Pastor’s Corner - March 18, 2021
Learning from others is a tremendous blessing! All of you have taught me so much!!!! Thank you!
Something that I learned from Adam Hayden years ago when we met to work on ideas for the Christian Education Ministry Team and the Equipping Ministry Team, was the power of using “and” more frequently than “but.” Around the same time, a colleague often said, “and also” or “and yet.” These faithful leaders helped me to see things and say things as non-binary. Life is rarely “this or that”. Rather it is often “and also.” Life is complex. We as uniquely created people created in the image of a loving and gracious God are complex. Being in community is complex, and complex is not bad. In the many different facets of who each of us is and how we exist in relationship with God, one another, and all of creation, there is wonder and splendor and delight. At times, there is also hurt and suffering because we misunderstand ourselves, one another, and God.
We are all on this journey of life together. I’m grateful to be journeying with you. I’m grateful to be growing with you. As we continue in this season of Lent, may we take time to reflect on the complexity of life in the midst of the many simple gifts of life. In this season, we are invited to focus on our humanity and our need for God. We are invited to confess our failure to love. We are invited to repent and turn back to God who is always there and always seeking us with compassion and mercy. We are broken, AND we are beautiful. We are weak, AND we have strengths to share with others. We are unique, AND we are dependent on one another and all of creation. We live, AND we die. We can lament, AND rejoice at the very same time. We can doubt, AND we can believe at one moment.
May you know that you are treasured. You are loved. May you breathe in God’s Spirit. May you rest in the peace of Jesus. May we grow and serve as Jesus’ disciples in his ways of wellness and equity for all. May we live out our God-given call as beloved and loving children. Blessings upon you as we journey together, dear friends~
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God,
“who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Revelation 1:8
