So…the other morning I was in the shower when I began to think about the Christmas Eve candlelight worship. I’m trying to come to peace with not having a full sanctuary, brimming with candlelight as voices wash over us while singing “Silent Night”. No one knows what December 24^th will look like, what our situation will be with regards to how many people will be able to safely gather indoors at that point, but we do know that it will not be all of us who would normally be there. So I began humming “Silent Night” until I got choked up. Then the familiar feelings resurface: sadness, anger, resolve, hope. Rinse. Repeat.

When looking around, there are so many who have suffered so much more, and who continue to suffer so much, this grieving over a candlelight worship seems inconsequential. And it is. And it isn’t.

Then I remember the Serenity Prayer about those things we can control, those things we cannot, and the wisdom to know the difference. I’ve gotten my flu shot – in my control. I wear a mask and physically distance – in my control. Who is elected next month? Mostly out of my control but I AM VOTING!

We are thinking of how our special holiday liturgies can be meaningful in this time of online worship. As we look towards All Saints Sunday, please email/text/call Pastor Josh or me with the name of any loved ones of yours who have died and we will make sure to include lighting a candle in their memory as part of our worship service, along with those siblings in Christ from University Lutheran who have died this past year. We will continue to see how we can broaden our worship safely and in meaningful ways. We will continue to witness to the light of the world. We will continue to love God and love our neighbor.

God’s peace & hope,

Pastor Jon