May 25, 2022
Sisters and Brothers,
We find ourselves in that all too familiar position of being horrified and grief-stricken by yet another gun massacre in our nation. Nineteen children and two adults were gunned down in another inexplicable act of wanton carnage; and this is just a few days after a gun massacre in Buffalo, New York and another in Laguna Hills, California. We are feeling so many intense emotions—some are filled with rage and frustration at our lack of inaction in addressing this ongoing problem, while others are desperately afraid for their children's lives. We can only imagine what it must be like to lose a loved one in such a senseless, violent manner, and yet, we wonder if there are any safe places left in America. Many are questioning their faith. Where is God in all of this?
I don't have any answers and I'm not sure I have much to say on the matter. I'm feeling numb like many of you are. These times seem challenging enough without having to process the slaughter of schoolchildren …
Deep breaths. Tears. Prayers. Calls to representatives. Chats with loved ones. Perhaps listening to a favorite song or two.
I may still have some lingering congestion from my bout with COVID-19, but I am feeling better with each passing day, and I will be masked for the majority of my time in the building this Sunday. I encourage others to mask up as well.
I'm hopeful that my health will allow me to lead worship this coming Sunday—perhaps it will be helpful just to be in worship and prayer together—to pray for those who have lost so much. We have been blessed with a baptism that day: Eladia, the granddaughter of Sylvia and Andres Alamillo. As we participate in this ancient Christian tradition, we will commit this beautiful child to God and make promises to nurture and guide her in our faith. It is a powerful question for us to ponder: how do we nurture and protect our children in a nation that seems overwhelmed by gun violence?
As always, the worship service will begin at 10:30 a.m. Pianist Natalya Amelchenko begins playing gathering music at 10:20 a.m. Folks can join from home on Facebook. (You can also watch prior services at any time here.) Consider asking a friend to join you in person at the service … or start a “watch party” on your Facebook account!
OTHER UPDATES:
Please note that the office/building will be closed on Monday, May 30 in observance of Memorial Day.
It's never too early to begin making summer plans; our annual "Friends and Family Retreat" at Zephyr Point is August 12-14. Mark your calendars. Click here for information.
On Saturday, June 4th, the "Covenant Network of Presbyterians" is offering a day-long seminar entitled, "Becoming Inclusive and Welcoming: The Journey toward Affirming GLBTQIA+ People in the Church." We know that our denomination, like many others, hasn't always been very welcoming to GLBTQIA+ folks, and Bethany has a particularly painful past regarding this issue. All churches and all of us can always be better informed and better about welcoming people of all backgrounds. For more information about this special live opportunity, click here. You can watch the videocast of an earlier seminar here.
Sunday, June 5th is Pentecost! We'll be celebrating the birth of the church as well as communion. Don't forget to wear red—and don't forget your donation of canned/dry goods for SSIP. Stay afterward for the church picnic on the patio.
On Sunday, June 5th, Elk Grove Presbyterian Church is resuming its "Jazz & Blues Vespers" services on first Sundays at 4 p.m. Details are below. We have several Bethany members who have enjoyed these services in the past. Mark your calendars now—maybe we can get a group to attend some Sunday?
Over the past several years, Bethany's session (board of elders) has been wrangling with the question of Bethany's future in the face of dwindling membership, finances, and other resources. Easy answers and consensus do not come easy. Many of us are frustrated because we seem to be stuck; we argue over our shared vision for the future. How should we spend our money? What's to become of our building? How do we participate in mission projects when we struggle to cover our own bills? The COVID pandemic has intensified these conversations and brought to the surface many larger questions for congregations. Click here for the latest Session update.
This coming Sunday, we'll reflect on the work we are called to do as Christians—most especially the call to love. The work of love is anything but easy, especially in the face of violence and hurt. As Jesus prayed and the many ancestors of our faith prayed, so, too, do we.
In prayer, we lift all that we carry in our hearts to God. We ask God to simply be with us and hear us. And we believe God does. We pray on joyous days and we pray on days of heartbreak and devastation. We pray in times of strong faith and we pray in times when we are barely hanging on. Pray for your families and loved ones, pray for our church, pray for our children, our nation, the world, even those we don't know, don't understand, or may even hate.
In the face of ongoing mass shootings and awful despair, we pray:
Lord, in our shock and confusion, we come before you.
In our grief and despair in the midst of hate, in our sense of helplessness in the face of violence, we lean on you.
For the families of those who have been killed we pray.
For the communities that have lost members—their anger, grief, fear—we pray.
For the churches striving to be your light in darkness beyond our comprehension, we pray.
Even for the shooters—help us to pray, Lord.
In the face of hatred, may we claim love, Lord.
May we love those far off and those near.
May we love those who are strangers and those who are friends.
May we love those who we agree with and understand, and even more so, Lord, those who we consider to be our enemies.
Kyrie Eleison. Lord, have mercy.
Heal our sin-sick souls. Make these wounds whole, Lord.
We especially lift all of those who have been killed (and their mourning families) through gun violence and mass shootings. We still remember Columbine, Newtown, Aurora, Charleston, and so many other towns and cities as we now mourn with those in Uvalde, Texas; Buffalo, New York, and Laguna Hills, California.
Jesse
