May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be always with you!
Each week, in this mid-week message, I begin by reflecting on something that is happening, either close to home or in the wider world. Today, the decision about what to talk about was easy.
If your social media feed is anything like mine, it is filled with people reacting to yesterday's US election. Some people are angry. Some people are grieving. Some people are fearful. Some people are smug. Some people are posting inspirational quotes and prayers.
To me, even though I didn't let myself get very invested in this election out of self-preservation (I still remember the devastation of the day after the 2016 US election), the results that I woke up to this morning feel like a gut punch. My heart is interpreting the results as a victory for misogyny, a victory for racism and xenophobia, a victory for fear and divisiveness and hatred and violence. My heart is interpreting the results as a defeat of truth, a defeat of compassion, a defeat of the command of Jesus that we just talked about on Sunday to "love thy neighbour."
But this morning I also remembered that I had written something on Facebook the day after the 2016 US election, so I went looking to remind myself what I had written then. On Nov. 9 2016, I wrote: "While I weep for everyone who has been hurt and will be hurt, possibly in ways we can't even imagine; I also draw hope from knowing that in the big, big picture, Trump and hatred and misogyny and racism WILL NOT have the final word... Every year, we re-member the suffering and death of the Good Friday story; and every year, the tears and heartbreak give way to the joy of the resurrection. As an Easter People, we can be confident that the Good Friday times in our lives and in the world aren't going to last forever - the resurrection is coming."
Whenever we gather as the church - in worship, in bible study, at meetings - we light our Christ Candle. This candle reminds us that the light of Christ shines into every corner of the world - we don't have to be the light, but we are called to be like mirrors, reflecting the light into whatever corner of the world we find ourselves.
For today, if you need to grieve, then grieve. If you need to rage, then rage. If you need to weep, then weep. If you need to retreat from the world, then retreat. If your prayers can consist of nothing but tears and "sighs too deep for words," then let it be so. But when you are ready, remember that you are one of those mirrors. When we are journeying through the shadows, we need the light, but that can only happen when all of us are reflecting The Light. And then, together, we can make our way through the shadows.
And the hope that will sustain us is trusting that some day (even though it will likely take longer than any of our lifetimes) the dawn will come and the night will be over.
In terms of announcements for this week:
Worship this Sunday will be 9:15 at Long Reach and 11:15 at Westfield and on Facebook Live. Both services will include An Act of Remembrance at the start of the service, as well as Communion at the end of the service. Our scripture reading this week will be Mark 12:38-44 - the story of a widow who placed all of her money in the Temple's treasury. You may have heard this story interpreted as praising the widow for her generosity, but if you read the story closely, there is another way to read it... (How I end this sentence will be revealed on Sunday!)
Sock it To Me - thank you to Summerville and Westfield for all of the socks (so many socks!) you brought on Sunday. Long Reachers - this coming Sunday is your opportunity to bring new socks to church to donate to the Romero Van, Coverdale, and Outflow by throwing them at me... I mean, throwing them into the box I will be holding! (Westfield folks - if you forgot your socks last Sunday, you are welcome to bring them this Sunday even though you won't have a chance to throw them!)
Westfield United Church Remembrance Day Turkey Supper - tickets are selling fast at the Grand Bay Home Hardware! $20 per person (eat-in or take-out).
Community Remembrance Day Services - on Monday, services will be held at the Cenotaph in Grand Bay-Westfield - attendees are asked to arrive by 10:15am (details); and at the Branch 62 Legion in Moss Glen - please be on site no later than 10:40am.
Asking the Big Questions - our next gathering will be on Tuesday November 19, 4:30-6:00 (with pizza!). This month's question will be revealed next week.
Looking ahead:
Session and Official Board Meetings: Wednesday November 20
Christmas Letters (including this year's December schedule) will be available beginning on November 17
Christmas Pageants: Long Reach on December 8 (rehearsal on Nov. 24); Westfield on December 15
And that is it for announcements this week!
For a closing thought, related to my opening reflection, here is prayer that Lutheran Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber shared this morning. (CW: Strong Language) You can read it by clicking here. (Unlike so many online comments sections, the comments on this one are worth reading through.)
Blessings for you and yours, today and always,
Kate.
Rev. Kate Jones
Two Rivers Pastoral Charge
(506) 757-2201 (office)
(506) 343-1307 (mobile)
Pronouns: she/her/hers
"Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the law?"
Jesus replied, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: "You must love your neighbour as you love yourself."
(Matthew 22:36-39)
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