May 2022 Newsletter
Recently I was in a long drive thru line at a coffee shop. The barista preparing my drink was lamenting her new but slow coworkers, and our cold, rainy, lack-of-sun, and even a little snow (Easter morning!) month of April! She said, “I want to see the sun! I want to start my garden! I want some warm weather!”
I sympathized with her and echoed my hope for sunshine, too. I’m not very good at small talk after the first exchange of polite words. But I’m trying to be more intentional about speaking hope, joy, and blessings into little moments of people’s lives, strangers and friends alike. It’s one lesson I’m taking away from our study of “An Altar in the World.”
So, as she handed me my coffee, and prepared for her next round of innocent small talk, I worked up the courage to offer a little blessing. “Mother’s day is a great time to start planting! Best of luck with your garden – I know it will be great!”
I hope my words showed genuine listening and care. We all need a little more sunshine and some ‘spring’ in our step. The world and our community continue to find its footing amid our new normal of pandemic life, work life, family life, inflation life, and political life – local, national, and international politics and conflicts.
Amidst that backdrop – our own individual and collective transitions of life shared together – we Christians believe in resurrection life. We are resurrection people! Our gathering on Easter Sunday, and our focus on Ukraine the following week, reminded me that the power of resurrection breaks through cloudy days, rainy days, depressing days, and even monotonous days. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is a reminder that light, love, and compassion always win, and sometimes suffering breaks open cracks for the light to shine through in new ways.
May you find sunnier days ahead, and may the light of God’s love touch us all in life-giving and healing ways.
Blessings,
Pastor Jared