July Rector’s Message
God of courageous hellos, God of grace–filled responses: as we emerge from behind these masks and find ourselves in the company of people we hardly know but with whom we share the story of a year, may we, with proper pacing and spacing, make and remake connections that last, even those that start with a fleeting exchange of passing and hurried hellos. Amen.
It takes longer to dry off when you get out of the pool than it does to jump into it. Getting out of the pool, sometimes you have to because the break whistle has blown, or it is time to go. Other times you may desire to get out of the pool, but the difference between the water and the air makes you want to stay in where your body is comfortable. Our life in these days of what is the late-pandemic (we hope) is very much similar to the tension of getting out of the pool. You spend most of your time out of water, but the physics of temperature and evaporation make the shift intense at times. As many of us are slowly learning to let go of the safety ritual of masks and so much care-full distancing, it is at once a brisk delight and an soaked and cannot get dry fast enough teeth chattering anxiety. Our shift is a discomfort and a breath of fresh air.
As we emerge from the chaotic waters of a terrifying 15 months, may we have courage and grace filled responses to the myriad of challenges and differences we will face. We here at CCRP have the dynamic of many months of mostly one way communication, missing the chance to work together on small tasks and tell stories. New friends have begun to walk with Jesus with us, but we might not know it. We need to dig into growing in our connections that will foster our faithful collaboration moving into the next era. The pace of summer will give us proper pacing to ease into healthy and lifegiving patterns of formation and worship and fellowship. I wonder how those of you who are ready to step up can help us build connections with new friends, including myself. I hope that we can take the pace of summer as an opportunity to begin to carefully meet up for coffees and teas (I still prefer outside options). Let us emerge from the waters, honest about what we have suffered in these months, giving back to God those things that no longer serve, and let us be upheld by the courageous grace of the saints to go where Jesus is already, out of the water, drying off and getting on with the mission of justice and compassion for all.