LUTHERAN CHURCH OF HOPE
  • Home
  • About
    • Who is Welcome?
    • Visitors
    • Faith and Care >
      • Our Journey to a New Kitchen
  • Contact
  • Give
  • From the Pastor
  • Calendar
  • Newsletter
  • Let the Children Come
  • We Support
    • AFACT
    • Brother Francis Shelter
    • Clare House
    • F.I.S.H.
    • Food Bank of Alaska
    • Little Free Library
    • Lutheran Social Services
    • Lutheran World Relief
  • Study
    • Lent Madness
    • The Other 4H Group
    • 10W
  • Harvest of Hope Memorial Garden
    • Harvest of Hope Blog
  • Hope Lutheran Church Women
  • Stand Against Racism: A Community Prayer Vigil
  • Home
  • About
    • Who is Welcome?
    • Visitors
    • Faith and Care >
      • Our Journey to a New Kitchen
  • Contact
  • Give
  • From the Pastor
  • Calendar
  • Newsletter
  • Let the Children Come
  • We Support
    • AFACT
    • Brother Francis Shelter
    • Clare House
    • F.I.S.H.
    • Food Bank of Alaska
    • Little Free Library
    • Lutheran Social Services
    • Lutheran World Relief
  • Study
    • Lent Madness
    • The Other 4H Group
    • 10W
  • Harvest of Hope Memorial Garden
    • Harvest of Hope Blog
  • Hope Lutheran Church Women
  • Stand Against Racism: A Community Prayer Vigil
LUTHERAN CHURCH OF HOPE

From the Pastor

Grief and joy

7/1/2021

0 Comments

 
​People of Hope,

           I was reorganizing my desk when I came across a stack of old newsletters from this congregation. Most of them were from before my time here, but the one at the top was from January 2020 - the first article I wrote to greet you on my arrival to Alaska. As I scanned through the various copies, I was struck by two emotions: grief and joy.

I grieve what we lost during the pandemic. I grieve that I could not physically sit with so many of you and hear your stories. I grieve the sorts of gatherings we may have had as we got to know each other - a new pastor and a new congregation. I grieve that many of you, with longer relationships, have not been able to see one another or sit across from each other or sing side by side for so long. I am certain that you have your own list of griefs from the last year. 

I also found joy as I looked through old notes and articles. Joy at being reminded how Christ has always led this community, long before I ever got here and long before we ever experienced something like a pandemic. Christ will keep leading us. I feel joy that we are beginning to gather again and see familiar and new faces in the flesh and not only on a screen! I feel joy for hearing the “amens” that come on a Sunday morning and the hugs that we are able to give and receive. I feel joy in knowing that I will hear those stories that you carry. 
Joy and grief intertwine and mingle as I pray about where God is leading us.

Here is what I ask from you: Imagine with me what living together as the body of Christ looks like as we continue to return to in-person gatherings. How do we connect in old and new ways? How do we share the stories of the past year and the stories that we carry from our lives? How do we help each other grieve and celebrate? How do we listen and respond to the stories of our neighbors? How do we love and serve our community? Where is God leading us next?

Imagine with me. Dream with me. Pray with me. Share with me. Because what I saw in those old newsletters is that we, as a community, are not strangers to grief and joy. We already know what is true in the midst of loss and celebration: Christ unites us, and the Holy Spirit empowers and sends us forth as the body of Christ. This was true in the last year and continues to be true as we follow Jesus forward. 

Peace,
Pastor Liz
 
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Copyright © 2023
Lutheran Church of Hope, 1847 W. Northern Lights Boulevard, Anchorage, AK 99517
PHONE: 907-279-7714           FAX: 907-278-2737          EMAIL: lcohope@gmail.com
       Home          Contact          About          
Powered by Weebly