THIS WEEK IN ST. TIM'S - 08 APRIL 2021

Greetings to the Church in your home!

We have navigated a second Holy Week and Easter in pandemic mode.  I have to confess some vile jealousy of neighboring congregations who celebrated in-person while we chose to continue to continue suspension of in-person worship (targeting a May 2 "re-opening," if Wood County's stats, the CDC, Bishop & Heath Department warrant).  At the same time, the worrisome reports of rapidly escalating spread of variants of the virus in neighboring Michigan - particularly among vulnerable younger (and yet to be vaccinated) members of the community support great caution.

I think our "in-between" state - suspended somewhere between normal "life before COVID" and whatever "life after COVID" will offer - can help us better understand the first disciples and their journey from Jesus' cross to Pentecost:  Hope is promised, yet seems beyond actual reach.  We trusted our leader(s) before, surely we can continue to do so.  Will our hopes become reality? -and more.

How will you make the Easter promise real?  One study resource suggested these ten simple ways to embrace living forward from the shadow of the cross:

1. Buy groceries for a struggling single mother.
2. Visit a hospital (that's not possible during COVID, but....) and pray with the sick and the dying.
3. Spend time with the elderly living at a local care center (again, COVID makes that challenging - but consider Facetime calls... In lieu of either of the above, sign on as an MRC volunteer for Wood County and help with COVID vaccinations
4. Volunteer at a homeless shelter (Pandemic protocols are in place, but volunteers are essential).
5. Teach ESL classes for refutgees in your community.
6. Sponsor a child (Thursday morning discussion has a "local" opportunity...)
7. Donate money to aid victims of disaster.
8. Tutor underprivileged youth.
9. Give restaurant or grocery store gift cards to people living on the street.
10. Write a letter to a prisoner.

An entirely different approach is available by taking (and using) the "50 Days and 50 Ways to Celebrate Eastser!" poster/calendars, available on the entrance lobby table.  Daily activities such as short scripture readings, simple tasks, thought teasers, prayer prompts, etc. await.

Yes, we're "in-between" - but we're neither hopeless nor without a Helper.

Alleluia.  Christ is risen!
Fr. Jeff
Nothing separates us from the love of God in Christ Jesus!