Northminster News

May 3, 2020 | The Fourth Week of Easter

Why Can't I Sleep Like I Used To?

Northminster Family,

Yale Professor of Psychology Dr. Laurie Santos has become well known for her course “Psychology and the Good Life,” which explores that perennial question: What actually makes us happy? I’ve been fascinated by the similarities between her teaching and the teaching of our tradition, so when she hosed an online Q and A about wellbeing in the midst of COVID-19 , I paid attention. Some of the questions she addressed resonated deeply with me and echoed the concerns we’ve been hearing from some of you. So, for the next few weeks, we’d like to use this part of the service to move through some of these questions, approaching them through a brief meditation and a prayer, informed by Dr. Santos’ research and our own faith.

This week, we want to spend some time with the first question, something we’ve heard from some of you, which is simple and at the same time, so important. “Why can’t I seem to sleep like I used to?”

If this is something you’re struggling with right now, you are not alone and there is no shame. Have compassion for yourself. Sleep is so essential for our mental health and our immune system, both of which are very important right now, so working through this question deserves priority.

There are two things we want to use to address this question this week: The power of ritual and our patterns of thinking .

First, ritual, something churches have long known have a significant impact on us if used in the right way. Things feel out of control, and that induces anxiety, but finding simple ways to establish a sense of control can be powerful and shift our thinking. Small things like mindfully using lotion before going to bed can help create a sense of ritual, and over time help your body to associate that experience, the smell of that lotion (or whatever your ritual is right before going to bed) with the message, Okay, time to start shutting down.

Another good ritual is choosing a time to put your phone away. Don’t let any more information in after, say, 8pm. Find a place to plug it in, put it away, and cut off your access to anxiety-inducing information for a while, and if you can’t shake that body-urge to pick it up again, find another habit to replace it with. Pick up a book. Make a cup of tea. Write in a journal. Start giving your mind some space to calm itself and prepare to let go.

And that gets into the second element, patterns of thinking. The ego is the part of you evolved to help solve problems and established a sense of self. It’s “the thinker.” And while it is an excellent servant, it’s a terrible master. It’s the part of you that fixates on things like: You need to check the news right now! or You need to solve this problem, so just keep thinking about it! But the truth is, it’s okay not to check, and it’s okay to let go of thinking. Healthy sleep is, in itself, a practice in letting go, of realizing that we’re not as important as we think we are, and the world can go on without us. It’s a reminder that our value doesn’t lie in our ability to work, problem-solve, or fixate, but that we can let go and there is something bigger to catch us. It’s a healthy surrender to God.

If you'd like to participate in a guided prayer of letting go, you can find the prayer we led on Sunday morning at https://youtu.be/aF2PrJsclKc?t=1314 , or check out the Headspace app. Like a muscle or new skill, the more you strengthen it, the easier it will be to call upon when you need it the most. The more we practice, the easier it will be to let go with grace, to trust, and allow ourselves to rest in the Spirit of Love and Truth.

If you have questions or anxieties you’d like us to speak to and spend time with in the service, please don’t hesitate to send us an email or give us a call so we can continue to learn to find God and rest in this season.

Peace,

Zach

The Prayers of the People

An opportunity to celebrate and pray alongside siblings in our community.

We pray alongside...

Hannah Clark's brother, David Crews, who had a heart attack last Sunday and is in the hospital at

St. Francis.

We celebrate alongside...

Jim Files (May 2nd), Judy Gaddy (2nd), Brittany Creed (3rd), and Owen Higginbotham (5th)

as they celebrate their birthdays.

Two Northminster members with exciting publishing news this week:

Ellen Prather , on the publication of a children's book, Once Upon a Time on Donaldson Road , for which Ellen provided the illustrations (written by Melissa Leporati), and

John Carr , on the publication of the book Amphibians & Reptiles of Louisiana, co-authored with Jeff Boundy. As it turns out, this book was actually published a while back but was just brought to our attention this week and we are glad to be able to celebrate it now!

And we celebrate the gifts of beauty found in nature - including the brilliant colors of the drift roses in our front flower bed at Northminster! May the birds that continue to sing, the flowers that continue to open, and all the new life and growth around us keep us grounded in the continually unfolding story of life, and death, and life again.

If you have concerns and celebrations you would like us to add to the newsletter, please call the church office or email office@northmin.org.

The Work of the People

How we are responding to the Spirit of Love

"How can we keep from singing?"

