Saturday, March 28 | 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. | First Lutheran Gym
Thy Rod and Thy Staff, They Comfort Me!
This Lenten season I will be offering two workshops on Saturday, March 28 and Saturday, April 11, to lead you through crafting your own walking staff from a stave of diamond willow. Each workshop is a standalone session – you only need to attend one date.
Diamond willow is gorgeous wood, but it is filled with flaws or wounds to the tree. These wounds, when carefully worked over and carved out, give the stave a unique and beautiful quality. No stave is the same, all are completely unique. And the more wounded the stave, the more beautiful the finished walking staff.
Not only is this a physical, hands-on, craft time, but we will also be exploring the emotional and spiritual teachings of the diamond willow along with a Bible study that integrates it all!
You will prayerfully hand pick your stave from a large selection of raw, bark-covered sticks. You’ll learn to shave off the bark and carve out the diamonds. Then comes the tedious and boring job of sanding and sanding and sanding. You’ll get to choose a glossy or matte finish and have the option of burning your name or initials into the wood, as well as adding a paracord handle wrap if you choose.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” -Romans 8:28
What a gift! What a promise!
“Accepting the reality of our broken, flawed lives is the beginning of spirituality not because the spiritual life will remove our flaws, but because we let go of seeking perfection and, instead, seek God, the one who is present in the tangledness of our lives. ” -Michael Yaconelli
If you have a good, fixed blade knife or locking folding pocketknife, bring it. If you don’t have one, I’ll have plenty of extras.
-Rollie J.
Cost: $60 (cash or check payable to Rollie Johnson)
Your registration fee covers your stave and all tools and supplies needed to complete your walking staff.
Registration:
Sign up and make payment at First Lutheran’s Welcome Desk. Limited to 12 people per session, so sign up quickly!
Questions? Contact Rollie Johnson at rjohnson@flcfargo.org.