Love Matters More: Loving Friends

John 21: 3-4, 10-17 (NRSV)

Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

It was August of 1982, I had just moved to Durham NC.

I was a fish out of water.

I had never lived south of Chicago IL 

--- heck, I had never lived more than an hour from my family 

and it was like a whole new world.

In many ways, it felt like I had moved to a foreign country.

There was a gathering the evening before school started at the Divinity School at Duke University --- and not knowing a soul there I decided to go.

It was a “talent show” --- mixer to try to help the new students make some connections.

While I managed to get up the nerve to go --- I stood off to the side by myself --- I have no idea what I was wearing, but I have been described thus:

Standing close to the door by myself

Long hair

Wearing a navy surplus pea-coat and sunglasses --- indoors

I have no idea if that is accurate --- but I did possess those things.

Another first-year student approached me --- no doubt attracted to my questionable attire --- and started up a conversation.

The only thing I can remember 40 years later is he said to me: 

“Wanna get out of here and go find a beer.”

The rest you might say --- is history

Forty years later we are still friends.

We have been through good times and bad times

Part of each other’s weddings

Served good churches and some not so good

Births of our children and grandchildren

Deaths of family and friends

Through it all we have been there.

Friendships are not easy

We get jealous

We miscommunicate

We let each other down

Sometimes we just plain fail each other

Friendship takes time and hard work

The story that Kelli read to us this morning is by far my favorite resurrection story --- and the location is one of my favorite in Israel.

It takes place near Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee a week or two after the murder of Jesus.

John tells us that the disciples encountered the resurrected Jesus in Jerusalem on resurrection day --- but for whatever reason --- the experience did not seem to be transformational.

Here, a few weeks after that event we find Peter and some of the disciples back to their pre-Jesus life.

Plying the waters of the Sea of Galilee for fish

Our story begins with the boys out fishing and not catching a darn thing.

Been there many times!

Some stranger suggests that they fish the other side of the boat and bingo they catch more than the nets can hold.

At that point Peter figures out this isn’t just some random stranger --- but the rest still don’t see this person as anything other than a stranger.

It isn’t until Jesus makes them breakfast that their eyes are opened, and they recognize Jesus.

John wants us to know that this was their third encounter with the resurrected Jesus --- is the third time is the charm?

Will this experience stick with them and transform them from fishers of the sea to fishers of humanity for Jesus?

At this point we get into one of the most unique exchanges in the Gospels --- and in my opinion one of the most important.

Without question --- the central statement of the Bible is what is often called “the Jesus Creed.”

It is the statement Jesus makes when asked what is the most important aspect of faith.

It is not --- believe the right things

Jesus never gives us some litmus test of things we must ascend too.

There is NO orthodoxy of belief

Rather Jesus says: (Mark 12 CEB)

“The most important one is Israel, listen! Our God is the one Lord, and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this, You will love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these.”

Throughout the Gospels Jesus tries to tell us what that love looks like.

And he does so again here in this exchange between Peter and Jesus.

When they finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

(I assume Jesus is talking about Peter’s livelihood – fishing)

Simon replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.”

Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Simon replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.”

Jesus said to him, “Take care of my sheep.” Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was sad that Jesus asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” Peter replied, “Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.”

Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

The problem is you need to be able to read this passage in Greek to get the full power of it.

When Jesus asks Peter if he loves him --- he uses the Greek word agape, which represents complete, unconditional love.

That love that God has for us --- the love that is spoken of in the Jesus Creed.

Peter, however, responds with a different word for love --- he says “Yes, Lord, you know I philos you.”

Philos is the Greek word for love that represents the love between friends.

A second time Jesus asks, “Peter do you agape me?”

And a second time Peter responds, “Yes, Lord, you know I philos you.”

Then, for a third time, Jesus says to Peter: “Simon son of John, do you philos me?”

Did you catch that --- the first two times Jesus ask’s Peter if he loves him completely, unconditionally.

Peter, in his honesty says --- Lord you know I love you like a brother --- like a friend.

Jesus lets Peter know --- that is enough!

Peter replies: “Lord, you know everything; you know I philos you.”

This is a powerful story of love, friendship and forgiveness. 

The Gospel of John tells us that Peter denying being a follower or even a friend of Jesus the night of his arrest.

Yet Jesus loves him --- just where he is.

warts —- failures and all

Just as God meets us where we are, we are called to meet people where they are.

