We had hiked to the other side of the island to watch the sunset and tarried long, basking in the beauty and many conversations and jokes between friends. Suddenly, it was dark and time to head back to camp. Not one of us had brought a flashlight! We decided our only choice was to do a trust walk. Single file, each of us touching the shoulder of the person in front of us, we slowly and carefully walked down the path through the woods. There was no choice but to trust the leader and the person right in front of us. There was no choice but to be trustworthy for the person behind us. There was no choice but to trust our feet. I’ll never forget that unplanned trust walk in the dark through the forest with my fellow campers. We were capable of more than we thought we were, and we got each other safely home.
In times of national trauma, like the COVID-19 pandemic, like the assault on democracy now, I think my only choice is to touch the shoulder of the person I trust in front of me, and walk the slow walk through it. Who do you trust most right now? Can you lean on them a little more? Can you be the sturdy shoulder for someone else who needs courage? I know we’ll find our way through the woods, it just doesn’t seem like it now.
One of the things I’m most grateful for these days are the leaders at First Church—staff, ministers, members. Strong, compassionate, flexible, vibrant, faithful, adapting. We will be blessed to send Rev. Kimberlee off on her short sabbatical beginning right after RE Sunday in May, trusting her to nourish her spirit, replenish her energy, engage her mind and care for her body away from church. We trust our lay leaders on the CRE team and our RE staff to carry the program for our children through the summer and welcome Kimberlee when she returns with renewed vision and plans on August 1. Sabbatical is the best gift to sustain our ministers and our ministry.
Yours,
Dena
Rev. Dena McPhetres, Associate Minister