A Letter from Lindy May 18

Hello Pilgrims,

At Durham CAN’s clergy caucus earlier this week, the leadership team, of which I am humbly a
member, posed the “check-in” question of “what scripture passage might be helping each of us
navigate the turbulent waters of our current days?” What I found uplifting was the common thread of love woven among through the group, regardless the specificity of the text named and claimed.  

It seems that, as we each hold our community’s worry, pain, angst and suffering, amidst the
catastrophic climate changes of our country and world, we lean into God’s promise of love sustaining us through. God’s love for each of us. God’s love for those the most vulnerable. God’s love for all of God’s creatures and creation. I gleaned that Love is our collective anchor to not only withstand, but chart a path of resistance through the current headwinds.

So although I had long ago chosen the lectionary selection from Revelation as my entry point this week, I find myself drawn to our gospel text even if it takes us to pre-Easter days when Jesus
implores his disciples to follow his way of love. Can’t you imagine them looking around the room and taking stock of their fellow learners of the Way and shrugging “surely we can do that with each other”.... LIttle did they know what was to come; what they would/wouldn’t do when pressed with challenge; How they would cave when the power and principality of dictatorial authority threatened. 

I wonder how they might answer Jesus’ question after the unfolding events of Holy Week and before the forgiveness of Resurrection. I think they would find, as do we, that loving is hard. More
specifically Jesus way of loving is hard. Holy, divine loving is hard. And yet this hope has been entrusted to us to usher in kingdom amidst. Amidst threat. Amidst strife. Amidst persecution. Amidst suffering. Love is the call, the work, of the body of Christ. We, followers of Jesus, are to embody, enflesh, incarnate Jesus love in our place and time. We know the why, the question for us might be the who and the how…

let’s see…

🙏 Pastor Lindy

(she/her) why pronouns matter

Art: "A new commandment I give you:

Love one another as I have loved you."

Acrylic paint on paper, ink, images from hand-carved stamps, Dresden trim, glass beads,
polymer clay, paper ribbon, sari trim, broken earring.

 By: Sue Carroll, Art2liftspirits.com