Lent got off to a bit of a rocky start last month when our city and state found ourselves in the middle of a winter storm crisis. Even if you didn't mark yourself with ashes this year, we all find ourselves pretty dusty a year into pandemic life. Over and over, though, we see reminders that God is steadfast and faithful, and relatively soon, we will get to worship together and serve alongside one another again. More and more people (including so many of you!) are getting the vaccine -- thanks be to God.
As our communities have supported each other through these difficult last few weeks, we've witnessed God's steadfast love: neighbors opening their homes to people in need of warmth and/or water; city governments, non-profits, and restaurants mobilizing with great speed to get food and essential needs to people who were hungry and hurting; folks who don't know each other volunteering side-by-side at warming shelters or at distribution events. This was love in action. This was God at work. It has been heartening to watch it all unfold!
UCC, too, has been God's hands and feet in the midst and in the aftermath of the storm. Our people stepped up to check in on each other, to offer what they had to those of us who were without, and to extend our care beyond our membership. The Stewardship Ministry designated outreach funds to go to Lifeworks and Micah 6 -- $2,500 each -- to help with the urgent needs brought about by the crisis. We also were able to give a Week of Compassion Community Solidarity Grant to Micah 6 -- an additional $1,500 to help restock their severely depleted food pantry. As you saw on the front page, UCC members also gave of their time to volunteer at the Millennium Youth Center to get food and other essential items to those in need.
We're inching closer to Easter, and I suspect we all are more than ready for resurrection. But we aren't there yet. Let's try to settle into where we find ourselves -- because surely there are gifts here for us. Gifts here in the middle of Lent. Even gifts here in the pandemic year.
One gift came during the Friday morning prayer time. We read this quote by Theophilus of Antioch: God has given to the earth the breath that feeds it. God’s breath vibrates in yours, in your voice. It is the breath of God that you breathe. We asked ourselves: How will God breathe through me this day? That's a good question for us each day, and especially through this season.
You're in my prayers every day, UCC family. Reach out if you'd like to talk, and I hope to see you on Zoom sometime soon.
Love and peace to you,
Megan