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From the Pastor’s Word Processor |
Ad with Your Spirit
 Pastor Mike & John
I happen to like the older response, “And with your spirit.” We often ask friends, “How are you?” when what we are really asking is, “How is your spirit?” We can see a limp or a bandage, or the hesitation in moving too quickly after a sprain or some surgery. As Christians and as true friends, however, we are really asking the deeper question, “How is your spirit?” about those concerns and joys we cannot so easily see. “The peace of the Lord be with you,” is not just a rote line in worship—it is the hope that our time in worship will somehow speak to and comfort all those worries we bring with to worship—bills to pay, our adult children struggling in their jobs, youth balancing school, work and all the temptations of the internet and modern life and the health and wholeness issues that seem to rise up out of nowhere. “The peace of the Lord be with you” is a greeting and a pledge to be with each other in the midst of all those worries.
In the months ahead, I would like us to think in those terms as we move ahead in life. The Summer issue of The Caller, included a page with a report and a thank you for our last Lenten Fish Fry. I would like to take a moment to look a bit more deeply: how did the fish fry nurture your spirit?
For me, it is always inspiring and humbling to see people set aside a day—for some, two or more days—each week to work to support the church. I was excited to see how people in the community responded to the appeal for Hygiene Kits for Haiti earthquake relief. The old divisions between churches melted away for a bit—folks from 3 other churches and people who don’t like “organized religion” and who don’t go to any church all brought in bags of completed kits. Folks in Brighton who don’t trust churches seemed to trust us here at St. John’s.
We welcomed new folks to help at the fish fries, people who were looking for ways to become more involved and active in St. John’s. Friends and neighbors who can’t get to a lot of places were able to use our wheelchair lift to come, sit and join in the conversation around the lunch tables. The sense of community grew with each Friday.
The sense of simply “being there” for each other was so very present this last round of Fridays. We did not have a sign up sheet for helpers—but we were never without people here to staff the serving line, bread and fry the fish, bus the tables, restock the drink table and handle the money. You all just showed up when the Spirit led you and the Spirit did an exemplary job of scheduling. Makes me wonder if we should invite the Spirit to lead us in more ways.
And for a really amazing part—with all the extra work from the fish fries—the Worship Team became more active and met more regularly, Roberta led and parents brought their children to a new weekly activity—the Children’s Choir; the choir never missed a practice; the Praise Band worked on new songs and polished their worship leadership skills; volunteers stepped in to take over the Easter morning brunch---Loyal Daughters put together a fantastic Ladies Night Out, the Sunday School finished painting the tent for Haiti—we had the biggest attendance at a Community Good Friday service in 15 years and lots of other stuff went on, too. If your spirit is chagrined because I left something out, please tell me so we can celebrate the effort and accomplishment!
So, “How is your spirit?” My spirit is fortified, encouraged, inspired and energized. “And also with you!”
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