Well, what a year! I wonder how history will narrate this year to the generations to come? Even though I know history is generally narrated by the victor -- so it mostly is written from that perspective -- but who will be the victor in this narrative? The virus? The vaccine? The people?
Time will tell but I wanted us to take a moment to reflect on what this year has meant for us as a congregation, and as people:
The virus forced us out of our buildings and confined us into the safety of our homes, and we quickly learned what was the most important! Our inability to enter the building that is so important to us, could not stop us from being a worshipping community -- the buildings closed but the church stayed open and found creative ways to be a presence in the neighborhood!
We may not be a hugging kind, or may not have paid much attention to the fact, but we learned the importance of human touch, as soon as we were not able to hug or shake hands or touch one another in any way!
While we dealt with the pandemic of the virus -- our country saw a surge of another pandemic that was present -- a little covertly -- but this past year racism has shown up in places and in ways that we had not imagined. The unnecessary killing of black and brown and trans persons created much tension, and also mobilized folk like I had not experienced before.
The young people taking to the streets and demanding justice became a source of hope for me, and gave me strength to keep doing what we do for justice -- knowing that the younger generations are not afraid to speak truth to power and demand change!
Through all this -- we came closer as a congregation, and community. I have witnessed strangers offering help to strangers -- with no expectation in return!
We learned we could survive with fewer material things and needed deeper and stronger relationships.
The question I wrestle with is -- once the virus is controlled and we are allowed to be out of the comfort of our homes, will we try to go back to the ‘familiar?’ I pray that we learn from this experience and will work hard to not fall back into the same patterns we had started to create. Data shows that pollution is decreasing all around the world and water is clearer now than in recent years. Let us stay on this path and be intentional of our choices in our post-COVID life!
Friends, I invite us to make a commitment to care for the earth and its resources in the year 2021, and that we will not go ‘back’ to the familiar but will nurture the things we have learned during the COVID season -- that make life simpler and care for earth easier.
Also remember the office is closed till Tuesday, January 5th. Please check in with Kathy Wurster for pastoral emergencies. And, join us this Sunday to sing Carols that we did not get to sing this season or are the favorite Carols of the choir. We will have Holy Communion on Sunday, January 10th.
Friends -- I wish you all a happy, healthy and hope filled start of the year 2021. May God give all of us the strength we need for each day. And remember, I am always your partner in justice,
