Weekly Letters from the Pastor

A Confused Calendar

I was surprised by the interest folks had in my makeshift trunk decoration for the Trunk or Treat. At the last minute, I threw together decorations from various holidays and called my creation the “Confused Calendar.”

Some even took pictures!

As I reflected on my “creation,” my mind went back to 1999. When everyone was celebrating the joy of Advent and Christmas, I was living through one of the most devastating moments of my life. “Joy to the World” felt foreign and frustrating. However, as we approached the Lenten Season, things were turning around, and I was experiencing good news of great joy.

I talked to my pastor about how difficult it was to get into the Lenten “sackcloth and ashes” mode when my soul felt so free and joyful. His wise response was, “Life doesn’t always follow the calendar. Dance in the joy of the Lord.”

How often do we feel the need to stifle our joy and our hurt because it’s not the right time?

This Sunday is All Saints Sunday, a beautiful reminder of what it means to carry both joy and grief. We will remember members who have died in the past year, and we will celebrate Holy Communion. Together, they hold space for joy and hurt, disappointment and hope. As a community of faith, we come together to remind one another that even when the calendar feels confusing and the days are heavy, we can bring them to God and share them with one another.