is moving in their life. There is time to pray together, perhaps a time to ask forgiveness or discuss ways to show more love to others in our family or in need. The time always includes singing and prayer for each other. Some creative forms of questioning would be to take a poem, a worship song lyric, or a verse and then ask a question. For example, one of our family’s favorite worship albums right now is CeCe Winan’s Believe For It. There is a beautiful song she sings and one of the lyrics says, “They say this mountain can’t be moved, They say these chains will never break, But they don’t know You like we do, There is power in Your name.”
A question we may ask would be – what is a time you felt a there was no way a mountain could be moved, but you saw God work? Or -how have you experienced the power of a name, and how does that encourage you when you think about the power in the name of Jesus? Another example might be a poem from Gerard Manley Hopkins, one of our favorite poets. He says, “Glory be to God for dappled things, for skies as coupled colored as a brinded cow.” We might ask questions like these: What is something you find beautiful most people miss? How have you found thanking God for something small or mundane to help you? What are things in nature that remind you to pause and say thank you to God?”
The questions are infinite and beautiful, the opportunity to know each other and come closer to God in the process is a gift, a miracle, a true communion. Thanks to Dad for this sacred way to connect.
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” -Psalm 139:13-14
