Greetings Friends --
What a journey we are on together. With the #StayHomeSaveLives order now given, we need to rethink church, rethink connection, rethink this journey together for a longer period of time.
This means all our gatherings “at the building” through Easter and beyond, at this point in time, are canceled: The Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday & Good Friday service, Easter Sunrise, Easter Breakfast, Easter services and Day of Action, all are canceled. We will be offering links to events for these times. I will be offering daily prayer services during Holy Week online. We will find ways to connect.
There is interest in offering the Gifts and Talents Workshop again while we are trapped (aka, at home, with #StayHomeSaveLives) and perhaps need a new way to connect, think, dream and move forward. The workshop is a marvelous journey. So, more information will follow on this.
I am offering weekly times of prayer and connection on a weekly ZOOM call every Tuesday at 1 pm. You simply put this address into your web browser or phone at this number (669 900 6833) and we can connect, pray and share together.
You may have seen the FACEBOOK event that the church is seeking to identify those in need to help them get groceries, care for needs, transportation to the doctor, or help with income gaps. We can begin with prayer. But if you would like to give “above and beyond giving” toward a fund at the church to help folk, designate your extra gifts to “Helping Hands.” And if you need assistance, give me a call. Let’s connect you with the resources you need.
As we seek new ways to go about our lives, a friend’s blog reminded me of how much detail the Old Testament gave to the people journeying into and through their wilderness.
There are an inordinate number of details given to specific worship and sacrificial practices for these displaced people who had known only slavery for some 10 generations. They didn’t know how to be a people with identity, with a government, religious practice, educational system, system of daily living for themselves. To us the many details of Exodus and Leviticus, especially, might seem tedious. But for these people, God was helping them create space, create a means to replace their slavery mindsets with a new identity; it was space in which to worship, reflect and learn.
In this time in our wilderness, find ways to make the space for worship, reflection, and continued spiritual development.
Here’s some ideas for how to do that in these very odd times:
For Sunday morning worship online at 9 am here is our weekly link . I invite you to think about how to recreate the sanctuary in your home. See if you can remove distractions, sit in the room with the least clutter and the most open space. Participate by listening to and singing along or reading the psalms and prayers, like usual. Come willing to share. I invite you to mute your own microphone when you are not speaking in conversational moments. This cuts down on background noises -- dogs, slurps, side conversations, etc. In this worship setting, we are having you download links to suggested music (found in the chat section), which then we each listen to on our own devices. I love watching you all as you sway, sing, and participate on mute. Music does not work on most of these “meeting links” that’s why we are listening to the songs ourselves while muted. We are trying to be as familiar online as in person, so it might help you to recreate the space in your home too.
Make a ritual of each day spending time in scripture and prayer. Continue your own lenten practice each day. Or explore this Methodist website that offers the morning prayers from the Anglican tradition. They are beautiful.
Connect with each other. On top of my weekly Tuesday Zoom call, I invite you to connect. Call, email, write one another. You can find the directory on our website. Or email Virginia at office@westsidejourney.org and she will help you connect to it. But don’t wait: call, email, or send a letter to people in your life. Make time to call someone to mind, write something, and send it as a great way to start or end your day.
God gave the people in scripture rituals and specific instructions to sustain them through so, so much -- it was a 40-year “#ObeyGodSaveLives” order as they wandered in the desert. But God sustained and grew them even “through” that season. God demonstrated inordinate care for them, even though they rejected much of what God offered. So, for us, let’s seek to be intentional about our space and how we spend our time, and God will sustain us too.
There is a weekly time to connect also with our District Superintendent and many clergy and other local church laity at noon on Mondays which is a great time of prayer, devotion and sharing as well. Join in that time at this link: https://greaternw.zoom.us/j/894709064
There are ways to connect. We will publish other means as soon as we learn of them. And if you are planning groups, please let Virginia know so we can make those known.
Grace to you all! This is a new season for us.
Love in Christ,
Brian