God is here. At the cross
Updated: Mar 25, 2020
Dear Church,
Yes, you. You are the church. Not some building. But you already know that.
Here is another way for me to communicate with the friends, members, and general community of Emmanuel Lutheran Church. A blog. A web log. Smoosh it together and ! Blog.
But again. You already know that.
New news:
This Wednesday, March 25 I'll be staring a Watch Party on Facebook at 6:30 pm Pacific Time to participate in Holden Evening prayer together. Please join us there if you're able: www.facebook.com/ELCACheneyWA. Soup and bread optional.
I'm investigating purchasing software which allow us to have group video and audio chats to keep in touch, do Bible studies and meetings, and even participate in worship together as a community. We can be together but our germs won't. Stay tuned for more details.
Also keep your eyes on your email for updates from me and my new video series, "At the Foot of the Cross". This great wooden fixture in our sanctuary is a wonderful reminder that we are all at the foot of the cross in the presence of pain, grief, death all around us. Jesus has taken on that pain and as we sit in the presence of the darkness of the world we also sit with Jesus. God has chosen to be found in the shame, pain, and death of the cross. This form seems opposite to whatever we think of God - all powerful, splendorous, mighty. But to show his love for us God endured crucifixion. That is where we can find Christ: in the dark times, the seemingly hopeless, helpless times.
So when it feels most dark, please reach out to hear the Word of God from friends, neighbors and even pastors - God is with you. God loves you. God has gone through darkness. For you. You are beloved, child of God. Be at peace.
Join me in prayer,
Gracious God, we sit with you at the foot of the cross in a vigil while we hear news of illness and death from across the globe and around the country. Bless our healthcare workers in their challenges today and to come. Give wisdom, calm and guidance to our civic leaders. Connect us to each other through prayer, phone calls and computers that we may always know we are not in this world alone. You are with us in our waking and our sleeping, our getting up and our lying down, our days and our nights. Grant us courage and patience. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
