Dear Friends,
Glancing at my young niece Chloe, who was drawing on the back of a napkin in the restaurant where nine or ten of us had gathered for dinner, I was struck by how unselfconscious she was in that moment. In the midst of all the chatter and clatter, she was able to creatively lose herself in the drawing.
I’m reminded of Chloe because as a new year is about to begin, I dare say that one way or another, there will be quite a bit of chatter and clatter. Yet I believe that in the midst of all that, there will also be small, creative pieces of new life, visible to all who take time to glance in that direction.
The sacredness in Chloe’s face was evident to me, as she became lost in the wonder of choosing bright waxy colors from a fresh box of crayons. The sacredness in many of your faces is also evident as you listen to God’s Word and choose to creatively respond to its challenge. I also see sacredness in your faces as you meet together in Covenant and risk sharing some of your hopes, dreams and disappointments. You are a creative and very capable congregation. I have not only enjoyed these four months with you, I have been enriched and blessed.
I’m trusting that as the New Year unfolds with all its inevitable chatter and clatter, you will continue to discover a variety of ways to embody and share God’s astonishing love and grace. That’s essential; it’s at the heart of who we are as a community of faith. You have been called to be the Church of Jesus Christ here and now. And you have all the resources you need.
When life threatens to overwhelm or immobilize us, as it does and will continue to do, we can listen for the voice of God seeking to strengthen us, offering us insights not previously considered. How blessed we are by this creative mystery of God among us! How reassuring it is to realize how much God has to communicate to us, through us, and among us, when we create the time to perceive it.
January 13 is the day I complete my work here as your Interim Minister and January 15 is the day Kendrick returns from his sabbatical to be surrounded once again with the privilege and responsibility of Senior Minister. May the wonder and mystery of continuing new life be yours, and his, and mine too, as God persists in speaking to all us in ways that are fresh, creative and life-giving.
Sincerely,
Mary Klaaren
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