Dear Church Community,
You may recall that this was the theme of my 2022 Sabbatical, and I think it’s relevant to this season of our congregation’s life. I wrote about it in my Pastor’s Report, which I hope you’ll read, along with the rest of the updates collected in our church’s Annual Report. On Sunday we’ll gather for our first hybrid Annual Meeting after worship, at which time we’ll vote on the 2023 budget, elect our committee chairs, leadership team, and trustees, and receive an update on the programs and priorities of our church community. Every voice has a vote, and we need yours!
When I think about “What’s Next?” I recall these words from a sermon I preached this fall:
Is it time to take a step back as a congregation and reimagine what sort of community we’re meant to be? Do we have the capacity to take a long deep breath and enter an intentional process of dreaming and discovery quite different from our usual mode of planning and procedure? Would we like to do things differently (which may sometimes mean doing nothing at all)? Do we want to practice living a new way? Is this what our church could be?
These are the questions I’d like to ask this year, and I invite you to ask them with me. The author and activist, Tricia Hersey, writes in Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto:
You were not born to center your entire existence on work and labor. You were born to heal, to grow, to be of service to yourself and community, to practice, to experiment, to create, to have space, to dream, and to connect… Rest pushes back and disrupts a system that views human bodies as a tool for production and labor. It is a counter narrative.
It seems to me now is the time for us to join in this counter narrative. And, as I look ahead, I’m excited to take the risk of rest.
Each season has its own gifts and challenges, and older adulthood can be a period rich in meaning making and self-discovery. Beginning this Tuesday, January 31, at 7 pm, I’ll lead an online series of six monthly discussions centered on spirituality and aging, using The Path Ahead: Spirituality and Purpose in Later Life, a curriculum developed by Seabury Resources for Aging. We’ll explore changing spiritual needs, address issues of ageism, equip ourselves with new prayer practices, and engage in discernment about God’s continuing call. If you have questions and/or would like to participate, please email me by this Sunday, January 29: pastor@cpcchurch.org.
Who is Jesus in your life? This Sunday the FaithLife Group will begin its discussion of Diana Butler Bass’s book, Freeing Jesus: Rediscovering Jesus as Friend, Teacher, Savior, Lord, Way, and Presence. The author invites us to “liberate Jesus and free ourselves when it comes to the ever-compelling yet often-elusive figure at the center of the Christian faith.” The group will meet once a month online or in hybrid mode, from 5:30-7 pm. For the reading schedule and Zoom link, email Dan at dsackdc@gmail.com. All faith perspectives are welcome!
This Sunday, I’ll be preaching about Salt and Light, two ingredients we often take for granted but are essential for feeding and illuminating the world. I’d love to see you in church!
Blessings and Peace,
Pastor Ellen