Connection

Dear Friends,
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In Romans Paul writes, “We glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5 NIV) This Sunday we celebrate Pentecost and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on all believers. The Holy Spirit pours love into our hearts every single day! We all have to endure tough times in our lives. And this unusual season of COVID19 is one of those. Each day brings new developments, new data, new things to adapt to. As well as the stress of an invisible threat. It is exhausting. There is a bright side for each of us too. We are still finding ways to connect with one another. And amidst it all, God is the solid rock on which we stand. God’s love is being poured into our hearts every day. Hold on to that promise in these chaotic days and we will experience the glory of God. Join us Sunday to celebrate the Holy Spirit this Pentecost. We’re going to flood our screens with red. Get creative and show your red!

Our Parish Council met this week and discussed the dynamics of meeting in-person for worship in our church buildings. We talked about our individual preferences for navigating this virus and our interaction with the public. We talked about our risk and vulnerabilities. We talked about our desire to see people in person. We talked about what we would have to do to make gathering in-person safe. (masks, physical distancing, sanitizing frequently touched surfaces, no singing) And we talked about the joy of our worship on Zoom. After much conversation we concluded that we will continue our Zoom worship each week through August. In early August we will reconvene and discuss the possibility of worshipping in-person this fall. There are a few people on the council who are not connecting via Zoom in this conversation. They expressed the meaning of my weekly letters and sermons, as well as the regular phone calls they are both making and receiving. We do miss the warmth of our fellowship. We miss singing together in our sanctuaries. One day we will do that again. In the meantime, keep reaching out and loving one another. And keep connecting virtually as you can. The sermon is posted on our website and Facebook pages every week, as well as mailed out. If you find it meaningful, please share it with others. Now that we know our virtual worship will be extending longer, if you want help connecting with Zoom, let me know and I can help you set it up.

We also gather on Thursday evenings at 7 pm for hymns and prayers. This has become a special time to connect and pray together. Feel free to join us.

I’ve attached my sermon and a Pentecost coloring page!
 
May God continue to pour out blessings upon you in this unusual season!
Pastor Patti