Dear Friends,
It’s been a rough year of losses in our little congregation. Anna Ramey, Loretta Fosson, Jeannie Broughton, Patricia Jones, Tom Wuerdeman, Sal Minutelli, and now Martha Ross have left our earthly company this year to enter the nearer presence of God. While their suffering is now over, we grieve their absence, and we are reminded of the transitory nature of all things in this life.
At the same time the sadness and worry of these losses and illnesses surrounds us, we have just experienced a season of special celebration, worship, fellowship, learning, and service that has been a powerful reminder of the blessings we enjoy at Calvary. If you attended last Sunday’s Advent IV service, you could not help feeling the amazing energy in the room as 100 members and visitors gathered to witness the first large Children’s Christmas Pageant held here in some years.
Further, Georgia Ann Russell suffered a mild stroke last week. She has been discharged back to Trinity Station for a few days of monitoring in assisted living before returning to her regular room. Also, Jerry Schultz, our nursery attendant, is hospitalized at KDMC with a lung ailment.
It is difficult sometimes to reconcile joy and sadness coming in such proximity. This is one reason that Jesus wanted for believers to live in community. Together we “bear one another’s burdens” (Gal 6:2), “stir up one another to love and good works” (Heb 10:24), “encourage one another and build one another up” (1 Thess 5:11), are “knit together in love” (Col 2:2), and share an ” abundance of joy” (2 Cor 8:2). Laughing and weeping, worrying and rejoicing together, we experience the fullness of life in a community of support and love, of faith and thanksgiving.
It is important that we continue the seasonal upswing in Sunday attendance through the cold weeks ahead, continue the amazing energy of last week, continue to encourage one another with the presence of each one of us, continue to laugh and weep together as we begin another year in Christ. Hope to see you all on Sunday.
Wishing you every blessing,
Mtr. TJ