A Reflection from our Vestry
Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you.
Isiah 41.10
While this pandemic is very concerning and has each of us looking over our shoulders to see how close we are to another human being, as well as being anxious about how long it will go on and whether we can endure the social isolation, plus our concerns over the welfare of others, it also has brought forth many beautiful joys.
At the moment, I am in a rural setting in West Virginia and the daffodils are about to bloom and the trees are still in the budding stage. Birds, both local residents and ones traipsing north from their winter nests, are flocking to my feeders. Yes, after a gloomy and grey winter, life is reappearing; emerging with optimistic boldness in spite of not knowing what the changing environment will bring.
During these past few weeks—though it seems like it has been eons—we have seen our church community proactively respond to the growing health contagion. Initially by establishing communion and worship guidelines for our regular services, and when those gatherings needed to be curtailed, coming up with innovative ways to provide continuing spiritual comfort. Our outreach ministries have faced their constraints by not giving up but by repurposing their assets and then encouraging those who had been donating in kind to switch to funding food gift cards to meet the needs of those less fortunate in our surrounding community. The Holy Comforter staff assisted in quickly setting up accounts to make parishioner giving easy. Our outstanding clergy regularly provide uplifting messages through electronic media.
At the national level, the Sunday Eucharist broadcast from the Washington National Cathedral on March 15 was appropriately simple and deeply moving; Bishop Curry’s message was truly wonderful. The prayers of the people were especially meaningful, focused as they were on the crises at hand and the needs that it brought forth.
The road ahead is long and filled with challenges but we do not walk it alone.
Yes, God, I know you are with me. While I will be cautious…I will not fear. You continue to strengthen me. With you at your people’s side this scourge will ultimately be defeated and we all will endure.
Jon Collom
