Easter hope.
Dear friends and members of St. Matt's,
As we move forward in this Easter season, you'll begin to see some new opportunities appearing for the weeks and months ahead. I hope you'll consider these and join us for many of them, choosing to take in the joy of this season of Easter. Remember to make room for this joy. No season of the church encourages us so to revel in joy - and sometimes that seems a hard thing to fit in, doesn't it? To balance with all the things we have to do - all the places we have to go? And it's so important to make room in our hearts, minds, and lives for this joy the is rooted in the resurrection: in the promise that God has in Jesus already won for us the victory, life abundant meant for each.
I'm glad to see that the case numbers have come down in Wilton in this last week and I hope that's the beginning of the trend that will allow us to gather soon. The Officers, Vestry, and I have plans prepared for that moment when it comes. I am also well underway with planning the summer because of my leave, and I am working on the assumption that we will be able to be in-person in safe and meaningful ways. So good news for us as a community is on the horizon, even as we continue to respect the Bishops' guidance that if our town is red we are not to gather in person. When those days come, when we transition away from our life being completely virtual, know that we will continue to be careful and take safety precautions. We will also continue to provide virtual options for worship and connection for those who will not yet be comfortable engaging in person. And, of course, we'll need to be mindful of numbers, so it will likely be the case that not everyone can gather at once. Life in-person will look different than we remember, and we will continue to rely on some of the routines and rhythms we've learned this past year, gathering virtually for small groups and live streaming worship, for example. And. We are all so looking forward to gathering safely. I'm grateful to the Vestry and the Officers for the work they've done with me to prepare for these in-person opportunities and I'm grateful in advance for their leadership as we hope to enter a new phase in which they will play an active role. It is my fervent, joyful, Easter hope that there will be many opportunities for meaningful and safe connections soon. God promises us that there is always resurrection, always new life, always new beginnings. Ours is coming.
Please take a look at our e-news this week to see all that's coming, including a special new opportunity from the RenewalWorks team. Join us on Sunday for a special coffee hour to say thank you and farewell to the Rev. Shannon White. Church School begins again as do other regular pieces of our life as we seek to revel in that Easter joy together. Please be in touch if you need anything. And know that you are all in my prayers. I'm grateful for you and for your place in our community.
Faithfully,
--Marissa +