Dear friends,
Before our combined Epiphany worship service, the pastors from the four participating churches were talking with our guest preacher, Rev. Matt Crane. We were saying how much we were looking forward to his message and to connecting with his organization. Hospitality Common, Inc., is doing both practical and visionary work to support our newest neighbors.
“It feels as though there are so many fires in our world right now,” my colleague Greg Morisse from Plymouth said. “It’s hard to know where to start, so I’m grateful to hear about what you are doing.” He was speaking metaphorically — about injustice and suffering that feel as destructive as fire. He didn’t know that two days later literal fires would erupt in California, devastating entire communities, destroying wildlife and homes. His words feel even more true today than they did on January 5.
How do we respond? How do we help? How do we care for ourselves and one another so we can care for our world and people in need? How do we acknowledge our grief and outrage and find hope?
These are huge questions. I don’t have any easy answers. I believe with all my heart that our faith and our faith community can help us wrestle honestly with these questions and can offer us inspiration, comfort and guidance as we seek to live with integrity and to make a difference.
The stories we read in the Bible almost all emerged in overwhelming and challenging times. Jesus’ life and teachings are all about finding peace, purpose and community in the face of despair. In the two thousand years since he walked on earth, there have been so many people who have drawn upon his teachings as they have sought to live faithfully in overwhelmingly challenging times. And today, around us and within this community, there are so many people who do what they can to be a source of healing, hope and justice for our world.
In our worship, in our music, in our soup-making and prayer-shawl-crocheting, in our faith formation and our service projects, we draw upon the richness of the biblical tradition, the wisdom of faithful followers who’ve gone before us, and the love shared in this community. Together, we can be a source of solace, hope, courage, inspiration and justice for our world.
Peace, Debbie