During the few weeks that Rev. Cameron has been away a few of our members have written in reflections for this space. Here is the first by Rita Carey.

 

Summer Reflection

I miss Sunday morning services at St. John’s. Over the years friends who don’t attend church have asked me what it is I like about church? What does it do for me?

 I like hearing those old familiar Anglican words of worship that countless folks have heard and spoken over the centuries (including all of my British forefathers and mothers). Some of those words are like a balm to me in this fast-paced, jarring and ever-changing world of the 21st century.

I like the Bible readings, the poetry and the truths they speak. I like hearing the Rector’s sermon bringing out life and relevance from those readings to us in the here and now. It gives me food for thought.

Singing songs of praise to our Creator brings me joy, and especially at those special times around Easter and Christmas.  My voice is not great, but I do love to sing with others.

Communal prayer helps me to feel God’s presence. I know that this can happen in any setting, and often does for me in the quiet of a morning walk in the woods with the birds singing and new lush green growth springing up around me. However, there is a real connection I feel with the divine “when two or three are gathered” in our beautiful sanctuary.

We all need a strong sense of community, and I enjoy the warmth and friendship of our church community as we share Holy Communion and the Peace in the service and then chat at coffee time.

My church makes me feel that I matter, I am loved, I have work to do to help make this world a better place, and that I am forgiven for all the mistakes I make; and I receive a fresh sense of hope to let me try again. 

Every Sunday morning is a reboot, a chance to start all over again and get me through another week of life.

Currently, I am so thankful for the time and effort that Cameron and others (Elaine, Trevor, our musicians and readers and prayer-makers) are putting into our online services.  It is a new reality for all of us, and something that can give us hope during this scary pandemic. So, although I really miss our traditional Sunday morning services, I am choosing to embrace this new and virtual worship as we move forward into the unknown. 

 

Rita Carey