Letter from Lindy Nov 8

Pilgrims,

I write this letter on Wednesday, not knowing who will be our next president. Kai and I have pledged to not tip into despair with every breaking headline. The few things I do know, though, are sobering.

The election is much closer than anyone predicted, even after 230,000 deaths to COVID-19
The polls were wrong, again, and underestimated voter allegiance
Georgia is sending a QAnon conspiracist to Congress
Despite voting for President Trump, Florida adopted a living wage
The “Green Wave” for our planet did not materialize
Marijuana was last night’s biggest winner

What a lot to hold in our hearts and minds, souls and strength. Sunday’s text from Thessalonians could not feel more prescient for today. Grief does abound. But our mourning cannot stop our dreaming.

Dreaming. Isn’t that what this year has also been about? Dreaming about a different way our country might be led and governed. Dreaming that our lament and protest might be heard and held with care. Dreaming that the brokenness of our systems and structures might finally be fixed for all Americans. Dreaming that we might move beyond denial to stewarding and healing God’s creation collectively. Even amidst pandemic’s pain, we have dreamed.

We know dreams can be disorienting. They can throw us off kilter. They can be disturbing… And, and..sometimes they help us uncover a deep knowing. Scripture offers us a cast of characters who dream. Our biblical ancestors who dreamed also received, discovered and responded to God’s dream for the world. Stay tuned. We will journey with a few dreamers during Advent.

These weeks just prior to the advent of a new Christian year, as we crunch numbers to bring forth Pilgrim’s 2021 budget, we become dreamers ourselves. Dreamers who long for a deeper connection with God. Dreamers who dream of a better world. Dreamers who covenant to bring our dreams together through Pilgrim. What is your dream for, in and through Pilgrim for 2021?

Pilgrim’s 2021 Stewardship Drive is our investment in our dreams. Because: our dreams for Pilgrim might help us escape an unfortunate reality yet unknown. Our dreams will help us hold on. Hold onto our, and our ancestors’ hope, imagining a better future for generations to come. Our dreams will help us resist the status quo and fight for a just and equitable world. Our dreams for, in and through Pilgrim will be both big and small. My prayer is that we will harness our dreams’ power in 2021, narrowing the space between our reality and God’s dream for us.

Dream with me Pilgrim,
Pastor Lindy