It was a joy to return home to this sign, especially the flatulent bear which I thought was a wonderful touch, to my sweet children greeting me and our beautiful though sometimes unwise dog wagging her tail like she had begun to think that I was never going to come home.
It was a joy to return home to this sign (especially the flatulent bear which I thought was a wonderful touch) to my sweet children greeting me and our beautiful though sometimes unwise dog wagging her tail like she had begun to think that I was never going to come home.
I was returning from an annual winter time away, and it has made all the difference. I have never been great at resting. In part, I love my work here with you all at the church. I love my quirky and fascinating family and my sweet and wise wife. I love the full flow of our lives and the many varied needs which arise. And it can be very difficult in the flow of average days to find times to step away, to rest. Much as I know it is helpful to put it all down, it can be difficult, especially in complex times like these, to put it all down.
And so, twenty years into ministry, one of the helpful things I have discovered is that I need, right around February, a moment away. To renew and refresh, to head somewhere warmer than here, nothing tropical, though I am not opposed to tropical, just somewhere where the sun rises and warms your body a little and the fish are moving.
And so I headed to the mountains of northern Georgia to hike and fish for beautiful mountain trout. The moment I was in the airport alone I was filled with gratitude for my beautiful family, for my incredible wife, for this sweet life. The same life I was overwhelmed with just a moment ago. I was filled with gratitude for this ministry with you all, this wonderful staff team.
Martha is just beginning, while in the second half of his time with us, Kyle continues deepening his connections to our community. Tracey, now in her second year, brings experience and a broader perspective, having connected with so many of you. Ian continues to flourish, pouring his creativity into our wonderful music. Raeann and her communications team are hard at work reimagining systems and improving our website. And as Lillian enters her final months with us, she leaves behind a strong and vibrant legacy—creating incredible women’s retreats and countless programs that have enriched our community.
I am so grateful for this moment, and it is a lot. Especially now, with the stakes so high. With the need for a thriving First Church so poignant. And so I put it all down. Headed to the mountains. Caught beautiful wild fish. Took long relaxing baths. Breathed deep the fresh mountain air. And returned. To my beautiful family. To this wonderful ministry. To this complex moment in which we find ourselves. Ready to take it all up again.
And it is worth mentioning that we work to get my wife Lauren the same kinds of refreshing breaks, though it looks different for her. Often it means me taking the kids away for an adventure and her having the house all to herself, settling into the singular quiet of alone time. For us all it looks different, the question is what renews you, what refreshes you.
And so, dear First Church, pace yourselves in these fraught times. Schedule in time to replenish, to refill.
For me, this has always been one of the great gifts of spiritual practice, of my meditation practice and also just coming to church in general, it fills me up for the work ahead. Know that this is a long haul before us, a marathon and not a sprint.
So stretch, drink water, know that you can step away, know that you can put it all down and return to take it all up again and be greeted by a wagging tailed dog and a flatulent bear and that you can see it all with fresh eyes, feel it all with a fresh heart, and get back to the holy work before you with a renewed spirit.
So much love to you all,
Rev. Chris