A Letter to the Congregation of Symons Valley UC

Elizabeth Gilbert writes in her book, Eat, Pray, Love about joining an ashram in India. She explains that she arrived late in the evening and went to the early yoga class the following morning. No one seemed to notice that she was new--that they hadn’t seen her before. Gilbert compared the experience to how (apparently) a new hen  is introduced into a hen house. To prevent agitating the chickens and then them attacking the newcomer, a new hen must be placed in the henhouse at night, while the other hens are sleeping. When the hens wake up in the morning, they just assume the new hen is not a threat, because she’s clearly been there all along. The woke up together. They must have gone to sleep together.

Today I kinda feel like that new hen.
I’ve been away from the congregation for four months. Once Easter was over and done with and some pastoral care concerns were addressed, I packed up some of my office and a lot of my books and went home.

And, on Tuesday this week, I brought that box of stuff back, with my books and some extra things I’ve picked up along the way. I spent the first day and a half getting sorted with Karen and Kathy. I had to make a decision or two and was given a folder of the worship services planned for August. Karen went home. Kathy went on holidays. Before she left, Kathy said, “It’s like you never left.”

But it’s not.

I might be sitting in my office, working at my computer, reading emails, listening to music, avoiding writing the sermon, eating my lunch, drinking my tea—all just like I did in March. I may have slipped back into the office without much disruption but things are NOT like they were before I left.

Because. You know.

Orlando
Egypt Air 804 crashing
The attack on the airport in Istanbul
A coup in Turkey
Unarmed black men have been killed by police officers
Wildfires in Fort McMurray
Brexit
TRUMP

More than once in the past four months, I turned to my spouse, my friends, my Dad and asked, “WHAT on earth is going on??”

I have asked,Where is God in all of this chaos?
What can I do to make a change?
What can we do to make a difference?
What would Jesus have us do in this turmoil?
Where can we see God’s love in action?
Is Christianity relevant in a world where ‘christians’ spew hate, racism and fear?

And I remember that just because the news channels tells me the world is going to hell in a handbasket – it’s not.

There is good. There is God. There are miracles. There is joy.

For example, in the past four months these things have also happened:

Some of the things from the box I brought back to my office.

Muslims rallied for peace (such as the rally Abby & I attended in April on the steps of City Hall).

Children grew up into confident and capable adults and graduated from high school.

Interfaith families celebrated Eid by sharing a meal.

The world tiger population has increased for the first time in over a century.

India planted 50 million trees in ONE day in July.

A huge gathering of United Church ministers came together to support and encourage one another and to remember what it is about God and God’s world that calls and recalls us into our ministries.

I managed to do TWO pull-ups on my very own for the first time since junior high school.  Did I tell you I started CrossFit last year? J

Research resulting from the funds raised in the 2014 Ice Bucket Challenge has found a gene linked to ALS.

A woman has been nominated for President of the United States. And if you don’t think that’s a big deal, this cartoon might give you an idea of how ground-breaking this is…

So, here I sit. In my office. At my computer. Listening to my music. Writing. Nothing’s changed. And, yet, everything has changed.

I may have slipped back into the church office while alls y’all are on summer holidays but this just gives me time to reconnect with this awesome community of faith that I have missed dearly. And to start learning what has changed for you and what has stayed the same.

What cares and concerns – the personal and the global – do we need to work our way through? What celebrations and joys can we embrace? Where has God’s absence or presence been most keenly felt? Where can we, together, show the love that Jesus, our Christ, brought to the world in his life and ministry?

I look forward to seeing you soon!!