It’s Friday and Sunday’s Comin’!
Dear Friends,
Like the rest of the world, this week we mark the one-year anniversary of facing the restrictions of movement and activity in face of the pandemic. Shoes remind us of walking but instead it feels like we’ve been staying in place.
In our community many have gotten or will soon have the vaccine. Although we are cautious, with guidelines in place that monitor the ISDH levels of Covid spread, we plan to return to in-person worship on March 28. Online worship will still be available.
There’s a story in the Book of Ezra (Old Testament just after Chronicles) in which the children of Israel are coming back to worship at the Temple after being in Exile for 70 years. When they finally got together, there was both weeping and shouts of joy. Some wept because things were so different and some were joyful that God had brought them back to the temple again and you couldn’t really tell the difference between them (Ezra 3:11-13).
We weep for what has been lost and we are joyful that God continues to call us to together in love. It was true in ancient Israel and it is true for us today. Just as in the season of Lent we give attention to repentance even while we look forward to the resurrection, so sorrow and joy always go hand in hand.
I pray that this holy season is one of gratitude for what you learn and the wisdom you gain from the sorrows and the joys in your life.
Blessings always,
Pastor Mary
Most years we have an UMCOR Sunday — this year we’ll have an UMCOR giving month! Your March offerings for UMCOR go to support the vital work of our UM relief agency. Then when disaster strike, 100% of funds given go directly to those in need!
Give online or send checks to the church and put UMCOR in the memo line.
Take the time this weekend to watch the movie Just Mercy, the story of Bryan Stevenson’s journey to seek justice for people on death row. The film is available from Amazon, RedBox and the public library.
Join the discussion — Sunday, 4:00 p.m. via Zoom.
