Dear friends, The life of a church community involves a balance and a rhythm of continuity and change. At any given moment, we need both. Without change, we become stagnant. Without continuity, we lose our sense of who we are. While we seek to balance familiarity and newness, we also recognize that there are times […]
Pastor
The following is an extract from Pastor Debbie's most recent annual report. Current posts by Debbie appear at the bottom of this page.
As our grace at a recent dinner with friends, each of us shared something we are grateful for and something for which we hope. “I am grateful,” I began, “that almost every day I get to do something that makes a difference. I hope that somehow all our individual efforts can come together to make a bigger difference.”
It was the first thought that came to mind. In the days that followed, I realized how much my gratitude and hope emerge from being part of Edwards Church. Through our church, I get to do things that make the world a better place—in small ways and large. Through our church, I find hope that all our individual efforts really can come together to transform and heal our world.
From the time I started as pastor here, almost 22 years ago, I have known that what we do as a church matters deeply—to the individuals who are part of the church, to the wider community, and to our world. This past year, it has felt especially true. We need Edwards Church. The city of Framingham needs Edwards Church. The world needs Edwards Church. In this troubled and divided world, Edwards Church offers sanctuary, healing and comfort, opportunities to live out our passion and compassion, and new models for being church.
There are so many reasons to be grateful and hopeful. I am grateful for the sanctuary we offer, and hopeful for the ways we will continue to widen the circle. I am grateful for all the ways we offer comfort and healing, and hopeful that God’s healing spirit works through and beyond us. I am grateful for the opportunities we have to make a difference, and hopeful that we can find new ways to work together with other communities. I am grateful for our openness to new ways, and hopeful that we can be a model to inspire others.
I am grateful for each person in our congregation: for our gifted and dedicated staff, for our officers and board and committee and team members, for people who usher and greet and welcome and bake, for people who crochet and drive and pray and sing. I am hopeful that in the coming year we will deepen our faithfulness, our caring for one another, and our compassion and passion for justice.
Peace,
Rev. Dr. Deborah L. Clark
Springtime Planting
Dear friends, This spring, as you come onto the Edwards Church campus, you are likely to see lots of people. You might see Neela, a botanist from Garden in the Woods, pointing out native plant species. You may run into Andrew, a permaculture gardening specialist who created our Edible Forest Garden, showing a group of […]
Words of Wisdom from “Making Space”
Dear friends, One of my favorite aspects of Lent is our tradition of offering a daily devotional, with each day’s entry prepared by a member of our congregation. Even though I see them in advance, it is still a joy each morning to open my email to see whose devotion appears. I love the diverse […]