Not to expect or demand more than they can give.

It is God’s responsibility to cause the transformation --- not ours!

Our job is to love them as completely as we are capable.

And pray that our capacity for love grows.

I love this story that has been attributed to Kurt Vonnegut.  He wrote:

When I was 15, I spent a month working on an archeological dig. I was talking to one of the archeologists one day during our lunch break and he asked those kinds of “getting to know you” questions you ask young people: Do you play sports? What’s your favorite subject? And I told him, no I don’t play any sports. I do theater, I’m in choir, I play the violin and piano, I used to take art classes.

And he went WOW. That’s amazing! And I said, “Oh no, but I’m not any good at ANY of them.”

And he said something then that I will never forget and which absolutely blew my mind because no one had ever said anything like it to me before: “I don’t think being good at things is the point of doing them. I think you’ve got all these wonderful experiences with different skills, and that all teaches you things and makes you an interesting person, no matter how well you do them.”

And that honestly changed my life. Because I went from a failure, someone who hadn’t been talented enough at anything to excel, to someone who did things because I enjoyed them. I had been raised in such an achievement-oriented environment, so inundated with the myth of Talent, that I thought it was only worth doing things if you could “Win” at them.

There is a lot to unpack in that powerful story, but I want to focus on just one thing.

What the archeologist taught Vonnegut is an important lesson for us all.

While the idea of recognizing that we don’t have to be the best at everything is important —- the really crucial question that the archeologist challenges us with is: Can we really see people?

Or are we blinded by their talents or failures?

One of the great joys of returning to 5500 N is that we can see each other again.  I hated it when we left zoom because I could no longer see you.  Now I can see you again!

sort of

no doubt masks make that hard

Jesus invites us to really see each other

Can we really see or do we see what we want to see?

Jesus wants us to not only see, but love each other, despite our flaws.

Jesus didn’t see Peter’s failures.

And Peter had certainly failed

Denied Jesus

Didn’t recognize Jesus

Wasn’t transformed by Jesus

YET, Jesus loved him and accepted him just where he was.

Mark and I have been friends for almost 40 years

We have both let each other down

We have both failed each other

But what makes that relationship unique is that at the end of the day --- there is a love for each other that we would do anything for each other.

As we begin this summer of love let me invite you to ponder a few things:

Who do you need to reach out to?

Are there some relationships that have become fractured and need forgiving?

Is there someone you need to begin a friendship with?

Remember --- Jesus meets us exactly where we are

Certainly he desires us to grow and mature 

(And Jesus will help us do that)

BUT regardless --- Jesus loves you.

Even if you can only love with a philos love --- Jesus will love you with agape

The love Jesus has for you will NEVER end.

What the world needs more of today --- more than anything else is love.

Not romantic love (although that is pretty awesome too)

What the world needs

What I need

What you need

Is love sweet love.

Jesus cries out to us --- Do you agape me?

Even if we can only say, “Yes Lord, you know I philos you” --- that is enough!

Fred Conger part 4

It has been a couple of days since Dad died peacefully at the Seasons Hospice in Naperville.  Since then, I have been launched into a whirlwind.  I know my experience is no greater or traumatic than anyone else’s --- this is just a place I can work out my thoughts and emotions.

As I wrote earlier, I stayed with Dad at Delnor hospital Thursday evening.  It was a long and challenging night.  He was very agitated and every time I would get him to settle down, a nurse or aide would come in to poke and prod him.  He would get worked up and upset.  That lasted until about 3:00.  He would sleep a little and fuss a great deal.  I think I got 3 or 4 ten-minute naps in.  But around 3 everything seemed to change.  He began to carry on a conversation with someone (I have no idea who it was) and I could never understand what he was saying.  I would catch a word or two every now and again, but otherwise it was gibberish (or maybe speaking in tongues).  It was a very animated conversation, but it was peaceful.  He did not seem as agitated.  That continued until about 6 am, when as suddenly as the conversation began, it came to an end.  I think he was arguing with Stewart; he had come to get him, but he wasn’t quite ready yet.  A couple of times he called out for Scott, and whenever he was clearly upset, he would call out for Carol.

The early morning was pretty uneventful.  Felicia his nurse on both Thursday and Friday morning was wonderful.  She did everything she could do to make him comfortable, knowing that we were not trying to heal him, but rather help him turn the page on this life.  I kept thinking of Diane, Stewart’s nurse at the end of his life.  There are some very special people out there.

