I am now officially one month into my journey as your Senior Warden, and what a rewarding month it has been. We worked … we played … we planned … and we prayed. All in all, I’d say it was a pretty typical month for St. John’s!
We began the year trying to make sense of disturbing scenes of chaos in Washington, DC, gathering to pray for our leaders and to recommit ourselves to the difficult work of creating Beloved Community.
In mid-January, I had the opportunity to facilitate our periodic Ministry Roundtable meeting, where I was able to get caught up on the wonderful outreach work taking place in our parish.
This past weekend, we held Part II of our Annual Parish Meeting, during which more than 50 participant accounts (!!!) logged into an hour-long Zoom session to discuss the 2021 budget.
And last Sunday night, I got comfy in my sweatpants and an old long-sleeved t-shirt (because I am sadly lacking a good set of PJs) for a lesson on the Parable of the Sower with the Godly Play group.
The common thread evident throughout was the sense of love and commitment that we have for each other, for St. John’s and for our community. It’s a beautiful thing to witness, especially after a year when we have been unable to gather, worship, eat and laugh together in person. And the fact that these bonds remain so strong is a testament to St. John’s and its parishioners.
Being socially-distanced is hard, and there are some experiences that just aren’t the same online. Unfortunately, it looks like we’ll have to press on like this for at least a few more months. Having said that, I encourage everyone to stay engaged – no, to get even MORE engaged – with St. John’s!
The pandemic has forced us to pivot and re-imagine how we worship and serve, which has not been easy. But, it’s also a remarkable opportunity to focus on what’s truly important, and to envision creative new ways to share Christ’s love in the world. And by doing so, we virtually guarantee that we’ll emerge on the other side of this pandemic stronger than we already are.
So, keep up with the activities calendar. Come to “Zoom Church” and stick around for Virtual Coffee Hour. Reach out to one of our ministry & outreach leaders to share an idea for a gathering or service project. And finally, don’t ever hesitate to contact me if I may be of service to you.
Go in peace, my friends, to love and serve the Lord!
David Bennett, Sr. Warden
