Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We had a heart felt discussion during our Zoom Coffee Hour following our Sunday service on January 10th.
We appreciated and discussed Father Eric’s sermon after we had had a long week full of unimaginable events at our Nation’s Capital. We also agreed that the transfer of power should be a peaceful one as Father Eric explained had happened between John the Baptist and Jesus. We also acknowledged that we have work to do to heal our broken world in the name of Jesus.
I ended with the poem “Continue” by Maya Angelou that is very poignant and further explains the work that we have to do.
Many blessings to you and yours this Season of Epiphany.
Peace and love,
Deacon Lauren
Audio Recording
Listen to Deacon Lauren’s reflection.
Continue by Maya Angelou
Written as a birthday gift to Oprah Winfrey.
My wish for you
Is that you continue
Continue
To be who and how you are
To astonish a mean world
With your acts of kindness
Continue
To allow humor to lighten the burden
of your tender heart
Continue
In a society dark with cruelty
To let the people hear the grandeur
Of God in the peals of your laughter
Continue
To let your eloquence
Elevate the people to heights
They had only imagined
Continue
To remind the people that
Each is as good as the other
And that no one is beneath
Nor above you
Continue
To remember your own young years
And look with favor upon the lost
And the least and the lonely
Continue
To put the mantel of your protection
Around the bodies of
The young and defenseless
Continue
To take the hand of the despised
And diseased and walk proudly with them
In the high street
Some might see you and
Be encouraged to do likewise
Continue
To plant a public kiss of concern
On the cheek of the sick
And the aged and infirm
And count that as a
Natural action to be expected
Continue
To let gratitude be the pillow
Upon which you kneel to
Say your nightly prayer
And let faith be the bridge
You build to overcome evil
And welcome good
Continue
To ignore no vision
Which comes to enlarge your range
And increase your spirit
Continue
To dare to love deeply
And risk everything
For the good thing
Continue
To float
Happily in the sea of infinite substance
Which set aside riches for you
Before you had a name
Continue
And by doing so
You and your work
Will be able to continue
Eternally.