Friday at about 10:30 they loaded up Dad from Delnor to make the trip over to Seasons hospice.  He was pretty drugged up, and really from that point on he was no longer aware at all of anything that was going on around him.

Nancy and I stopped at Scott’s house to take Zeke out and then drove my mom to Naperville, grabbing lunch along the way.  When we got to Season’s they filled us in on their rules (2 visitors only and not allowed to leave the room) because of his having a positive COVID diagnosis.  Nancy stayed with the car while we went in, they told us that they would bend the rules if he got close.  After Casey got on the phone the rules were eased and they allowed all the grandkids to come and be with Dad.

It was clear that he was close to dying, but just not quite ready yet.  Scott and Joette (along with their grandson Daniel) left Florida early Friday morning to try to get back.  We thought he might be hanging on to talk with him.  I texted back and forth with Scott and we decided to have him FaceTime dad and say goodbye.  They found a safe place to stop and had a nice, tearful conversation.  We continued to remind Dad that it was OK for him to let go, that mom would be taken care of, and that we loved him dearly.  We attempted to sing a few hymns and then suddenly Rev. Claude King from First UMC Downers Grove appeared.  He did a great job in helping us as we grieved by inviting everyone to share a memory of Gdad.  He lead a powerful prayer and we all felt the grace and presence of God.  

He just wouldn’t let go.  Scott Joseph (the youngest grandchild) and his wife Melissa live in South Dakota.  He had talked to Gma earlier in the day but had not talked with Gdad.  Casey arranged for him to call.  After the call somehow, we were talking about how Gdad loved to bounce his grandchild on his knees and tell tall tales or sing McNamara to them.  I just began singing.  We could not remember all the words (sorry Gdad) and we were horrible, but BUT it was what he needed.  In the middle of singing, I saw him leave.  As soon as the song was over, I told Casey who was holding his hand, that he was gone.  We gathered around the bed, cried, and laughed.  It was 6:30 p.m. when he died.

Scott wasn’t to get back until almost 8:30 so we decided to go and get something to eat (only then realizing that it was a Friday night and everything was packed).  The kids took the lead and decided for us to meet back at Scott and Joette’s and they would bring in food.  

I know I was still awake when Scott and Joette came home, but I was beyond exhausted I really hadn’t slept the night before and it all caught up to me.  Haley went to Gma’s apartment with her to spend the night and left us her dog Cora.  I went to bed, and once I was finally able to get Cora to settle down slept long and hard.

Saturday, we gathered as a family to begin the process of planning and grieving.  We brought in food to Scott and Joette’s and the kids laughed and played.  It was just want we all needed.  After lunch we went to the funeral home and then Nancy and I drove back to Indy.

As we were going through the Lafayette area, we encountered the worst storm I have ever driven through.  Blinding rain, pelting hail and wind!  We crawled at 25 mph or so, and eventually got in front of it to clear skies back home.

Sunday was our first day back in person at Meridian Street.  So many changes.

Over the years my dad has written down his funeral wishes (we all need to do that!).  Generally, they were handwritten, and most of the people he wanted to lead his service have died.  This latest one was dated July 25, 2016.  In it he asked me to be in charge of the service --- I am humbled beyond belief.  Steve Howland, his friend and colleague will share most of the service. I cannot express in words the way that both of those men have shaped my life.

We are planning on celebrating the gift of Fred Conger at 1 pm on Monday, June 28th at the Downers Grove United Methodist Church.

From the hospital

As I sit here at 10:30 pm, in room 313 at Delnor Hospital in Geneva, IL; I reflect on how many families I have visited with over the past 40 years as they gathered around the bedside of a loved one.  I have sat with hundreds of families, and held the hand of more people than I could count as they took their last breath, yet this is so different. This is not just a parishioner that I have learned to love --- this is my dad, my mentor, my hero.!

I am thankful that Lindsey and Casey were able to come running to be there for Mom as she was faced with the horrible decision to put one’s husband of almost 66 years into hospice care.  To admit that indeed the end is near. 

Nancy and I drove up from Indianpois this afternoon, arriving a little before 6pm.  We are grateful that Scott and Joette made their house available, so that Nancy and Zeke have someplace to sleep tonight.

