Dear All Angels’ Family,
In my mind’s ear, this letter is delivered via the voice of Vanessa Redgrave to the Call the Midwives tune. I binged watched seasons 7 and 8 during the lockdown.
Something like this:
We are reminded a church is its people, gathered by Love and gathered in love for one another, their Creator. The thousand acts of kindness shown, even in the darkest times become the Light, the light that binds and nurtures us. In our questions, our concerns, our disappointments, we find we are given an ability to stand even though the ground appears obscured.
Hey! That does sound like Vanessa! I’ve told my own kids a thousand million times, you become like your friends. You start to sound like the people you hang around with. So choose your friends wisely. Knowing this phenomenon to be true, I am finding every conceivable way to come close to God through scripture during this tough season. The circumstances around Nate’s resignation are challenging. That it falls at this time, embedded between one national and global disaster after another, gives it an unreal quality. To be honest, Vanessa Redgrave isn’t nearly enough. I need the full amour of God; I need to bathe in God’s Word so that my prayers, thoughts, words will fill, heal and guide my spirit. I’ve moved my “Pray As You Go” app to the front page of my phone to make it easier to click…often. I’ll Zoom attend the Wednesday night prayer led by Carolyn Carney. Coming close to so much scripture, next time I write an email, I’ll probably sound like Paul himself.
On the children & youth ministry front, Jack and I have lovely fall plans to roll out with a weeknight senior high zoom meeting, young youth women’s prayer time, Sunday morning Children’s Worship with breakout groups for various ages. We’ll have more to say about that in the coming weeks. This coming Sunday, our priests, John and Jimmy, will visit Children’s Worship via Zoom. And then, at 10AM, in our communal worship service we will have Blessing of the Backpacks. What started in 2014, has quickly become an annual tradition. When we bless the students among us, we are empowering these young people as leaders in the intersection of faith and work. Their receiving of the blessing proclaims there is no part of our lives that is hidden from God.
God bless you, All Angels’.
With love,
Mary Ellen Lehmann
Director of Children & Youth Ministry
allangelschurchblog.wordpress.com 