The choir continues to meet at their usual time over Zoom for a brief check-in and a chance to make music together from home. If you haven't been able to connect so far please contact DH Clark and he can help you get connected!

Update on Assisting Asylum Seekers Released due to COVID19

Below are the current needs from our missions group working to meet needs of asylum seekers being released on short notice due to COVID-19:

4-5 pairs of men's pants or shorts in size 36-40
Men's t-shirts in size Small
New pack of men's underwear, sizes S, M, L, XL
Snack items that include protein

Other ways to help:

Monetary donations can also be applied to the needs above, as well as to transportation and housing costs
Letter-writing is as important as ever, if not more so, for those who are still being held in detention, so please keep up that good work! If you haven't started writing Mara Loeb can help you get connected.

For more information or to share how you can help, contact Mara Loeb or the church office and we can put you in touch.

"A Sweet Proposal"

Northminster member Marsha McGee has a 'sweet' proposal she wanted to share with the church: Partnering with friends from New Iona Presbyterian Church, she plans to deliver cookies baked by New Iona member Becky Thompson (owner/pastry chef at CAKE) to healthcare workers at Ochsner Medical Center and then at Glenwood if there is enough interest. New Iona has already delivered at St. Francis; see the attached photo from the St. Francis Facebook page showing off the cookies and the smiles they brought. If you'd like to chip in you can use our usual donation methods - PayPal, or a check dropped in the church mailbox, but if you use PayPal be sure to contact the church office to let Renee know your donation is for the "cookie fund."

Our Father, Who Art in Heaven...

One of the best ways we can remind ourselves we're not alone right now is by seeing one another's faces as we ground ourselves in our sacred stories and prayers.

Please send in a video of yourself reciting the Lord's Prayer (you can use cue cards, we won't know!). We need as many as we can get! You can email your video to Zach.

And we're always looking for more scripture readers for our worship services. If you're willing to record just your voice reading scripture please email Renee to let her know!

Online Sunday School

If you are interested in meeting with your Sunday School over Zoom at 10am on Sunday morning, contact your Sunday School teacher. They should be able to give you a link to follow to gather on Sunday morning.

If you're not already a part of one of these classes, feel free to drop in anyway! Contact Craig Henry or Zach & Claire.

Do you need help getting groceries, or financially?

Do you need help getting groceries this week? Don't be a hero! If you're in the more vulnerable population, please stay where you are and let us help. There are church members who have offered to meet this exact need.

If you've lost your source of income because of COVID-19 and find yourself in need of food, assistance, or money, please contact your care group leader or office@northmin.org.

You can also check out our website, at https://www.northmin.org/resources-in-monroe-1.

We can help you navigate your options and connect you to folks to ensure your needs are met.

No one is alone in this.

Holy Ideas

How might we respond to the Spirit of Love?

In this new season of social distancing, we need holy ideas to help stretch our imaginations for what is possible within this community more than ever.

Since we can't make use of the physical "Holy Ideas" board in the hallway, we'll maintain it virtually and keep it updated here in the newsletter. If you have an idea for a way the church can be church in this season, or if you see an idea you'd like to support to help it become reality, email the office and Renee will virtually post or sign your name to it.

If you have questions about an existing idea, email the person listed as its sponsor.

Our usual system is as follows: If the idea gets the support it needs (3 signatures) within 3 weeks, the supporters will meet with the appropriate commission to clarify and refine the idea into a specific, time-limited plan. If adjustments to this system are needed given the novelty of this new situation we find ourselves in, we will reevaluate as needed.

Arts

No submissions at this time.

Education

No submissions at this time.

Missions

No submissions at this time.

Community

No submissions at this time.

Giving to Northminster

Practicing Stewardship in an Uncertain Time

We are sensitive to the reality that financial uncertainty is one of the side effects of the spread of the coronavirus. However, if you find yourself in a position to continue or increase your contributions to the church, know that your donation will be greatly appreciated. We have made the decision to honor our commitments to all those on our payroll (ministers, staff, choral scholars, childcare) who are relying on this income in an anxious time, and we cannot do that without your continued support.

To support Northminster financially, you can click here , or scan the QR code below with the camera on your phone.

Around "Town"

Our "Town" is now "The Internet!" So check here for things going on "Around Town" that our members are involved in or believe you may be interested in.

If you hear of online or "socially distanced" opportunities you'd like to share with our congregation please let the office know. We'll do our best to curate those opportunities in this space in the newsletter on a weekly basis.