A Balmy 72F

As I’m writing this E-gram this morning, I’m sitting on the balcony of the condo where we’ve been staying drinking some coffee, listening to the waves, and watching the sunrise over the beach. It is currently 72F here. I looked to see what the current weather is in Danvers and it’s 0F. I’m certainly not saying this to brag, or to make you feel bad. The only reason I mention it so you’ll understand when I tell you I’ve just decided I’m going to stay here—at least until May. . . maybe June. I’m joking, I’m joking! You really think I’d miss Pie Day and the Mennonite Relief Sale?

I hope all went well during the services yesterday. You were certainly in Josanne’s and my thoughts. We were able to worship yesterday at Bayshore Church in Sarasota yesterday with North Danvers’ own Carol Glick. It was so nice to see her and to be able to participate in worship there.

It does seem like it’s been a harsh winter in more ways than one. So many of our community at NDMC are dealing with very difficult circumstances. We’ve continued to pray for these situations while we are away—both those which are on-going, and those that we’ve been informed of while we’ve been away. Just like the temperature I mentioned earlier, it so easy for us to become fixed on our own difficulties and heartaches, that we fail to remember that so many around us are going through their own struggles. Our own problems are so much more familiar to us that we forget that most of us have things we are working through. As a Pastor, I may hear a fraction more about the personal struggles of those in our congregation, but I know I don’t have nearly the full picture.

Paul talks to the churches in Asia Minor about the importance of treating one another well. He first warns them to get rid of things like bitterness and anger. It’s too easy for us to sometimes hold onto a grudge, when we should let those things go. Then Paul wrote, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32, NIV 2011). I’m going to do my best to keep this in front of me, and in front of all of us as we recognize the hurts—both large and small—that each of us experience. Let’s pray intently for one another.

I’ll be back sometime later this week, if all goes well. I’ll look forward to seeing you all on Sunday. Josanne will be heading to Lexington to be with her Mom during her second round of chemo.

Love you all. God bless,

Brian