“Immediately after the suffering of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light...”  Matthew 24:29

Dear Friends:

This weekend we have some rare occurrences.First, in worship we’ll look at Matthew’s gospel and learn of Jesus being trumped by a desperate woman as she pleads with Jesus to cure her demon possessed daughter. Jesus ignoring the woman doesn’t shine his best light. The story only gets worse. Jesus’ disciples want to be rid of her. Then, Jesus refers to the woman as a dog. We can’t help but be disturbed by Christ’s presence in the story. It’s rare to see Jesus in such an occurrence.

Second, on Monday August 21 according to NASA, those “within the path of totality” from Oregon to South Carolina will experience a total eclipse of the sun beginning at 1:16 ET and lasting about two minutes. A total eclipse includes the moon passing between the sun and the earth completely covering the sun. The sun’s corona, its tenuous atmosphere, sparkles as it emits the appearance of night in the middle of the day. While we’ve periodically experienced partial eclipses, the last U.S. total eclipse was witnessed in 1979. The last coast to coast total eclipse has not been witnessed for ninety-nine years! The next total eclipse over the continental U.S. from Texas to Maine is scheduled for 2024. On Monday, should you find yourself in the seventy foot wide path, be certain to wear protective lenses. The sun’s rays, even when shielded by the moon, are harmful to the point of permanent damage. Total eclipses are rare occurrences.

Third, as we move through this time of turmoil in the aftermath of Charlottesville, cities and states across the country are taking action. Plaques and statutes recognizing Confederate soldiers and other leaders are being removed or are under legislative consideration for removal. Confederate images as historical monuments is a topic worth constructive discord. May we be mindful of our heritage and may we be clear.  White supremacy, KKK, Nazism and slanderous words, signs and flags displaying this extreme is not who we are as a country. Nor is it at all the church. The church and its reconciling love, grace and mercy stood firm last Saturday as a sign of peace. We must still stand firm with peaceful purpose. However, we are not able to stand idle. We must be intentional about reaching out to name hate when we see it and experience it especially as it impacts those groups who identify themselves as minorities. Thankfully, as the church, acting in the redeeming love of Jesus Christ is not a rare occurrence.

Finally, conflicting behavior for Jesus may be a rare occurrence. But Jesus, even when he’s not at his best is merciful. The woman in Matthew’s gospel, annoying as she is, leads Jesus to redemption as he heals her ailing daughter. As disciples of Jesus may we be forever active and intentional in bringing God’s healing power to one and all; especially when we are not at our best. So, now, our Bishops are calling us to pray boldly for our divisions and differences to dissolve and to take action.  Write your Virginia Representatives urging them to pass legislation that puts an end to hate crimes and assures the safety and inclusion of all, especially people of color, Muslims, immigrants, women, LGBTQ folks and those on the margins. Keep the dialogue going. Perhaps it’s as simple as speaking to our neighbor, a coworker, or someone along the way. May our common humanity as loving people of God in Christ never be a rare occurrence.

Fellowship is not a rare occurrence with our common life as we invite friends, family and neighbors to be with us. We’re gathering tomorrow night in the Gathering Space at 6:00 p.m. for a pasta dinner. Come, bring your kids. The Bounce House will be available as well as babysitting. Have fun. Relax and get to know one another as we learn a bit about our Haiti mission. 8:00 a.m. Saturday help spread mulch on the playground and bring a wheelbarrow if you have one. Next Wednesday we’re across the street at Pierros for dinner at 6:00 p.m. Sip n’ Sing potluck at 3234 Nestlewood Drive next Friday August 25 at 6:00 p.m. These last days of summer are rockin’ and rolli’ for Epiphany! Celebrating is never a rare occurrence!

See you along the way; and with thanks and praise to Jesus, in worship on Sunday.

Many blessings,

Hillary