September Pastor's Note

It’s back-to-school time, which in this country seems to mean waiting until news of the first school shooting of the year occurs. As I’m writing this, the news is still coming out of Minneapolis following a deadly mass shooting at a Catholic school there. I watched a reporter barely keep his composure as he recounted a conversation he had just had with a 10-year-old named Wes. Wes described sitting in class and hearing the gunshots and shattering of the stained glass window beside him, when one of his friends jumped on his body and pushed him to the ground, saving him from being shot.

I had already received notice that Bluestone Elementary had a scheduled lockdown drill for August 28th - just a week into the school year. I had also had a conversation with Isaac just after his first day of middle school, and he shared that middle school is kind of scary. He said that’s when kids start bringing weapons to school, and when fights start happening. We know that those things can and do happen in elementary schools, but it feels like a more present danger as the kids get older. I remember hearing a gunshot after school while waiting to board the bus when I was in 6th grade. I remember the awareness of my world changing as I got older.

As we approach the 24th anniversary of 9/11, I recall a children’s sermon I was leading years ago. I asked what the kids were afraid of, and one elementary school student said she was afraid of 9/11 and a terrorist attack. Her biggest fear was of something that happened even before she was born.

In my conversation with Isaac, I acknowledged his fears. I told him there is so much we can be afraid of, for good reason, and the challenge is not to let that fear control us. There are so many things to be afraid of these days. I send my kids to school knowing that the worst could happen, though it probably won’t. How many parents in our community are sending their kids to school each day, knowing they might not be there when the kids get home from school? How many of our neighbors are making multiple decisions each day to minimize the risk of detention and deportation while also trying to make ends meet, and put food on the table? I can’t imagine what it’s like seeing the military occupation of your home city. I could go on, but you can probably also fill in the blanks. 

We can’t let fear keep us from living our daily lives and living into our calling as ones who follow Jesus. As our Harvest theme affirms, we are called to go. We hope to learn a bit more about how to harvest courage in a world of fear, even as we seek to lead faithful and brave lives in these challenging times.

Throughout the Bible, many times people are told, “Do not be afraid,” especially when God or a messenger of God appears. It may be interpreted as something like, “don’t worry - I come in peace!” but on a deeper level, it also applies to what will come after this frightening encounter. It’s usually a sign that God is about to do something big and new. Big and new can be scary, for so many reasons. Often, the big and new things stretch and challenge us, and it’s easier to stay in our comfortable, safe cocoons. 

But God tells us not to fear. God invites us to go anyways. Where will we be called to go in the next few months or years? How do we cultivate faithful courage in scary times? Thank God we don’t have to do it alone. We are in this together. Called to work together. Called to be brave together. Called to go. May we do so faithfully, graciously, and grounded in God’s love, which casts out all fear.

Grace and peace,

Stephanie