Advent Greetings …

This being the last Community News for the year, I feel that I should have some particularly profound thoughts to share as I reflect on the last twelve months.  What I can say is that 2022 has been a full year, a year that has brought with it difficulties and blessings.  Yet in thinking back, what strikes me most is what we have done together as a community of faith.

We have been blessed by those who have come to worship with us and rejoiced in special celebrations.  We have grieved together over friends and family who have passed away.  We have chatted over cups of tea and got to know one another better.  We have acknowledged how things are and dreamed about how things may be.  Through it all we have cared for one another, and shared life and faith together.

As a final blessing for 2022, I’d like to share with you a Franciscan Benediction which I believe says something about who we are, and why this community is such a blessing.

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships so that you may live deep within  your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy.

May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in the world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done to bring justice and kindness to all.

And finally from me … may the Advent gifts of hope, peace, joy and love be with you throughout 2023.

Blessings – Heather (she/her).