In the words of Paul, written more than once, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. What challenging years we have faced as a body of Christ. I am reminded of 1 Corinthians 12:26, “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it.” (NIV) How many of us have been separated from our loved ones through life and/or through death? How many of us have been able to fully grieve with another? How many of us are tired and worn? There is a lot we can be weary of, complain, and blame. The troubles are real. We as a District are suffering together, not because we are individuals, because we are a whole. When one suffers, we all suffer! It hurts! Whatever the pain, sorrow, or grief, we are one! We are one body! And we shall rise through study, reflection, and prayer with the guidance of our Holy Spirit.
I teach Kindergarten full-time and one of the first things I work at teaching my students is that we are a family. We miss each other when one is absent, we make mistakes and learn from them, we communicate with each other, sometimes through an apology and forgiveness, sometimes with excitement and celebration, we are family, and we care about each other. When we work together, we can accomplish great things! I love working with children, they bring such a sense of reality and imagination at the same time. They see the rawness of the world and are constantly seeking to know more.
There’s a lot we can learn from children. What if we took time to sit back and enjoy the rawness of God? Look at the constant beauty of the world created before us. Listen to the ever-present song in the singing of the birds, the humming and buzzing of the insects, the whistling of the wind, the rocks tumbling down the mountainside, the splashing of raindrops on dry thirsty ground. It’s there! As part of God’s creation, what if we took time to sit back and listen to the laughter, a smile as it forms, a shout of joy at a job well-done? God is here! The rawness of seeing God in our neighbor, through an act of kindness, a tear shed, a smile, a heart broken. What we feel and see is not new. Sometimes…it takes a child to bring it to the front of our minds! They see everything!
Philippians 4:8, “Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (NRSV) Going back to my Kindergartners for just a moment, we have lots, and lots, and lots of arguments, and lots of times for great problem-solving! We try hard not to go home angry with each other, so we take time to debrief and reflect on our day, what things went well and what can we do next time to make things better? It amazes me how quickly these children turn negatives into positives! I see God everyday through the eyes of a child!
There’s a second part in 1 Corinthians 12 verse 27, that follows verse 26. “if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” I pray, that throughout this upcoming year and well into the future that we take time to see the good we are doing as a whole District! I encourage each member and congregation to share your joys with the District as a whole! Let us celebrate together! We will not forget our suffering brothers and sisters, and we will continue to be in prayer for one another through whatever trials come. Let us not get so weighed down though in the suffering that we forget the joys. Let us experience together the rawness of God!Your Sister in Christ,
Sarah Mason
2021-2022 District ModeratorP.S. I look forward to getting to know each other over this year and into the future! With God’s blessings, I have been able to travel and meet several of you in your home congregations! I am so thankful for the warmth and comfort you are sharing with me and my family through your worship services, conversations, and connections. I have an ambitious goal to attend as many congregational worships as I can, God willing! I also love to hear from you, please feel free to contact me and be ready for me to contact you! As a full-time teacher, I have limited access to phone calls and personal emails during the weekdays, however, evenings work well, and email is the best way to get hold of me (I typically don’t carry my phone around)!
levsarmason@gmail.com
