Pastor's Blog

It is amazing to watch the quality of light change daily since the Summer Solstice. Although it still gets light and the birds chirp super early and the sun goes down late, the arc of the sunrise and sunset shifts daily so there are always different patterns of shadow and light.
 How do you think about shadow and light? In spiritual matters, we tend to talk about “being in the light,” or “moving toward the light,” yet we know that too much direct sunlight can cause sunburn. Deep reflection often occurs when one takes time to notice the nuances that exist in the shadows or the stars that glow only because of the dark night sky. Seeds depend on the deep darkness of the earth to burst and grow. Growth is not always that obvious. We are living in a time when it is good practice to discern the difference between “what do I think,” or “what is my opinion,” and what is a human right. Currently gun violence is taking away the lives of too many innocent victims. Assault weapons can fire of enough rounds to kill several hundred people in a matter of minutes. In the past months we have witnessed the murder of school children and teachers in Uvalde, Texas and more recently in Highland Park, Illinois, the murder of 7 people celebrating at a 4th of July parade. In both these incidents we have also witnessed the follow up grief of children now orphans, spouses now widows and communities crying for justice even as they mourn unspeakable loss. There are those in the congregation who have already expressed interest in some kind of action, beginning with a letter writing campaign. I am interested in hearing from others of you who have ideas about action. Action of course is always accompanied by prayer and reflection. As we are called to seek justice, let us begin together.

​ In Christ, Pastor Jill