A Letter from Lindy Nov 10

Oh beloved Pilgrims,

 I write to you with mind and soul aching. Confessionally, morning prayer often has tears falling from my eyes for worry for those I love, and beyond, for those who will be injured by the hurtful language, actions and policies of the incoming Administration. I beseech God for protection– for we have already experienced. We already know. I teeter with anxiety, shoring my heart from dread and doom. 

 I know we will rise to action, but for right now I want us to feel our feelings. Cole Arthur Riley says, "Whatever you thought might come after the election, today is for grief. For sadness. For anger. Today is not for shallow platitudes and sentimental pep talks. Tend to the wounds. Rest some. Breathe as deeply as one can." I couldn’t agree more.

 There will be time for us to respond. For us to collect. For us to act. But first I want to hug. I want to console. I want to talk with my Pilgrim people. Because when we come together, God’s hope and love is palpable, regardless our grief.

 As I hope you have read, we have teamed up with our Creation Justice duo of Dee and Jeff Sailstad to combine their prescient invitation to hike post election with a time for connection–with donuts and coffee. For any Pilgrim who needs to talk, a hug, a hang-out, I hope you will join us at 8:30 on Saturday morning, pre-hike. And those who are sugar fueled enough to hike, wear your walking shoes, for you will depart at 9:30. 

 Your Pilgrim staff has spent the balance of the week praying, talking, dreaming about ways in which we might create sacred space to deepen our connective tissue so that we are reminded that we are never alone. And so that when we are called to action, we are ready. We are focused on Pilgrim’s collective mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Please know how deeply we care for each of you.

 Coffee and donuts aren’t a lot, but they offer us a beginning step. 

 Come and see.

 Pastor Lindy

(she/her) why pronouns matter