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Beloved,
We know that it is good to be together. And yet: the truth is that life has always been a rhythm of separation and togetherness, exile and return. We may prefer the “return” bit, the “bring you back to this place” bit, but that doesn’t mean separation isn’t part of the story.
Experiences of separation are at least as old as the ancient stories of the Garden of Eden, the Israelites’ exile in Babylon, and the parable of the Prodigal Son. Jesus and his followers were separated by betrayal and death, and then reunited by forgiveness and newness of life. Even on our most “normal” days, our lives are a rhythm of gathering and dispersing, coming together and going apart, calls to worship and benedictions.
This past year has been another profound experience of this ancient pattern, and as challenging as it’s been, we can take solace in the knowledge that our ancestors, too, experienced seasons of exile. And here’s the point: thanks to this history, over time our faith — and our church — has been built to help us live through such seasons with grace and hope.
At our core, Eastminster Presbyterian, is a community of reunion, homecoming, and return. We also know that while we have returned to in-person activities, we are not the same, and not all of us have returned for a variety of reasons. Now more than ever, in a world full of exile, we need the church to stand as a beacon of hope, welcome, and radical hospitality.
With all of this in mind, we invite you to join us in giving thanks for all the resources — spiritual, theological, physical, and financial — that support this indispensable work. The Session is already working on the 2022 budget and we need your support so that we can be a source of hope, love and welcome in our community. You can fill out the pledge card online or by bringing them to worship. Together, we’ll fill out the cards; and together, we’ll celebrate God’s beautiful gift of “a future with hope.”
Blessings,
Kristin
