Supporting each other through the power outage

Joyful Companions Through Difficult Times

Dear Saint John's Companions,

I hope and pray that you are safe, finding ways to stay warm, and getting your basic needs met.

I'm reaching out this morning to check on those of you who are able to receive emails and to begin organizing support for all who could use a bit of help.

If you receive this and need help with a ride or would welcome a hot shower, a cup of coffee, a warm place to eat, or a place to sleep, please let us know by responding to this email, texting, or calling me at (425) 436-4864. Tell us what we can do to make your current situation more bearable.

If you have power and are able to welcome others to use your shower, share a cup of coffee or tea, or a meal, or provide rides, run errands, or help out in other ways (for example, by helping another figure out their gas fireplace), please also contact us so that we can help facilitate this.

I was able to make a half dozen visits yesterday to women who live alone, and now that I can text again, I've had the chance this morning to get in touch with a few others who live alone. If you are available to make calls or pay a visit to do a safety check on some of our elders who live alone, please indicate that, and we'll facilitate that as well.

Saint John's buildings are still without power and may be for some time. I've heard from people in the neighborhood who contacted PSE about the timetable for restoring power. PSE is reporting that it may not be until Saturday night before we have power restored. I hope and pray that their estimate is overly conservative.

It appears that we are on the edge of the Houghton area's grid, which was severely impacted by fallen trees and power lines.

The image above shows those areas that are still without power on the left and plots where Saint John's members reside on the right. It is not the whole picture, but it is certainly a compelling and accurate image of the magnitude of the power outage and its impact on our people.

Preschool parents were notified early this morning that school is canceled. Thank you, Mrs. Portugal and Mrs. Vincent, for handling that so effectively. What a team we have at the Preschool!

For our part, Susan and I were without power for about 20 hours beginning the evening of the storm until last night. During this time, we were unable to phone, access the internet, or send text messages. Susan had better luck than I in being able to respond to texts, but it was highly unreliable and frustrating.  I can only imagine how difficult it is for you, who are still without power.  

Lastly, thank you to those who reached out yesterday with offers of support and help.  It meant a lot to us and planted the seeds for this email. 

I close with this prayer for the morning from the Book of Common Prayer, page 461. 

 In the Morning

This is another day, O Lord. I know not what it will bring forth, but make me ready, Lord, for whatever it may be. If I am to stand up, help me to stand bravely. If I am to sit still, help me to sit quietly. If I am to lie low, help me to do it patiently. And if I am to do nothing, let me do it gallantly. Make these words more than words, and give me the Spirit of Jesus. Amen.

Grace and peace my dear companions, 

Tomorrow's All-Parish Luncheon Discovering Our Joy!

Perceiving and cooperating with the good things God "is getting up to" in and around our parish.

Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you see it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19

Discovering Our Joy!

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

                                                                                                  John 15:11                                                                

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Dear Ones,

What makes your heart sing? - That's the question we'll be exploring at our all-parish luncheon tomorrow!

Join us after our 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist for a delicious meal, engaging conversation, and a time to share the passions and activities that bring joy to our lives.

This isn't just a casual get-together – it's a chance to connect with fellow parishioners and discover how our unique gifts can contribute to the vibrant life of our community.

Why Joy?  One of the most monumental and divine moments in Jesus’ teaching is when he commands his disciples to love one another as He has loved them. Just before handing down what we now refer to as the Great Commandment, Jesus makes an amazing disclosure about what he desires and longs for them and for us, saying: I have said these things to you so that my JOY may be in you and that your JOY MAY BE COMPLETE.

What to Expect:

Delicious food and fellowship: Enjoy a wonderful meal and connect with friends old and new.

Inspiring conversations: Share what makes your heart sing and hear from others.

Interactive activity:  Similar to the June all-parish gathering, we'll have a dynamic exercise to help us identify and celebrate the diverse gifts within our parish. Whereas June's focus was on artistic and musical gifts, tomorrow, we'll consider our respective gifts in the context of Saint John's larger mission and ministry.

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It's All about Stewardship.  This luncheon advances the ongoing work of discerning how we steward the gifts God has given each of us, and all of us as a community, to advance the life and mission of Saint John's.

As part of the excellent, ongoing work of the Stewardship Committee, each Sunday, you will have the benefit of hearing a variety of parishioners share why Saint John’s occupies a special place in each of their hearts, and how the parish has been a source of joy, and a place filled with opportunities for loving service.

You may have also noticed the procession of large photos capturing moments of joy that inspire our own joy and kindle hope in our hearts. These photos showcase the vibrant life of our parish community, made possible by the generosity and involvement of its members.

So come and be a part of this special gathering where you are sure to share (or maybe even learn) what makes your heart sing, learn the same from fellow parishioners, and gain confidence to share your gifts!

See you tomorrow!

Blessings and peace,

What is "HOPE" good for? or Is "HOPE" good for anything?

Perceiving and cooperating with the good things God "is getting up to" in and around our parish.

Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you see it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19

A Very Present HOPE

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.

Desmond Tutu                                                                           

As votes are cast throughout the nation at this hour, we may, regardless of our political affiliation, not know how to feel. In fact, we may be waiting until it's over to decide how we will feel.

As Christians, we are called to live and be a certain way in the world that doesn't come naturally. Jesus commands us to love one another, whether or not we feel particularly loving.  

In his address to the Diocese of Olympia, Bishop Phillip reminds us that we are all called into the love of God that banishes all fear and that our hope is to be found in the living presence and ongoing work of Jesus Christ. I commend his brief address. It did my heart and soul good to listen to his words of wisdom:  Fear Not, Embracing the Call to Love

So too, we are called to hope even, and especially, in the face of uncertainty and darkness. Desmond Tutu embodied a fierce hope that God and love would win out over the fear and oppression of Apartheid. So too, are we called to live in hope.  

Saint John's: A Community for Hope. 

For us, "Christian Hope is to live with confidence in newness and fullness of life, and to await the coming of Christ in glory, and the completion of God's purpose for the world." -Book of Common Prayer, p. 861. It is the inner conviction that whispers, "Even though it seems like all is lost, there is still life to be found, and I will do everything in my power to protect it."   

Cynicism is the currency of despair - that dark belief that nothing we do matters, and that who we are is really not much. This leads us to also conclude that others don't really matter. Leaving us with hearts so withered that we become unable to experience, let alone see goodness. 

Hope is not passive; it's an active participation in the unfolding of God's kingdom here on earth. It's the belief that God's ways—love, justice, and peace—are not confined to some distant future but are breaking into our world right now. It's a refusal to be limited by what we see with our own eyes, recognizing, as Saint Paul reminds us, that we only "see through a glass darkly." Hope trusts in the unseen, that "help is already on its way," as Elizabeth Barrett Browning so beautifully wrote. It's a fierce hope that refuses to be consumed by despair, proclaiming that light exists, that love will prevail, and that darkness will ultimately be overcome.   

We gather at Saint John's because we hold onto the audacious belief that God became one of us so that we might become partakers in the divine nature. We strive to be one with each other and one with God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Some may scoff at this and say it's foolish, naive, even dangerous. We hear "The world is the way it is, get used to it," or "People never change." But we choose hope. We choose love. We choose to believe in the possibility of transformation both within ourselves and the world around us.  

Blessings and peace,