Dear Church Family and Friends, Monday marked one year since COVID-19 forced us to suspend in-person worship in the sanctuary. I remember that weekend well as I agonized with church leaders over whether to suspend worship or not, and then ultimately realizing on Saturday evening that it was the only
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Dear friends, This week has been a tough one in the life of our congregation. Complications from COVID-19 took the life of our second oldest member, Bill Copeland. Just last summer, his beloved wife of 72 years, Betty (our third oldest member), died as well. Compounding our grief is the
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Dear friends, Christmas will be different this year, but it can still be meaningful. There were no holiday traditions on that first Christmas when Emanuel was born in a stable and cradled in a manger … no figgy pudding, no tinsel, no presents underneath a tree. And yet, it was
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Dear friends, It’s hard to believe that it’s already the Second Sunday of Advent. Some days I struggle to believe that we’re in December. Since March, time feels like it has slowed down in many ways, but because most days feel like Groundhog’s Day (a repeat of the day before)
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Dear friends, Today marks the first Sunday of Advent. It’s the season that begins the Christian year as we wait with great hope for the celebration of Christ coming into our world. This year we wait in a different posture than we’ve done in previous Advent seasons. Pre-pandemic many of
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Dear friends, Worship is at the heart of who we are as followers of Christ. These past few months have definitely been a challenge as we’ve had to pivot to find new ways to worship outside our beautiful and beloved sanctuary in the midst of a global pandemic. I’m thankful
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Dear friends, During this very strange and unprecedented year, I am extremely thankful that I serve a congregation that is both flexible and supportive as we navigate this uncharted wilderness together. While there have been many challenges along our path, there have been many more opportunities before us to serve
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Dear friends, It’s been a strange week in our nation … a presidential election unlike any other, anxiety and uncertainty as we await the outcome, concerns about unrest and violence from people who may not be happy with whatever the outcome may be. Add to all this the fact that
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Dear friends, This year has felt like we’re living upside down. Our whole world has changed in a way that most of us never imagined possible. We have experienced turmoil, tension, and loss and, as a result, we have experienced the deep grief that comes with these. One scripture that
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The first Sunday of October has been observed since the 1940s as World Communion Sunday. This year, it promises to be more poignant than ever before. Because of the pandemic, most of us have not been able to receive communion together; and those of us who have been able to
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