Clergy Notes — Pentecost 15, Sunday September 18 2022
Many of you may know that St. James’ has returned to Daily Mass in person for the first time after a very long hiatus due to the pandemic. It is very good to be back together in this way. And yet, we are not the same community as we were before the pandemic, for all the things we have experienced together have changed us. For example, we have come to realize much more clearly that we are a community which is partially dispersed, and that many members cannot meet in person on a regular basis. So, Liturgy at Home on Sundays, and the Daily Office continue to be held on Zoom, and we will begin to determine over the coming months what formats work best for other offerings.
All this is to say that it is good for us to come together in community as often as we can, and with as many as can participate, because we are all a part of the story that is still being written. We are still learning how best to do that, and we will make mistakes along the way. And it is also good for us to be mindful that we may tend to get into a routine with the things we like and are comfortable with, so it isn’t a bad idea to try new things occasionally, too.
There is a balance between “too comfortable” which seeks status quo, and “too much change” which can cause us to shut down. That balance allows us to keep us open to the ways in which God is active and present in our lives, both individually and as a community. It will be so important for the next while for us all to pay attention to and to share with one another that still, small voice in our hearts, so that we may continue to grow and tell our story together in this new, changed and changing world.
