HEALING

Congregational Sabbatical Journey: Building Our Spiritual Resiliency
HEALING

Living in this world is the most challenging thing we do. Every day requires that we demonstrate the resilience that God has so graciously bestowed upon us.  It is resilience that has helped us through these recent months of uncertainty, anguish, and difficulty.  It is this resilience that has helped us to “step up to the plate” and take a swing at the challenges that confront us, whether they be physical, emotional, mental or spiritual.

These last many months have removed us from what we knew to be “normal.”  Needless to say, we have all experienced a disruption in our lives.  The consequence of this disruption has been heartbreaking and tragic for some, and lonely, sad or depressing for others.  Collectively we have all experienced a disruption in what we once called “normal.”  The good news is that whatever comes our way, the Lord walks with us.  Every day is a new day with its own worries, but with God, we can face whatever challenge that day may bring.

Last month, the congregational sabbatical focus was on grief.  For July, the focus will be on healing.  Perhaps the most significant factor in healing is intention; both intention for the healer (practitioner) to heal, and most importantly, the intention to heal oneself.    So, what is healing? It is the process of becoming sound and healthy again. Restoration, rejuvenation, and well-being are at the core of healing.

During worship, we will be welcoming guest speakers to share with us messages of healing.  As the Spirit leads us, we will be providing a variety of spiritual resources, practices and opportunities to reflect on the trials of the past months and explore ways in which we can begin to heal our bodies, our minds and especially our spirituality.

On Thursday nights, we will continue with our “Resiliency Thursdays” series, with the first, third and fifth Thursdays focusing on exploring healing through scripture, prayer, discussion and song.  On the second and third Thursdays we will continue with our series “Covenantal Conversations,” which center on knowing our denominational history and how to move forward in being committed to being a covenantal people.

As we continue our congregation’s sabbatical journey, may we look forward to exploring ways to cultivate and grow our faith, connect with our beloved faith community, and seek to release ourselves from the burden of grief.  Let us begin the process of healing as we anticipate what God has in store for us in the “new normal.”

Let us pray together as we practice our faith.

Blessings,
The Ministry Planning Team – Lori Bryant, Janis Brown, Mary Alice Do, and Paul DeArman