Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I hope you are all hanging in there. My heart has been heavy as I hear the news from Afghanistan and Haiti, as well as the sickness and death resulting from the Delta variant. I am also in prayer for those in the path of hurricane Ida, predicted to make landfall in New Orleans on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
I hope you are all taking care of yourselves during these stressful times. Everyone has different burdens they are carrying from caregiving for elderly parents and young children, financial concerns and health challenges. I see some of the weight you are carrying as you try to hold it all together. I’ll admit that the past 18 months have been rough for me too, as we constantly have to pivot and I ponder questions like how Covid 19 will affect the church and our lives.
As I was preparing for the ordination and installation of elders this Sunday, I was reading over the constitutional questions in our Book of Common Worship. One that the congregation is asked at the time of the ordination or installation of a minister of Word and Sacrament is: “Do we promise to provide for his/her welfare as he/she works among us’ to stand by him/ her in trouble and to share his/her joys?” In that spirit, I wanted to share with you a minor health issue I have been dealing with recently. The past few months, I’ve been experiencing bouts of vertigo. It comes and goes, and is somewhat unpredictable as to when I will feel the room begin to spin.
After many tests this summer, this past week, one of my physicians diagnosed me with vestibular migraines. I will start physical therapy this week and now have a medicine I can take. I wanted to share this with you, though, because occasionally in recent weeks, I have had some attacks of vertigo while leading worship. I usually can hide it pretty well until it passes, but it’s an annoyance when it occurs. I expect, with this new treatment, I will be back to normal very soon, but just in case you see me steadying myself for a second at the pulpit, or sitting down during a hymn, you will know that I am taking care of myself. I don’t want to be treated any differently, or for anyone to be concerned, but it makes it much less stressful to simply share what is going on, and to ask that you bear with me.
As I will mention in my sermon this Sunday, based on James 1:17-27, I’ve been connected to Anchorage Presbyterian Church, since 1991- 30 years this year- first as a middle schooler to now as your Pastor. My daughters are now in middle school at Anchorage School, bringing life full circle (and making me feel old!). I calculate that I have probably worshipped with some of you for over 1,000 Sundays! I feel like I know many of you pretty well. I will share that I am so grateful to be among you. You are such a wonderful congregation of doers of God’s word, and are filled with so many good gifts from above- gifts of the Spirit. As Paul says in Ephesians, I give thanks to God for you often, and pray for you constantly, especially that you will remain healthy and safe during this time.
As we continue into the Fall, may we all feel Christ’s peace and presence as we go through another period of uncertainty. May we also stand by one other, and strive to show Christ’s love in all that we do.
In deep gratitude for you,
Tara
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