From the desk of Corey Ingold:

 

One of the ironies of human life is that we try to gain control over the future by making plans and charting a course we think will lead us to some desired destination. We think that if we just engage in thorough enough planning the potential problems and difficulties of the future will simply wither away. Yet, these thoughts are mostly a means of self-deception. The future is beyond our ability to control, and so we live into a future that is uncertain in most every way.

 

  None of us were anticipating the onset of a pandemic virus in our world. None of us thought the world would be shut down as it has been and continues to be for the most part. We are living in a time for which none of us could do any real planning. We have been forced to deal with this situation in ways we never expected we might be called upon to do.

 

  It’s not easy to know what God may be trying to teach us through this ordeal, but one of the things I find myself learning is that God speaks even when the church is less able to do its ministry than it normally is. Jesus once told Pharisees who were critical of the disciples’ open display of devotion and proclamation that if they were made to be silent, the stones would shout out the truth of the Gospel, and it seems so true. The Word of God will find a means of expression in this world, and nothing can silence that Word. The Gospel lives on even if churches aren’t meeting in-person to worship and have fellowship. We may not be able to control the future but we can trust that God is still Sovereign in our world no matter the circumstances of history we may be facing.

 

  Let me also add a brief pastoral word about the service that will be broadcast this Sunday on our website. It being the first Sunday of the month, Bill and I will lead you through the liturgy for Communion and will invite all who are watching to partake of the elements in their own homes. It’s obviously incumbent upon you to find some elements of bread and the cup that you might use as we celebrate the Sacrament together virtually. The bulletin will again be available trough the church website in addition to the service.

 

  Please stay well in the days ahead.

 

In Christ’s service, Corey