All Saints’ is alive and well. Our camping trip had the best turnout since my tenure here. We had 22 campers in all (men, women, and children) and we had over 55 people at the church picnic; I’m even told that a few were squabbling over the last chicken leg. Unlike the feeding of the 5,000 there was nothing left to hand out.
We may not see every member of our community each Sunday but occasionally our community overflows. We have connections near, far and wide with people who love All Saints’. Heidi Zamzow and her husband Ken Pollock dropped in; Heidi is home from her studies in London for the summer. Fr. Rich Towers, our new school chaplain, also joined us at the picnic. In addition, we had several newcomers at the camp who were invited by friends or those who are members of the Centering Prayer group. It was a lovely weekend of fun and fellowship nestled in the beautiful redwoods by the Big Sur river.
Even though the pandemic has interrupted our habitual order and flow of doing things I deeply sense that we are all still connected and that our community is still pulsing with life – it just emerges in a different way and at different times. I appreciate how everyone cares about these important spiritual relationships and continues to stay in touch with one another. Our community and our ministry has not disappeared it is just changing form – as it contracts in one area it expands in another area. During the pandemic I have seen our small groups strengthen and our online activities have grown and who knew that we would have so many campers this year.
I feel encouraged by what is happening at All Saints’ and I hope that you will feel encouraged too.
Love and blessings,
Amber +