Park Church

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The Faith Fall
Several weeks ago I mentioned a “Faith Fall” during the sermon. I was surprised by how many people were unfamiliar with a Faith Fall. Many reported experiences, mostly bad ones, of the “Do or Dare” fall played on kids from elementary to high school. In this twisted game kids are challenged to fall backwards into the arms of their friends. Rather than being an exercise of trust, it becomes an experience of mistrust when the so called friends step back leaving the one falling to hit the ground alone, unsupported. The final insult is accusing the one who trusted with being lame, as if trusting is a weakness rather than an amazing asset.

The Faith Fall blends an act of faith with a demonstration of faith. It is often an exercise during the confirmation process. Having begun the journey into personal faith kids group together with a trusted leader (step one of developing trust) then they learn to trust each other (step two), and finally they are trustworthy to their mates. The Faith Fall is culminating exercise in trusting and being trustworthy.

When I was cleaning up the Chubakacabra room I came across this photograph from September, 2002. I think you may recognize Ingrid and Julia Swanson, Casey Loving, Kate Tombaugh, Ryon Arkels, and others. In this photo Ingrid is the one trusting; she has no visible means of knowing what we the viewers can see. She has made herself perfectly still and obviously trusts the outcome that awaits her. We, the viewers of the photo witness the readiness of each person forming the circle of trust into which Ingrid is falling. Notice the woman in front on the left. The determination shown in her stance, her arms, and on her face gives loud witness to the responsibility everyone is personally taking to make sure Ingrid’s Faith Fall has a good ending. As this is the confirmation class of 2002, I assume each person made the same fall into the expecting arms of their mates, arms linking arms, friends at the ready, the symbolic light of God shining through the trees, all are ready to personify faith. Trusting and trustworthy, it is a process and we all are on the journey of faith in God.