To the family and friends of St. James Presbyterian Church,
Peace be with you. I pray that this note finds you in good spirits as we enter the month of April and continue our trek through the strange journey of coronavirus pandemic. After speaking with a number of you, I have been encouraged to hear that you are doing well, that folks are taking care of each other, and while the boredom is setting in a bit, you are not losing heart. May we all continue to take each step together and care for one another.
This week, I’ve been reflecting on the need for us to find new rhythms, both in this present season and in the future, whatever “beyond this” looks like. It seems we have been blessed with a gift of a reset: we are offered a chance to reevaluate the rhythms of our days to maintain order and a sense of stability when it feels like so many things are unknown.
In our home, we have found rhythms each day that help two adults accomplish many of the needed tasks of working from home and give a 5-year-old a chance to grow through drawing, painting, Lego building, practicing letters and numbers, and exploring the wide world of his backyard. The rhythm of work and play as a family gives us structure and routine, as well as a chance to connect more deeply with each other throughout the rest of the day. A daily walk has become a necessity — breathing in the fresh air and reconnecting our bodies to God’s creation together. Our shared meals, cooking new recipes and focusing on savoring what blessings God has provided for us create yet another important part of our rhythm together — work, play, sustenance, delight, and rest.
Our whole community has an opportunity to connect with the rhythms of our faith in new and renewed ways in this season. I’ve been hosting Daily Prayer Monday through Thursday mornings at 9 am on Facebook, praying through the Psalms with a few of you each day. We’ve celebrated in worship together on the weekends as we normally would, but in new settings and using new tools to connect us while we are apart. We are establishing new rhythms of our life together that ground us in our faith and bind us together.
The Church has always relied on rhythms to ground us in our faith. The rhythm of prayer throughout the day (morning, midday, evening, and before bed) has been practiced through the generations to align our daily activity to the breath and life of God.
So, this week, what are your new rhythms? What are you being invited into in this season of disruption? The beauty is that while we are experiencing so much turmoil and unknown, this also is a season where disruption can lead to an unveiling, a revelation of what is possible, what we can become, and how we can find God’s wondrous love in new and exciting ways.
I hope you will join in with our new rhythms as a church community. And we long for when we can gather again in person and share our stories. Until then, find links below to ways to connect online and please reach out to say hello.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Seth
Helpful Links for Connecting to St. James
- Live Service Stream: http://www.saintjamespres.org/live
- Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/saintjamespres
- Tech Support Help: http://www.saintjamespres.org/tech-support
- Online Giving: https://saintjamespres.churchcenter.com/giving
- Prayer Requests: Email pastor@saintjamespres.org