Beloved friends– The words below resonate with profound depth and meaning for me as I sit down to write today. They come from Jean Vanier, Founder of the beautiful L’Arche community- a collection of 150 houses of men and women with or without an intellectual disability living and thriving together. I think they are also words describing Trinity. Now that we are on the other side of our first “Homecoming Sunday” I hear these words as the reminder of why so many worked so hard to make last Sunday a glorious success:
Maybe the most important thing is to learn how to build communities of celebration.
Maybe the world will be transformed when we learn how to have fun together.
Maybe what the world needs more than anything are communities where we celebrate life together and become a sign of hope for our world.
Maybe we need signs that it is possible to love each other.
A deep bow of gratitude to all those who planned and prepared, as well as to all who came together on Sunday. From the breakfast on the sanctuary floor at round top tables, to welcoming “Homeless Jesus” to worship, lunch, music, art and a closing reflection from Erin Wiley- it was indeed a celebration and a sign of hope!
I have also been thinking about community today, and particularly about the wonderful circle of life we experience when we bind our hearts and souls to each other through the Body of Christ in community. We have started making plans for a baptism here in our community at the end of October another kind of celebration through the sacrament that calls us to newness of life. Then later today I will stand at the bedside of a longtime Trinity member and remind her of God’s love as she prepares to let go of all things temporal. Now, at the end of her life, she honors us still by letting us travel these last few steps by her side and offer the ancient prayers we have inherited through our rich tradition- yet another sign that it is indeed possible to love each other.
And here we are in the middle-in between the beginning and ending of our lives called to be increasingly aware of the gifts all around us. Toledo will also celebrate that reminder rite-large as it hosts the annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure- remembering those we have lost and those who fighting and surviving with breast cancer this Sunday. Thank you if you are spending your morning walking, running and financially supporting the need to invest in research and prevention of breast cancer. I will be on the Main Stage at 9:00am to give a short opening Invocation and then cheer you on!
Remember- NO MORNING CHURCH- (though we’ll be handing out breakfast boxes to all who come by at 9:00). And then all are invited to come down Sunday evening at 5:00pm for Holden Evening Prayer & Eucharist- a beautiful musical setting of Evening Prayer along with Eucharist. It will be a lovely and short service followed by a light reception. Come join us for a nice way to end your day and weekend.
God is at work in our lives and in this blessed community, and together we will grow in ministry, witness and service day by day. Thank you for coming home and building up this “community of celebration… a sign that it is possible to love each other.”
May you never forget that you are loved.
Lisa