Small Joys

Daily life certainly has changed recently, hasn’t it? This Sunday, March 29, is the fifth Sunday of Lent. It’s also a “Fifth Sunday” which usually means that there’s no Sunday School and all worship together in the Sanctuary.  Not this time! There’s no Sunday School OR in-person worship.

This time of year we’re usually planning for the grand processional on Palm Sunday (April 5) and a rousing celebration on Easter (April 12) with special services and events for Holy Week. We’ll still be having worship on Palm Sunday and Easter but things will be different this year. I’ll say more about that in a moment.

Right now I’m thinking about how small joys have become so important to me during this time. Here’s some that have touched me just in the last day or so:

• During last night’s “Who’s With Me Tonight?” Facebook live I asked “who’s with me right now?”
  A young boy’s mom sent me a photo of her son raising his hand when I asked that…saying,
  “I’m here” as he watched
• Fields of wildflowers in pink, yellow, and purple in a morning hike yesterday at Catalina State Park.
• Getting a text from the spouse of a man who had surgery earlier in the week, with a photo of him wrapped in a prayer shawl from St. Mark’s.

And so much more…

This year there will not be grand, rousing celebrations with hundreds of people worshipping and visiting. But there will be all of us, connecting in a variety of ways, remembering Jesus coming into Jerusalem, moving through his week to the last supper and Good Friday. There will be all of us, separate and yet together in Christ celebrating Jesus’ resurrection on Easter. All of this is a testament to the ongoing, never failing presence and love of God through all the times and seasons of our lives.

Below this message you will see info about the three ways you can connect to livestream for Sunday worship on March 29, April 5 and April 12, as well as for our Good Friday play, Have You Seen My Son?  We are still working on ways of connecting with you on Holy Thursday, April 9.

There is a new page on our website under the Home tab called LATEST UPDATE. If you miss the “Who’s With Me Tonight?” on St. Mark’s Facebook Live (7:00 p.m. every night) you can find the link to that on the Latest Update page, along with lots of other current information.

Here’s some advance notice about Palm Sunday, April 5. We will be including the celebration of Holy Communion in that service. The difference is that you need to provide your own elements – a small piece of bread or cracker and some juice or other beverage. We will commune together via the livestream, so you can look forward to that.

I expect that today will bring me many more small joys. Each day I pray for an end to this pandemic, that people would be well, that those caring for the sick would be well and well thanked, and that God will see us through. Today I also pray to notice all the small joys that God puts in front of me.  God is with us. We are not alone. Thanks be to God!

Blessings, Sharon

P.S.  This Sunday, March 29, the message with focus on “Doubt and Faith” as part of our “Cry of Our Hearts” Lent series.