June 11, 2020
Put your trust in God always, O people, pour out your hearts before the one who is our refuge. (Psalm 62:8) Trust is always hard, and especially now. Our challenge at present lies in trust in the church's leadership to create a safe pathway for us through this time. We all want to be back together in the building. I believe this desire is uniform, but some are more zealous about it than others. They read about state and county guidelines loosening. They hear of other churches in the area (mainly WELS congregations) reopening. Some have already been open for weeks. Why not us? Let's just do it. This is entirely natural and not at all unexpected. Under stress, in times of crisis, we become anxious. We doubt, we are impatient, and our instinct takes over to intervene and to fix things. But there is a process at work by which we will reopen. It is being led by an experienced task force and supported by the council. Because we love and care for each other, this must be as conscientious as we can make it. For some idea of the complexities involved, see the ELCA's Considerations for Returning to In-Person Worship (this takes you to the resource page of our web site; click on the top link). The Holy Spirit is at work in all things, this process included. The verse from Psalm 62 helps us immeasurably in this interim time. After the exhortation to trust, the psalmist sings, "pour our your hearts to the one who is our refuge." Yes, it's been three months since we've had in-person worship in the building, but we can continue to bring that lament before God. Watch our services. Come to drive-in worship this Sunday at 10 a.m. Remember what it was like to be together in our sanctuary. Reflect on how we took that for granted. Pray that we may never again fall into such complacency. And pour out your hearts before the Lord, always giving thanks for the incalculable blessings of each day. Yours in Christ, Pastor Nancy Raabe