September 6, 2020

Dear Lake B Family and Friends,
Two weeks ago, at our special Sunday evening service, something Pastor Tali said struck me as interesting and gave me great pause. As we welcomed new members into our congregation, ordained and installed a new class of elders, he reminded us that in the midst of celebration, our community was also experiencing sorrow and lament over the loss of our loved ones, Bob Allen and Ruth DeWitt, who now rest in eternal peace.
“This is the life” as my mother would always tell us. It is holding joy and lament at the same time.
We can all probably agree we are experiencing lament to be a constant companion these days. COVID 19 has given us endless reasons for lament that I won’t bother to name as you may have been keeping your own list.
I have had to intentionally look for joy and name it when it happens. Here are a few simple joys that I found!

• Spending several hours last week with good friends Mike and Shalom. Being with them in their new home and with their new baby, Xavier, was a treat.
• Taking 3 days away with good friends for a much-needed break. Great conversations, Bananagrams, laughs and good food too!
• Enjoying a beautiful garden - a gift in so many, many ways that are hard to explain. Suffice it to say, it helps me feel close to my mom.
• Hosting patio dinners, of course, socially distant, with new and old friends.
• Receiving great birthday gifts! Beautiful earrings and three gospel commentaries. The best gifts. (don’t judge me!)
• Subscribing to Megan’s Youtube channel and witnessing her passion for teaching.
• Saturday yoga with a small group of women friends.
• So much more….

There is a truth to this quick list of “mini-joys”:
The source of my joy is God’s faithful presence. I experience this Presence daily through the gift of all the people with whom I share life. I experience this Presence quite often through the gift of this community of faith.
My prayer is that each of you are also experiencing God’s joy and presence in profound ways. May God continue to shape Lake B to be a community that shares life and holds space for one another – in seasons of both lament and joy.
With gratitude to God,
Pastor Lina