Rector’s Easter Letter

Dear Ones,

Welcome to St. Andrew’s! We’re thrilled you’re here as we celebrate the joy of Easter. The idea of how we experience that joy together was brought home for me recently by a Lenten book called, Even Among These Rocks, by Steven Purcell. In his meditations, the author suggests that joy is a communal experience—that it is in our relationships, with God and each other, where we find true joy.

More and more, we’re realizing that those relationships are something we took for granted before the pandemic. During the stay-at-home precautions, we were reminded of how much we all need connection. Some of us require daily interactions with friends and family. Some of us crave at least hourly connection, while for some, every few days is just fine. Wherever you are on this spectrum, St. Andrew’s is a place where we can all find meaning, belonging, and purpose. 

If it's meaning you're looking for, I invite you to consider one of our faith formation groups, such as the Men's Bible study, the Women's Spirituality group, or the Deep Dive book group. If it's purpose you're seeking, consider volunteering at the Food Pantry, Showers of Blessings, or Saturday Breakfast. Or, if you’re interested in supporting social justice advocacy, check-out the Faith in Action committee. 

If you're looking for belonging, that’s even simpler. You are one of God's beloved. We’re trying our best to live into that here in this faith community, insisting that each and every one of us is uniquely and beautifully created in God’s image. There is no us and them. We don’t all have to have the same level of involvement, we don’t have to think the same way, we don’t even have to believe the same things, but, together, we all belong here, to God and to each other. 

Along those lines, we recognize that our level of involvement is often dictated by our current life circumstances. That’s okay. We don’t all have to show up to worship every single week. We can’t all volunteer to help cook breakfast once a month. So, we welcome your participation at whatever level you can manage at this time. 

So, on this holy day of Resurrection, my prayer for each of us is that as we breathe deeply, down into our own bodies, we become more aware of the ways God is trying to start something new in our lives because that will lead to greater meaning, purpose, and belonging. Happy Easter!

In Christ’s joy,

Mother Brenda+