Dear Friends in Christ,
When I was a little girl, I looked forward to May 1st which I knew as “May Day.” This was the day I would pick the flowers blooming in the yard, arrange them in my construction paper vase with a paper handle, hang the flowers on the doorknob of our elderly neighbors’ front door, ring the doorbell, and run away. Later in the day I would return to visit them and delighted in seeing the flowers in a real vase on the dining room table. Of course, they always knew who left the flowers.
As a child, I took for granted these little ways of being a neighbor, of building bonds that form community. It was fun to bring a smile to people’s faces. The sense of warmth and welcome from this couple taught me one of the ways that communities are formed: through simple acts of generosity, curiosity, and delighting in one another’s company.
I have had a number of conversations with folks lately who have shared their struggle with fear, anxiety, and despair. They find themselves retreating from engagement with others opting instead to withdraw in isolation. In one instance, a loving family member coaxed and cajoled them to leave the house and to share time with friends. Afterward, this person was deeply grateful because what they truly needed was the joy and warmth of a good friend rather than the isolation that can harbor deepening anxiety and fear.
This Saturday—2 days from today—our diocese is coming together for our annual Renewal Gathering. This event is designed to be enriching using a simple format: through worship, fellowship, and sharing a meal, we will continue to form the bonds of our diocesan Christian community. Judging from the responses to last year’s gathering, this event will lift your spirits, remind you of God’s love, and strengthen our bonds with each other. If you are planning to attend, I hope you will reach out to a friend who could use some fellowship, hope, and love in their life and bring them along. If you have not signed up to attend, I hope you will resist any inertia that fear and anxiety impose and join us. You may find that while your burdens may not completely disappear, they become lighter and easier to bear in the company of friends.
Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.
I look forward to seeing you on Saturday!
Blessings,
Diana+