I am not sure what each of your days are looking like but I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that for all of us things have changed and quickly. Today marks two weeks since I started working at home and I am convinced that unless we are essential workers this is the best service we provide to the community at this time. 

This Sunday we are going to start recording my messages at home instead of coming into the church to do it. For Hugh and I this has called for some experimental learning as we figured out how to make good recordings from home. I owe many thanks not just to Hugh but also to Paul Mzandu who did the recordings in the sanctuary the last two weeks and who over the phone has given instruction on how to upload to the youtube channel. This certainly is a season or learning new things and new ways of staying in touch! 

One of the things I have been doing to keep myself well, body, mind and soul, is being careful with how much time I spend on news consumption. In the early days of staying home I learned that there was a temptation to stay stuck to the screen and always on. It didn’t take long to realize, that as is the case with many things, balance and moderation are good practices. As human beings there is a part of us that is wired to be alert to danger and threat and constant exposure to the news these days can ramp up our anxiety. And so it is important more than ever now to find ways to relax, to find a healthy balance in how we spend our days. One of the best antidotes to anxiety and alarm is relationship. Social connections are critical. There are still many ways to reach out. The phone. Email. Social media… and if you haven’t heard from someone you care about reach out and see how they are. 

Draw on your faith. Spiritually we all have different ways of expressing and renewing ourselves. Getting outside, seeing the world come to life as spring arrives can lift us up. Music. Poetry. Scripture. Reading. Journaling. Art. Gratitude. Meditation. How we pray. Pay attention to these things and the practices that bring you to life. Draw on your faith. 

God is good. 

Notice the good all around you. 

We are going to come through this. 

As we think about these things the passages for this week’s reflection include Psalm 130 and Ezekiel 37: 1 – 14. Ezekiel was a prophet during the time of the Babylonian exile, when the people of God were driven from their land and unable to worship in the temple. The passage we are going to be looking at speaks about the life giving power of the Holy Spirit and the word of God. It is a well known passage for many of us, where the word and breathe of God bring dry bones back to life. I am looking forward to reflecting on that with you this Sunday. 

In the meantime, I do want to know how you are doing. What was the best thing that has happened in your day? What are the sorrows for which you need prayer? I am always glad to hear from you (kd@standrewsottawa.ca). Although we don’t have a bulletin to publish this week we will continue to include an attachment with upcoming events and online news from St. Andrews. If you have anything you would like to share, a photo or a good news story or a quote or a picture that you are willing to share in this way please send to Vivian office@standrews.ca. We will do our best to accommodate your submissions. 

I do spend a lot of time these days writing notes and making phone calls and my prayers, they are with you and your loved ones 

God Bless you with grace and peace, 

Karen