For Such A Time As This 042420 – Karen Haldeman
To the Good Folk of the Palmyra Church of the Brethren,
Sunday Worship Service:
Sunday morning, around 8am, you will receive an email with a link to this Sunday's Worship service. The service concludes our Lenten journey "Guided by Women.” Heidi Neiswender will be presenting the Story of Wonder. Jeff Clouser will be our worship leader. I will be preaching on Junia. Junia appears in only one verse in scripture, and depending on the date of your Bible, maybe not even there. So, what happened to Junia? We’ll see…
A Taste of Taize’ – This Sunday Afternoon:
Sunday afternoon, around 3pm, you will receive an email with a link to our spring Taize’ Service. A full Taize’ service was scheduled for the evening of Palm Sunday. Jeff Clouser has designed this shorter service as a ritual of healing for these uncertain times. If you have not experienced Taize’ worship before, I encourage you to try style of meditative worship. I think you will be blessed.
Jeff writes: This style of worship employs traditions from Taizé where we offer our prayers and meditations around the cross. During these many weeks we have experienced disappointment, sacrifice, and mourning. May these prayers, meditations, and songs heal and strengthen us as we acknowledge the burdens affecting all of God’s children during these uncertain times. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Romans 15:13)
Prayers:
Jose Aponte’s transfer to Conewago Synder treatment has been delayed until May 4 due to insurance processing delays. Please lift prayers of encouragement for him!
Thank You:
To all who call others to check in on them and share our emails and devotions.
Today’s Devotion:
I am thankful to Karen Haldeman for providing today’s devotion. Karen shares her own experiences of loss, grief and selfcare. If you wish to respond to Karen directly, her email address is kbhaldeman@verizon.net.
Shalom,
Dennis
Scripture - 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NRSV)
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.
Thoughts:
In the weeks and months after our son died unexpectedly seven years ago, my husband Tim and I found ourselves learning how to live with grief. Not only had we lost Peter’s physical presence with us, but also the potential of making new memories with him, of seeing him mature, of anticipating his huge smile each time he walked through the door. It took a lot of energy and time to adjust to this “new normal.”
Many of us have been experiencing grief recently as we mourn the losses we’ve experienced during the COVID-19 crisis. We’ve lost our familiar routines. We’ve lost in-person contact with friends and family. We’ve lost freedom of movement. Some of us have lost jobs, and some have lost loved ones. While we hope that many of these losses will be temporary, we still feel them acutely.
Mental health professionals remind us that it is appropriate and important to acknowledge the losses that we feel. It is also important to take some time away from the intensity of grief and to rest in some familiar comforts. Maybe that means going for a walk outside to look for signs of spring, or spending more time in prayer or meditation, or taking a nap in the sunshine. Calling a friend to talk. Turning off the news for a while and watching YouTube music video spoofs that make us laugh instead. Some of us indulge in a piece of favorite chocolate candy each day. The losses don’t disappear, but putting them aside for a bit helps to loosen their grip on us.
The God of all comfort wants to comfort us in our times of loss. How will you seek God’s comfort today?
Prayer:
May God our Father comfort our hearts today with reassuring presence and peace. Amen.
Sunday Worship Service:
Sunday morning, around 8am, you will receive an email with a link to this Sunday's Worship service. The service concludes our Lenten journey "Guided by Women.” Heidi Neiswender will be presenting the Story of Wonder. Jeff Clouser will be our worship leader. I will be preaching on Junia. Junia appears in only one verse in scripture, and depending on the date of your Bible, maybe not even there. So, what happened to Junia? We’ll see…
A Taste of Taize’ – This Sunday Afternoon:
Sunday afternoon, around 3pm, you will receive an email with a link to our spring Taize’ Service. A full Taize’ service was scheduled for the evening of Palm Sunday. Jeff Clouser has designed this shorter service as a ritual of healing for these uncertain times. If you have not experienced Taize’ worship before, I encourage you to try style of meditative worship. I think you will be blessed.
Jeff writes: This style of worship employs traditions from Taizé where we offer our prayers and meditations around the cross. During these many weeks we have experienced disappointment, sacrifice, and mourning. May these prayers, meditations, and songs heal and strengthen us as we acknowledge the burdens affecting all of God’s children during these uncertain times. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Romans 15:13)
Prayers:
Jose Aponte’s transfer to Conewago Synder treatment has been delayed until May 4 due to insurance processing delays. Please lift prayers of encouragement for him!
Thank You:
To all who call others to check in on them and share our emails and devotions.
Today’s Devotion:
I am thankful to Karen Haldeman for providing today’s devotion. Karen shares her own experiences of loss, grief and selfcare. If you wish to respond to Karen directly, her email address is kbhaldeman@verizon.net.
Shalom,
Dennis
Scripture - 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NRSV)
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.
Thoughts:
In the weeks and months after our son died unexpectedly seven years ago, my husband Tim and I found ourselves learning how to live with grief. Not only had we lost Peter’s physical presence with us, but also the potential of making new memories with him, of seeing him mature, of anticipating his huge smile each time he walked through the door. It took a lot of energy and time to adjust to this “new normal.”
Many of us have been experiencing grief recently as we mourn the losses we’ve experienced during the COVID-19 crisis. We’ve lost our familiar routines. We’ve lost in-person contact with friends and family. We’ve lost freedom of movement. Some of us have lost jobs, and some have lost loved ones. While we hope that many of these losses will be temporary, we still feel them acutely.
Mental health professionals remind us that it is appropriate and important to acknowledge the losses that we feel. It is also important to take some time away from the intensity of grief and to rest in some familiar comforts. Maybe that means going for a walk outside to look for signs of spring, or spending more time in prayer or meditation, or taking a nap in the sunshine. Calling a friend to talk. Turning off the news for a while and watching YouTube music video spoofs that make us laugh instead. Some of us indulge in a piece of favorite chocolate candy each day. The losses don’t disappear, but putting them aside for a bit helps to loosen their grip on us.
The God of all comfort wants to comfort us in our times of loss. How will you seek God’s comfort today?
Prayer:
May God our Father comfort our hearts today with reassuring presence and peace. Amen.
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