Looking Ahead
Last week, and again a couple days ago, I have had several conversations with folks where the same topic came up, in different ways: we need something to look forward to, something to hope for. This year has been strange, different, eye-opening, and an odd mixture of being bereft of anything worth living for yet filled with so many small moments of life that have been previously overlooked in the general hubbub. With the days getting shorter, and so many of us anticipating a return to the isolation we experienced in March and April, the question is, what can we hope for? What makes life worth living? What can we look forward to when so much is still being denied us?
I announced during last Sunday's service that session agreed to my taking my two allotted weeks of study leave to arrive with a plan for Advent and Christmastide. That leave will begin September 22nd. I will provide links to the online worship gatherings of several churches for the two Sundays when I will not be preaching. In fact, I invite you all to the Westminster Presbyterian Church Zoom worship on October 4th as they will host a guest speaker to preach the sermon that day. I will provide links in the worship announcement emails the same as I have these many months.
But now I ask for your help. What would you like for me to find a way to incorporate into the Advent and Christmastide devotional and worship plan? The focus will be hope, and will touch of course on the other themes of Advent - Joy, Love, and Peace - but this season I believe we could all do with a bit more to hope for. I will be recording Advent Hymns and Christmas Carols to make a playlist for use both in worship and that you can use at home. What else do you need for your spirit in this approaching dark time of the year?
You can email me your suggestions at pastor at schohariepresbyterian dot org, or by replying to this newsletter. I will make the return address my email instead of the office email.
I love you all
Stay Safe and Healthy
Wash Your Hands
Peace be with you
~Rev. Andrea Joy Holroyd
80-Day Kindness Challenge Pledge and Prayer - week 4
To the God who shows us how that which leaves our mouth makes us clean or unclean, let only your love and compassion flow from me.
When I am frustrated, bring me calm
When I am hurt, do not let me harm another
When I hear hateful speech, let me come to the defense of the wronged person using your language of love and teaching instead of hurling more vileness in the air.
Bring me awareness of my impact on others that I may learn my blindspots.
Teach me, O God, your Kindness, which is loving awareness
Teach me, O God, your Compassion, which is empathy
Teach me, O God, your Justice, which is uplifting of the oppressed
Teach me, O God, your Civility, which allows for disagreement with respect and without rancor.
Your way, God, is never easy, but it is right. Let me be an ambassador of your kin-dom where we know how we are connected one to another, all part of your family.
This is my pledge: that I may showcase your lovingkindness, that I embody your compassion, that I engage with civility when disagreements abound, and that I act with your justice, supporting your people who need to know they are not alone. When I falter, O Mercy, sent the Canaanite Woman to me in the guise I need to see most, that I may be cleansed of my error and return to my pledge. Amen
