Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Long Weekend Ahead

Dear Church Family

   Halfway through May 2020 and we are in the midst of many areas opening up for more participation, and more opportunities to spread the virus. A church in Georgia, even with careful distancing, had almost half of their congregation get sick, they have shut back down. Texas, one of the first to open up opportunities has a 1,000 more cases two weeks later. We are practicing John Wesley’s Do No Harm, as best we can, by remaining out of our building and share our worship gathering via Zoom. We will continue to do so, until it really is safe.

   This weekend has many features and I invite you to join us in them. Wednesday night at AWE, we will celebrate Ascension Day, a day early, it’s usually a Thursday. Ascension is the remembrance of Jesus’s final day on earth before returning to his Father in Heaven. We want to invite you to join us for our AWE, even if you haven’t before, so we can see how God is preparing us for times like these. In many ways it’s a celebration of Mission Accomplished. Jesus has done what he planned to do, and is now going home. We look forward to a mission accomplished moment for our congregation and we will have that gathering someday.

   Sunday is Aldersgate Day, when as Methodists, we commemorate John Wesley’s conversion experience. He saw it as one of his most important days in his life. We get a chance, with these stay at home times, to participate more fully in the celebrations that normally collide at this time in May. This coming Sunday can be Ascension Sunday, Heritage Sunday, Memorial Day worship all rolled into one. But doing that can be a mess. My youngest brother Kelly was born on Dec. 22 and in a pastor’s household, with all the Christmas and Advent activities, he felt really gipped, they all rolled into one and he felt like he missed something. We are spreading out this festival combination more carefully this year, because we can.

   Monday is Memorial Day, we when pause to give thanks to those who made the ultimate sacrifice and gave up their tomorrows, so we could live ours. Please pause to give thanks, and to remember the women and men who died defending our country. In this pandemic, even Arlington Cemetery is restricting visitors to immediate family only, by appointment and only to the area where their relative is buried. But we can choose to stay home and recall their sacrifice. I’m in the process of preparing a moment to remember and will give you more details about that opportunity to pause and pray on Monday. Details will be shared on Sunday.

   This week is the Homiletics Festival, a great celebration of preaching and it’s usually packed with pastors seeking to be inspired and encouraged. With the pandemic, it’s online this year, and also free. I’ve been grabbing some moments here and there for my own inspiration. I’m thankful to hear from others, so they can help me do a better job with the Message.

   In today’s sermon from a UCC pastor Dr. Otis Moss, III, I’ve been reminded of the Road to Emmaus story and the importance of letting each of us grieve the losses we are feeling right now. It stomps on our heart in big ways. We need to have permission to share that grief. On the Road to Emmaus, Jesus invited his walking companions to pour out their hearts and concerns. The second gift was the gift of companionship. We will recover and encourage each other if we value the companionship. Even if it’s on the phone, or facetime, or zooming after church. You might want to pick up the phone and call someone to share in this journey through the uncertainty and the changes we are facing because of this global health crisis.

   May God bless you and keep you, while we are absent one, from another.      

Pastor Jeff

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