I am grateful to all who agreed to participate in the planning and celebration of Black History Month! On this Sunday we will hear a touching and personal reflection, on Resilience, by DeShawn Barrett. DeShawn had suggested a few music videos that have been special to him on his journey.
In addition to being the 3rd Sunday in Black History Month, this Sunday will also be the 1st Sunday in Lent. This year’s Lenten series, prepared by Rev. Marcia McFee, is titled ‘Holy Vessels,’ reminding us that we are Holy in the sight of God. Each one of us is precious and whole, even when we feel broken and challenged, especially after all that we have endured in this past year, which has shattered our sense of wholeness.
In this Lenten “season of recovery” for our physical, communal, mental, intellectual, and environmental health, we will explore the healing narratives of Jesus reminding us that God journeys with us even in our suffering. We will begin a journey toward making something beautiful, and ‘holy’ from that which seems broken. Beach glass, that was sent to you in your Lenten kit, will offer us a multifaceted symbol of this transformative process. To assist in that journey of recovery, reflection pages have been developed for each week. I invite you to take a few moments each day during the week to reflect and journal.
Friends, we all know this has been a long and lonely road for everyone -- more for some than others. The end is not here, but is on the horizon, so stay focused, resist any temptation to give up, and remember to ‘do no harm,’ by being mindful when we are around other people, wear a double mask (as has recently been suggested by health experts), continue to wash hands and stay home as much as possible. Together we can overcome -- both the viral pandemic and the racial pandemic. Let us continue to be agents of love and peace in this world. And remember, I am always your partner in this work of justice!
