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Dear Covenant Family,
One of the things I love about ministry is the variety of tasks that make up my days. While pastoral care, study and writing are constant from week to week, and a great many administrative tasks, I occasionally get to do something fun and light-hearted. This past week I attended two special events. The Cleveland Pride parade last Saturday, and the Habitat for Humanity Project Blessing on Wednesday. At both events, there were smiles and handshakes, prayers of gratitude and community building that leads to restoration in our city.
For the Pride Parade, we met at Old Stone Church and marched in a group with 34 other churches proclaiming the message that God is Love and Love is Love and that humanity in all its God given diversity is beautiful. Katherine brought Covenant t-shirts for everyone and Rose Window signs to carry. We had one participant in a wheelchair and one in a stroller, both dressed in the colors of the rainbow.
The new site for Habitat was purchased several years ago, but it took time to get the infrastructure set, and now they are ready to begin construction. Five new ranch homes will be added to the neighborhood in the Jefferson-Puritas neighborhood. One of these homes will be the 14th “Faith Build” house in Cleveland and they hope to have it finished by the end of the year! This home will be funded and built by volunteers from fifteen churches, including The Church of the Covenant. The Spirit is surely at work among us.
I once heard Dr. Shirley Guthrie speak about the Holy Spirit in a way that made a deep impression on me. He said that anywhere you see goodness prevailing over evil, anywhere you see light chasing away the darkness, anywhere you see healing emerging, hope prevailing, anywhere you see love instead of hatred, justice instead of injustice, faith instead of fear, collaboration instead of competition, care instead of callousness – THAT is the Spirit of God at work. The Holy Spirit is everywhere the giver and renewer of life. The Spirit of God is present, always at work, to move us, move the community, move the world, closer to God’s justice and joy, healing and wholeness, unity and peace.
May it be so.
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