February 3 Update from Eliana Maxim

“I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church at Cenchrae… Greet Prisca and Aquila...Greet beloved Epaenetus...Greet Mary….Greet Andronicus and Junia...Greet Ampliatus….Greet Urbanus… Greet Apelles… Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus…. Greet my relative Herodiom...the family of Narcissus… Greet the workers Tryphaena and Tryphosa… Greet the beloved Persis… Greet Rufus...Greet Asyncritus, Phlegnon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas… Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus, his sister, and Olympus, and all the saints who are with them.
Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.”
(Romans 16:1-16)

Dear friends,

When I was a child newly emigrated to this country with my parents, phoning back home was a much anticipated and planned event. Long distance calls were also expensive (yes, the age of rotary phones and operator assisted calls). Calendars had to be coordinated via snail mail to ensure that when the call went through, my grandparents would answer and the rest of our extended family could gather around to hear our voices. Our litany of greetings was not unlike Paul’s greetings to the many in Romans. A long one.

Of course, the great joy was the trips home when we could finally hug one another, kiss cheeks, snuggle new babies, cousins wrapping their arms around each other to finally spill secrets and share dreams in person. 

Earlier this week as I finished up my 5th Zoom meeting of the day, I stared at the darkened screen and was overwhelmed with grief at not seeing, much less embracing, friends and colleagues for the last 11 months. Almost a year without seeing so many of you in person; not being able to chat over a cup of coffee, praying together, our knees almost touching; laughing over a meal; of not being to be blessed by each other’s presence.

Although I am grateful for technology and our ability to see one another in order to stay connected, screens, masks (double masked now!), and social distancing have created walls around us. After 11 months, it is no wonder that many are feeling lonely and isolated. Many of our children are struggling without the normal developmental activities of attending classes, hanging out with friends, participating in social rituals such as sports, music events, and dances. Older folks, already sidelined by limited mobility or health concerns, have been further cut off from usual day routines due to their vulnerability to covid. And the rest of us are plain old exhausted.

I am reminded that despite these barriers we have had to erect in order to keep one another safe and healthy, we continue to be challenged by a very present God who insistently calls us to dismantle other walls. Our inability to be physically present to one another does not preclude us from being attentive to each other’s well being, just like a congregation’s inability to gather does not preclude it from worshiping, developing discipleship, praying for each other, and being attentive to the needs of their community. 

Just as Paul ensured to check in with the faithful scattered throughout his travels, many of whom he would never see again, we too can strengthen the ties that bind us to one another through Jesus Christ. And though we continue to observe the physical barriers that keep us safe, we must commit to the ongoing work to dismantle the human constructs of poverty, injustice, racism, and violence. 

My prayer is that when this is all over and we are once again meeting together - for worship, in meetings, over a cup of coffee - we are able to look back at this time of pandemia and be able to point to all the ways and times we continued to labor for the sake of the Gospel, for the Kin-dom of God here on earth. On that path no distance or barrier can keep us from the truth of our faith: to love God and love our neighbors. I pray that our children and grandchildren and all those yet to come will retell the stories of how our communities of faith continued to greet the world with Christ’s holy kiss. 

In the meantime we continue to labor in the circumstances we must. Be sure to mark your calendar for the Stated Presbytery Meeting on Feb. 23 at 5pm via Zoom. Please register online early and get the Zoom link.

Also, for any congregational leaders still considering applying to the Thriving Congregations Program, the deadline is February 15. And as always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

In grace and peace,

Rev. Eliana Maxim
Co-Executive Presbyter