Dear friends,

It seems a long time ago now, but back on January 26, as we celebrated our 100th anniversary as a church, I preached on the ties that bind. I spoke of those invisible cords of love and grace that connect us to one another and to all the saints who came before us at Glenn. They fill our sanctuary, those cords; they are holy ties.

Now, nine months later, I wonder: Do the cords remain unbroken?

This long season of COVID has rattled our assumptions, challenged our habits, and threatened our livelihoods and people we hold dear. We’ve been forced to work, study, play, and worship in ways we could not have imagined a year ago. We’ve worried more, gotten on each other’s nerves a little more, and we’ve had to think very intentionally about the stuff that fills our days. What is important? What is necessary? What is good? Good enough? Best?

And the church? Through it all, we have worshiped together—differently, yes—but we have worshiped. YouTube and Facebook are our chapel and sanctuary, but we gather still, praying, singing, and hearing the word preached. Zoom is our meeting room, where committees and mission groups do their vital work and groups meet for study and fellowship.

Through it all, we have focused on what is good and best. We’ve confirmed young people in the faith, prayed for the sick, welcomed new members, and baptized babies. We’ve spoken out for social justice and helped families in need; and our giving has fueled vital ministries in our community and around the world. Much has changed, but what is important has not.

So, those cords? I believe they’ve been tested and proven.

No pandemic can change who we are. You and I are the church, together called to be hope in times of chaos, to speak salvation to broken lives, and to serve God’s realm of justice and wholeness. Over the next four weeks, as we prepare to renew our personal and financial commitment to God’s work in the world, we will ponder what it means to be “together called.” This year’s campaign will be a little different, of course, but Christ’s work still calls for our faithful support. And the church? In God’s grace and power, we remain nothing less than the body of Christ for the world, a holy fellowship grounded in love.

In Christ,
The Rev. Mark Westmoreland,
Senior Pastor