Thursday Update - #alonetogether
First off, I apologize that Tuesday evening’s Stations of the Cross service was streamed from my personal Facebook page instead of the church’s page. It was a sneaky, user induced error that I didn’t catch until I was ten minutes in. I know it is now posted on You Tube so you can catch it there. I appreciate all of your grace extended as I learn new skills.
We are making our way day by day through this new landscape – paring our lives down to the essentials as we also walk this Holy Week path in such an unexpected way. I am hearing the readings and music of this week with new ears. I sense God’s loving whisper in my ear about what really matters in life and what does not.
Being the church in the world, the body of Christ in our corner of the world – this is what matters in each of our daily lives. We must continue to respect our call to protect our most vulnerable and our health care workers and system by continuing to comply with distancing and isolating even as it becomes tiresome and more annoying. We must remind ourselves of the luxury of our circumstances as we isolate – food, clean water, WiFi are all at our fingertips.
And yet, if you are like me, you are probably experiencing some extreme ups and downs, times of fear and anxiety and times of gratefulness. Practice gratitude. It truly does help. Set aside a few minutes each day to share with others, in person or virtually, your gratitude and ask them what they are feeling grateful for, too.
We are truly in this together. We are worshipping together in this new way that feels odd. But we are being reminded that the Church is not a building. We are the church. We will celebrate the rest of Holy Week and then Easter Sunday in this new, virtual way. I hope you have created a sacred space in your home, an altar for all in your home. I hope you will dress up for the Easter service! I hope you will rejoice at the love God is pouring out on us.
In our Lenten Study readings from
Are We There Yet?
this week, the authors offered this prayer as a reflection on their arduous journey on the Appalachian Trail:
Holy God, you exist in the trinity of persons and out of love you created us to love you and to love our neighbors as ourselves: Grant that by your indwelling spirit we may be empowered to serve others as serving you, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (
Frank and Victoria Logue, pg. 144)
I look forward to “seeing” you in worship. May God’s love be as real to us as the sun and the rain, filling us with courage and hope. May God’s peace be with us.
Pastor Liz
