Virus Diaries March 23, 2020--"It is what it is."

Very good to see some of you yesterday on our first try at church via Zoom. It's a different experience.
It brought back to mind both grief and relief: grief at what we've lost, and relief that our friends and families in the church are well. Keep gathering when you can, and use those newly developing tools of electronic communication.
We'll do it again next Sunday. Watch this blog, and the church website for links to our Sunday meeting.



In the meantime, I've decided to concentrate on a couple of things:
1) keeping up and encouraging our congregation to think hyper local, that is to help us stay connected in real ways with our neighborhood and friends in North Arlington, both church and community. This means phone trees and email, snail mail and Zoom, with all those folks you already know.
For example: Shout out to our church member who held her virtual recital on line via Zoom, giving all her music students a chance to see and hear each other.


2) I've decided to use this space to curate a list from colleagues and friends in ministry that represent the best spiritual work I'm seeing. There are a lot of unhelpful words being said and published. So I'm concentrating on finding the best for the day. For today--

Colleague known to some of you Mary Ann McKibben Dana is working in her "BLUE ROOM" blog for how to maintain spiritual equilibrium when circumstances are throwing you off balance. She is particularly good at speaking to parents with children at home, since this is her own situation.

Some of you follow Richard Rohr, who's writing has gotten better with age. At his Center for Action and Contemplation, he offers encouragement for some of the best ancient and modern Christian practices.

Our former colleague in National Capital Presbytery Jan Edmiston is keeping up her blog at "A Church for Starving Artists"  She wrote yesterday about the grief in not being able to be present with a congregation.

You all are welcome to share your own tips for keeping your own spiritual self healthy. Comments below welcome.