Spring is in the air, Lenten practices are in our hearts, and there is a lot to think about during this time of reflection.
Spring is in the air, Lenten practices are in our hearts, and there is a lot to think about during this time of reflection. Family, work, pastimes, car, house repairs, relatives, health, bills, world events, and especially this year - politics. We can each add to this list and at times it might feel overwhelming. This is how I was feeling about a month ago and was hearing the same from other people. About at the same time I remembered a presentation I had gone to in the Fall. The speaker talked about how loneliness was her number one societal concern. Bishop Hazelwood said the same thing when he visited us on March 1st. I can see loneliness being a significant underlying concern given our busy schedules, screen time habits, to-do lists, thoughts of not doing “enough,” and the yearning to have more time in each day.
“Come together. Grow in faith. Serve the Lord.” We read it on the bulletin, sanctuary, and Church web site. Some of you who are reading this may have been members when these three sentences were selected. “Be kind and generous.” might be one sentence I would add based on the words and actions of Len Klein. I say this because of the special memories I have from the youth mission trips I went on to Northern Maine, New York City, Detroit, and Guatemala. Before leaving on each of these trips, Len and Jean would “slip us” a donation for the youth to use for a special treat – ice cream usually hit the spot! The amazing support of church members, and the kindness and generosity of Len and Jean was very much appreciated after a hard day of physical work, discussions, and challenging experiences. Len and Jean’s gestures are a small reflection of the uncountable acts they and so many other members of Holy Trinity continue to give that may help to soften loneliness. We all feel God’s love and a little less loneliness when kindness and generosity are shared and experienced.