Dad is very agitated.  He seemed to recognize when I got here and wanted to know where Scott is (he is in Florida, but preparing to drive home).  None of us expected this to turn so quickly.  We were anticipating the long slow goodbye that happens in a memory care unit, instead we are watching the horrible ravages as a body begins the process of dying.

He finally settled down a little after nine, only to be stirred up by the nurse who finally came in at 945 or so (first one in the room since we arrived).  After she left, I was able to get him to relax and now he seems to be sleeping comfortably.  I pray that he will continue to sleep, and maybe better yet drift off to that place that awaits us all.

Now that he is sleeping, I think I will take a chance and try to get a few winks.  The clock may say only 11pm, but my body says it is midnight.

Tomorrow around 9 am the plan is to move him to the “Season’s Hospice” in Naperville.  I am concerned at how well he will manage the relocation, but it will be good to move away from a hospital setting and into a hospice one.  I have already had one “discussion” with the nurse about giving him morphine.  She did not want to do it, we settled on something else with the decision that by midnight if he needed more we would give it to him then.

Betwixt and Between

Sound issues with our Livestream meant that most people did not hear this message Sunday. The joys of technology.

Genesis 3:8-15     Common English Bible

During that day’s cool evening breeze, they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden; and the man and his wife hid themselves from the Lord God in the middle of the garden’s trees. The Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”

The man replied, “I heard your sound in the garden; I was afraid because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree, which I commanded you not to eat?”

The man said, “The woman you gave me, she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate.”

The Lord God said to the woman, “What have you done?!”

And the woman said, “The snake tricked me, and I ate.”

The Lord God said to the snake,

“Because you did this,
    you are the one cursed
        out of all the farm animals,
        out of all the wild animals.
    On your belly you will crawl,
        and dust you will eat
        every day of your life.

I will put contempt

    between you and the woman,
    between your offspring and hers.
They will strike your head,
        but you will strike at their heels.”

For those of you who have been interested in joining my Thursday Lunch break, we will be taking next week off.  We just finished Nadia Bolz-Weber’s book Shameless, and on June 17 at 12:15 on Zoom we will begin Robert P. Jones book White Too Long.  I had the privilege of hearing Mr. Jones speak twice this last year, and his book will provoke some lively discussion.  If you want to know more, just send me an email or give me a call.

I am tired of trying to navigate through this time.

Waiting

Wondering

Anxious for what is next

Scholars have a term for this --- they call it liminal space or liminality.

The word liminal comes from the Latin word ‘limen’, meaning threshold – any point or place of entering or beginning. 

A liminal space is the time between the ‘what was’ and the ‘next.’ It is a place of transition, a season of waiting, and not knowing.

Liminal space is where all transformation takes place, 

if we learn to wait and let it form us.

Richard Rohr who I quote often from is a Franciscan Priest, founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation and author of many wonderful books describes liminal space as:

where we are betwixt and between the familiar and the completely unknown. There alone is our old world left behind, while we are not yet sure of the new existence. That’s a good space where genuine newness can begin. Get there often and stay as long as you can by whatever means possible…This is the sacred space where the old world is able to fall apart, and a bigger world is revealed. If we don’t encounter liminal space in our lives, we start idealizing normalcy.

These thresholds of waiting and not knowing our ‘next’ are inevitable and most are incredibly disruptive.

But we have all learned that over the last year.

I would be lying to you if I didn’t say that next Sunday terrifies me.

It terrifies me on many different levels.

First, it is now summer at Meridian Street and I know what attendance is like in the summer.  

So many of you have told me you cannot be here next Sunday . . .

Many of you are watching or listening to this service today from the lake.

And the good news is you can continue to do that next week!

So instead of missing Meridian Street while out of town, Meridian Street can come to you!

But I am terrified wondering how many will actually show up next week.

Second, It is going to be different.

Yes it will be wonderful to be together again!

Yes it will be filled with JOY

But it will be different

We are firmly in that space between what was --- and what will be.

People often talk about liminal space as being a doorway between here and there.

This is not a new experience --- living in the space between what was --- and what will be.

Being challenged to walk through a door and cross the threshold to a world that is unknown.

Our Bible is full of stories of people having to navigate through decisions and doorways.

And maybe one of the most significant stories of liminality is the story of Adam and Eve.

We all know the story at some level.

