A Message from Rev. Karen
Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper. Psalm 1
I cannot tell you how HAPPY I am to see so many of you already. There is joy in our gathering and the lingering fellowship. Don’t worry if you missed me; I look forward to seeing you in the coming weeks.
A few days ago, I was walking into the church building, and I noticed the first color of the season. The points of the leaves on the trees are turning yellow. I caught my breath as this little tree reminded me that the slow pace of the summer was giving way to the hurry and scurry of Fall.
As the pace of life increases, are you stopping to rest? Are you remembering to breathe in and out? Are you giving yourself space to dream and imagine and play?
In his book, A Play-full Life, Jaco Hamman pushes his readers with the question: How do you balance loving and working? He acknowledges that we work more hours than previous generations, we sleep less than our bodies need to rejuvenate, and we have more debt and job loss as we live with economic and safety threats. To keep our heads above water we push ever forward to accomplish more in the hopes of catching our breath and yet we are never quite forward enough. In all of this, there never seems to be a balance between loving and working which was named as the most important and difficult task in all of life by Freud.
Perhaps a good first step is making space to rest in every day. I am not speaking of the mindless checking-out that comes with a television program or a good book. I am encouraging us towards the practice of an active rest. What if we choose to take a few moments every day to mindfully allow our breath to fill our bodies? What if we are attentive to the slow release of our breath as it flows up our legs and in from our arms? What if we make space for our roots to grow and expand in the context of community? There is a South African proverb that says: The people who love me grow on me like moss. This proverb is referring to the medicinal qualities of moss. It is saying that when the winds of life blow us about, when we struggle against the weight of all the tasks we bear, our community becomes a soothing balm that soothes, protects and restores.
As we find ourselves in this significant time of transition for our church, it is especially important to embrace prayerful discernment. Just as the season changes and nature signals new phases, our church community is also navigating change. Let us prayerfully seek guidance and openness as we respond to God's call together. This time invites us to listen deeply, to hold space for uncertainty, and to trust that God is at work among us, even when the path ahead is not yet clear.
As the busyness of life picks up, take care of yourself and allow your roots to grow into a community of love, care and support. We need each other. We are in this together, embracing both the challenges and the joys of this season. Rev. Karen
