Beloved Friends-
What a glorious week it has been. But before I say anymore, take a moment and soak in these words by poet and environmental activist Wendell Berry:
Geese appear high over us, pass, and the sky closes.
Abandon, as in love or sleep,
Holds them to their way,
clear in the ancient faith: what we need is here.
And we pray, not for new earth or heaven, but to be quiet in heart, and in eye, clear.
What we need is here.
What we need is here…I have often wondered, and did so again this week, what would our lives be like if we truly soaked in these words and let them guide our every step? Another way to think of this invitation is by asking the seminal question asked by those wiser than myself: What would we do if we weren’t afraid?
You see this week was one of those extended periods of time reminding me we are blessed beyond our wildest imaginings as we live into what it means to be Easter people- people bound together one to another living within the context of our wider community as Episcopalians and children of God.
The first reminder came last Saturday when thousands from around our Episcopal Diocese of Ohio gathered in Cleveland to witness and celebrate the ordination and consecration of our new bishop, The Rt. Rev. Anne B. Jolly. 31 bishops from around the church were in attendance, a 200+ voice choir offered glorious music, and Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry was the chief consecrator and preacher; it was glorious! You can watch the full service here. Bishop Anne will technically serve as our “bishop coadjutor” in the coming days until Bishop Mark takes his leave and retires, which will signal the change for Bishop Anne to step into that position as our bishop diocesan. What a great day and a beautiful reminder that yes indeed, What we need is here!
And then on the following day, last Sunday, we gathered as an Easter people for both our on-line 9:00 liturgy, Trinity@Home, and then at 10:00 for our in-person service, Trinity@316 where we celebrated 3 beautiful baptisms. In these 3 individuals it felt like heaven and earth came together for a sacred moment blurring the lines we sometimes draw between what is sacred and secular. We had a wonderful group of children who came forward to sit on the “magic carpet” in front of the baptismal font to help Deacon Meribah and me. They each took little rubber duckies and breathed their hope and prayers into them before dropping them in the font as we blessed the water. It was a moment reminding me that it does take a village to express the wideness of God’s love. Again, what better way to remember, What we need is here!
Come home this Sunday to either Trinity@Home at 9:00 via our website, our Trinity@316 at 10:00 in person to be reminded yet again and again; What we need is here!
And may you never forget that you are loved,
Lisa