Everything In-Between

Dear church family,

We live in a world of dichotomies. Everything around us, especially in this polarized time in our country and world, seems to push us towards one polarity or the other, makes us choose between one binary or the other.

But that’s not how the Sacred works, and there is much beyond binaries to see/know/hear/experience in this complex and multifaceted world. There exist noon and midnight, but also dawn and dusk! There exist desert and ocean, but also grassland and marsh and tundra and forest. There exist good and evil, but also many shades of contextual and relative decision and action in between. And Jesus, in his life and teachings, showed us that there is no such thing as a righteous person and an outcast, but that all of us are beloved by God, and all of us are capable of love and compassion, as well as mistrust and exclusion.

This Lent, we will again benefit from the leadership and artistry of Sanctified Art as we engage with their theme of “Everything In-Between.” The authors of this worship series write, “we invite you to look beyond black and white binaries and easy answers. We encourage you to notice the dichotomies that define our lives, but also imagine where God might be meeting us beyond the categories we create. This theme may resonate with anyone who is in discernment or trying to find their way through an undefined space. It will speak to anyone who feels as if they are living in a divided world. It is for those who seek a spiritual life that engages with complexity instead of avoiding it. This Lent, we’re trusting that God shows up in shades of gray, rainbow hues, and everywhere in between.”

This Lent, you are invited to look beyond the binaries and live beyond the dichotomies. You are invited to go deeper in faith, as our Affirmation of Values states, to explore where God is calling you to plant your heart in this time of political and social polarization. If you often get stuck in your routine or shield yourself from commitment, you are invited to try something new or participate in our community in a different way. If you are used to being a busy-bee, a “do-er,” you are invited to slow yourself down, to rest and reflect. And all are invited to pray and share your prayers at the prayer wall in the sanctuary, which will be prayed over by the staff each week during Wednesday staff meetings. You are invited to listen to the Spotify playlist Pastor Leigh made, surrounding yourself with music in a time when there are threats to art and beauty all around.

Beloveds, don’t lose heart. The world needs you, this church needs you, to continue to be your whole self, living beautifully and boldly and honestly. We need all the glorious hues of you—race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, generation, economic status, EVERYTHING that makes you YOU—as a sign of God’s grace and radically expansive love in this world.

I love you and I love being your pastor.

Rev. Anita