God's Love Prevails 💕

GOD'S LOVE PREVAILS

A Holy Week Message from The Rev. Rilla Barrett

Dear Friends,

Holy Week – a time of deep importance to us as followers of Jesus. Holy Week – when we mark and remember the last days, the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord. For us, it is a time steeped in meaning and tradition. And, even during this time of unusual circumstances, we will gather to worship and remember, but in a new way.

The love of God for us (Agape) is central to us, and even more so this year. God’s love, that is manifest in Jesus’ giving of himself for us, is our focus. And, as God loves us, we love one another.

As a child, my grandmother took me to her church, the First Church of Christ Scientists (Christian Science.) I remember bits of it – it has been some time. Mary Baker Eddy and the booklets my grandmother read are large in those foggy memories. However, the basic theological belief for Christian Scientists is that God is Love. That belief has strengthened and centered me all my life. It is, from my perspective, the center of this Holy Week. God is love.

Julian of Norwich, English mystic and anchoress who lived in the 14^th century, had a great deal to say to us about God and love. Julian suffered profoundly during an illness in her younger life. (Two plagues ravaged Eastern England during her childhood.) Following that extended time of sickness in her earlier years, she received sixteen “showings” or revelations from God. These lead her, in her later years, to write about the meaning of these revelations, and from her writings we hear of God’s great love and compassion. God’s love, said Julian, is in everything, in every place, and in and for everybody. She lived, as an anchoress, in seclusion, and continued for the rest of her life in daily prayer for the church – its people. God’s abundant love and goodness filled her, even as she had struggled, but when she considered the reality of the pain and suffering in life, Julian turned to the image of composting. She wrote that God takes all the messy, icky, horrible, nasty stuff from our lives and “composts” it for us, creating new beginnings, new possibilities. God doesn’t cause the difficulties, nor give them to us for some unstated purpose, but God walks with us and, out of love, stirs difficulties into opportunities.

God’s love prevails, and it seems to me that we are seeing evidence of God’s “composting” even in these worrisome times. God’s love for us shines in our love for one another, in our staying apart from one another – because we love and care about each other.

We will miss gathering as a community, sharing in the traditions of this week, and we feel a deep concern and sorrow for those who suffer, for the sick and hungry, and for the loss of life across this planet. But, we also know that in spite of such circumstances, Easter will come. God’s love for us, in us, around us, and through us will prevail – and in a new way. And for that, let us give thanks.

I give thanks for each of you and pray for you a blessed Holy Week – perhaps in a new way.

Faithfully,
Rilla+

Image Credit: https://fromoffshore.wordpress.com/2014/04/18/julian-of-norwich-on-good-friday/

Bishop Greg Rickel sent this message about the film Holy Fire to congregations in the Diocese of Olympia:

"We know that church communities are actively searching for new ways to gather and to mark this season in a meaningful way. We are excited to introduce to you a film which highlights the ways Christians remember the death and resurrection of Jesus in the Holy City. This is a story of generations of Christians, carrying the traditions of the early church into the present time.

I have created a link and password for you to watch Holy Fire."

https://vimeo.com/401940998
Password: olympia2020

CHRIST CHURCH CALENDAR

4/9 Maundy Thursday
4/10 Good Friday Stations of the Cross
4/12 Easter Sunday
4/19 Bishop's Committee Meeting

CHURCH CLOSURE UPDATE

All churches in the Diocese of Olympia are to remain closed through at least May 4. The Office of the Bishop will remain closed to the public and staff will continue to work remotely through May 4. When buildings reopen, requirements and recommendations posted on the web page will remain in place until further notice.

Since we will be unable to worship together,
you may wish to tune in to the online streaming from...

Christ Episcopal Church, Blaine: https://www.facebook.com/christchurchblaine/ 10am Sundays
St. Mark’s Cathedral in Seattle: https://saintmarks.org/worship/live-stream/
The National Cathedral: https://cathedral.org
St. John the Baptist, West Seattle: https://sjbwestseattle.org
Christ Church, Seattle: https://christchurchseattle.org
St. Columba, Kent: https://www.facebook.com/St-Columbas-Episcopal-Church-Kent-Washington-148136801905200/
Diocese of Olympia: https://ecww.org/live-streaming-services-in-the-diocese-of-olympia/

NOTE FROM THE TREASURER
Please continue to send your pledges by mail to Christ Church, Blaine. If you normally place your pledge in the offering plate on Sundays, please consider mailing it while worship services are cancelled to 382 Boblett St., Blaine, WA 98230
Please note that pledges may be modified or changed, especially if you are experiencing financial hardship during this crisis. Email Susan Thomson, our pledge secretary, if you need to make any changes.

DIAPERS NEEDED
The Blaine Food Bank is in need of continued donations, especially diapers.
Donations may be left on the back porch at Christ Episcopal Church, Blaine, for delivery by Bruce Smith each week.

UPCOMING EVENTS
DIOCESE OF OLYMPIA

All dates subject to change, due to Coronavirus concerns.

BISHOP'S LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE, Port Townsend has been postponed until Spring 2021.

6/21-6/27, COLLEGE FOR CONGREGATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, Federal Way. The College is a comprehensive training program that seeks to nurture and develop congregational development practitioners from within existing parish lay and clergy leadership. The program draws on a) organization development theory and practice, b) congregational development theory and practice, c) theory and practice related to healthy, responsive leadership and ) current and traditional understandings of Anglican/Episcopal ethos, culture, spirituality and ways of being the church today. The training consists of readings, presentations, experiential exercises, application activities, and back-home projects and will be offered in two formats:

Four 2-day sessions for each of two consecutive years, or
Two seven-day intensive sessions over two consecutive summers.

For more information, visit www.cdcollege.org or visit with previous year's attendees...Myra Ryneheart Corcorran or April Thomson...if you have any questions about the conference.

10/23-10/24 DIOCESAN CONVENTION, Seatac, WA. The Diocesan Convention is held annually for clergy and lay delegates to conduct diocesan business. This includes electing individuals to offices and deputations, admitting worshiping communities as missions or parishes, and voting on resolutions. The bishop also gives an annual address. Visit with previous year's attendees...Jodith Allen, Mary Rebman, or April Thomson...if you have any questions about the convention.