Dear People of Grace,
It seems fitting that as I have spent the time among you reflecting on the letters in the New Testament, that I am now writing a letter to you. First of all, I want to thank you for the welcome you have given me.
I have been reflecting on the anthem the Choir sang in the September 26th service, “Our Voices have been Silent” by Lydia Pedersen (words) and J. Best (music). This song seems to capture the longing in us to come together, to sing together and to pray together and to offer praise together. Part of the first verse goes:
“Our voices have been silent far too long; just listening in worship felt so wrong. God’s people need to shout their praise to celebrate God’s wonderous ways, to pray, lament and grieve when things go wrong”
As Thanksgiving approaches, God’s people need to celebrate God’s wonderous ways. At times it may seem rather difficult to celebrate as we have undergone a prolonged period of separation from each other and in some cases, our families. However, if we reflect to where we were a year ago, we now have a vaccine which may be able to be extended to younger age groups. We have been humbled by the dedication of health care and services workers who have given of themselves selflessly for such a prolonged period.
The advent of the fourth wave and talks of a fifth produce uneasiness but we need to take heart from the Gospel reading for Thanksgiving Day. It is that familiar passage from Matthew about the lilies of the field and the birds of the air and it contains wisdom that we need to remind ourselves during this time. “And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?” (Matthew 6:27). So during this time let us not worry but rather commit ourselves to celebrating God’s wonderous ways.
We, like the Israelites in the desert, are in a period of transition. The Promised Land is in front of us just at the horizon, we can almost touch it. But like the Israelites, we know it will not be like the old life back in Egypt. Transitions are never quite a comfortable place to be. I can understand this. As I shared in Fellowship Time a few Sundays ago, I am in transition in my life as I have recently retired as a military chaplain in the Canadian Armed Forces and I am waiting for that moment when my status of “grandmother-to-be” shifts to grandmother. Transitions in our personal lives as well as the life of the Church can be scary times as the familiar recedes. We need to find new ways of being or in the case of the Church, wooing and doing as we have explored in the letters of Paul and James. But these times of transitions can be fruitful times.
I am so glad to be able to walk through this time of transition and promise with you,
Blessings,
Rev. Wendy Kean