March Pastoral Letter

Dear Friends,

March came in like a lion: with snow and cold temperatures, the death of dear Royce Rice, and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. But, according to the Farmers’ Almanac, based on ancestral beliefs in balance, if the weather at the start of the month was bad (like a roaring lion), the month should end with good weather (gentle, like a lamb). 

I am hoping that we don’t have to wait until the end of the month in order to feel some good weather and gentleness. This month let’s pray together that we will witness some glimpses of good news, hints of hope, even a few jolts of joy!  Here are few long-awaited activities to celebrate and look forward to:  

On March 7, we are having a New Member class and on March 21, we will welcome them into our church family of faith!

On March 21, we will open our church for in-person worship (up to 25 persons by reservation) to gather together to worship God and see one another--mask to mask.

On March 28, we will celebrate Palm Sunday and prepare to journey through the holiest week of the year, following in the way of Jesus.

On April 4, we will celebrate Easter Sunday and give thanks for the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the gift of eternal life!  Stay tuned for more information about worship services and other special events!

I came across this poem called “On Safety” by African American poet Nadine Pinede that spoke of to me of living in this month of March, this time of pandemic, this season of Lent, in this tension between a roaring lion and a gentle lamb.

When the storms of life

come bearing down

threatening to

lash you senseless,

seek shelter.

Find the warm

blanket you caress

like the felted fur

of your cat

curled before

a glowing hearth,

of breath that fills

both heart and earth.

Breathe.

There’s always time

to curse the darkness.

After the tears,

light a honeycomb candle

and heal your own sun.

The bridge

from sorrow to joy

may seem to vanish

in the flood,

but who says you

can’t join those

who cross over,

with a single

braided rope

of gratitude.

A tried and true and trusted method of crossing over between this seemingly endless Lent of pandemic and Easter joy, between a roaring lion and a gentle lamb is gratitude.  Even when gratitude is the last thing we may feel, if we count our blessings, we may be surprised at how many we can name and how different we feel as we do.  We may even find ourselves roaring less and baaaing more.

And so, using the words of Ann Weems (Kneeling in Jerusalem), let us pray:

Thank you,

Jesus God Spirit

who is Holy

on us.

Anointing us

with amazing love

you dug a dwelling place

and settled

tenaciously

forever amen within us.

Thank you,

Jesus God Spirit

who is Holy

on us

for your incredible grace.

Lenten blessings,

Pastor Donna