People Do Rise
Dear Friends:
As we stand in the wake of the inauguration of our new president, I found our readings for this Sunday particularly resonant. In each, we hear about summons and response, the call of God to drop what we’re doing and change direction, to stop seeing the way we’ve been seeing and begin seeing anew. “Get up and go,” God says to the prophet Jonah. “The appointed time has grown short,” writes the Apostle Paul. “Follow me,” Jesus says to his first disciples in the gospel of Mark. And immediately, they left their nets, and followed him.
As I pondered this pattern of inspiration, movement, and change in light of all that we face as a nation, a congregation, and as people of faith, I came across a blessing by pastor/poet Steve Garnaas-Holmes that I would like to share with you. It is particularly meaningful to me as I anticipate our Annual meeting this coming Sunday, and reflect with hope on the journey we have taken together through some of the most daunting challenges in our shared life.
A people as one rise from fear and grief
and choose hope and justice.
People do rise.
People get up from familiar nets
and follow a path into a future
unknown but trusted,
a new day— a gift of God
and the work of the people.
Every moment
we're invited to leave the familiar.
Clouds still hover, the dawn comes slow;
but in the receding darkness
we bear no angry torches:
we raise candles of hope, the light of love.
We become the future we choose.
For a new day we give thanks
and follow in a new way,
knowing for it to be a new day
we must become new people.
We celebrate, getting up
from what we know
and walking step by step
into what we don't know
with the One
who knows us.
God bless us and lead us, for we need it deeply.*
In Christ,
Amelie+