Adam and Eve are God’s first human creation

They have been put in the garden of Eden where they have everything that they could ever want or need.

They live in a state of absolute innocence

There is no sin

They are in perfect harmony with God.

But something happens

In this ideal --- perfect --- garden --- there is an animal that was more “crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made.”

The serpent is able to convince Eve and Eve is able to convince Adam that they should eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the center of the garden.

And, when they do, innocence is lost.

We then have the exchange between God and Adam and Eve that Roger read to us this morning.

As a result of their eating of the fruit God says:

“See, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man; and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim, and a sword flaming and turning to guard the way to the tree of life.

Since the creation --- we have been living in the space that is no longer Eden --- but have a desire to return.

The Biblical story is the story of US (you and I) trying to restore that perfect harmonious relationship with God that existed in the Garden.

God even sent Jesus to try and restore the relationship.

But to move from this door --- into the next room requires CHANGE --- and who wants to change.

We are all pretty comfortable here.

Even though we know what God has promised us is good --- we are inclined to just normalize the here and now and call it good.

But if you open the newspaper or turn on the TV --- we know it isn’t what God intended for us.

We are not living in Eden.

But there is also another group here today that is in a liminal space.

Over the last couple of weeks, a number of our family members have crossed an important threshold, as they walked across a stage to a new beginning.

Angel Akinleye

Hadley Barr

Henry Boak

Ellie Huffman

Kate Loftus

Megan Long

Ava Null

Harrison Smith

They all graduated from High School and are now in that transition space as they move forward with their lives.

But we also celebrate today 

Heather & Monica and their graduations

Along with 

Brittany who will be ordained next weekend

It is an exciting --- scary time as they move from what was --- to what will be.

They will be faced with all kinds of 

Opportunities

Temptations

CHOICES

Between which doorway they will choose 

--- what path they will follow.

It is an exciting time --- but also stressful and for some fearful.

Go back to Rohr’s definition:

we are betwixt and between the familiar and the completely unknown. 

our old world left behind, while we are not yet sure of the new existence. 

[It’s a] space where genuine newness can begin. 

This is the sacred space where the old world is able to fall apart, and a bigger world is revealed.

It is the same place we are as a church.

We cannot go back to the old!

What kind of new are we going to create?

If one is not careful, we will indeed do what Rohr warned against.

“If we don’t encounter liminal space in our lives, we start idealizing normalcy.”

This is the Ying and the Yang

Opportunity and danger

As we come back next week

Will we pine for what is no longer?

Or will we look to create new and more loving traditions?

I love the challenge that the Sufi poet Rumi gives us, when he speaks of liminal space in his beautiful poem: This We Have Now.

This we have now
is not imagination. 

This is not 
grief or joy. 

Not a judging state, 
or an elation, 
or sadness. 

Those come and go.

 
This is the presence 
that doesn’t.

So how do we navigate through these liminal spaces that we find ourselves in.

The first thing is, even though we don’t want too, we must embrace the liminal spaces.

Rohr writes:

Over the decades, I’ve seen the need for such liminal spaces again and again. Without some sort of guidance and reframing, we don’t understand the necessary ebb and flow of life, the ascents and descents, and the need to embrace our tears and our letting go as well as our successes and our triumphs. Without standing on the threshold for much longer than we’re comfortable, we won’t be able to see beyond ourselves to the broader and more inclusive world that lies before us.

But as we wrestle with the uncomfortableness of liminality, we need to keep one thing in mind.

While in the story of Adam and Eve the suggestion is that we are separated from God.

That we are on a quest to return to Eden. 

That is not the whole truth.

I have told you a few times that many moons ago I was asked to identify a life verse.

When that happened, I had no idea what a life verse even was.

Because it is not something that often goes around in United Methodist circles.

A life verse is fancy, Christianese term for finding a verse in the bible that gives you strength or peace ---or whatever thing you’re feel like you are lacking. 

A life verse is a verse from the Bible (or a small passage) that you choose to be your most favorite verse; it is the one that you commit to memory to share with others and hopefully exemplifies what you believe your calling from God is.

I spent a great deal of time choosing what I felt God was putting on my heart.

I am not sure I would pick the same one today, but this verse has gotten me through some of the toughest moments of my life.

It is found in the book of Joshua in the Hebrew Bible --- what we often call the Old Testament.

Joshua 1:9 (NRSV)

I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

I love that verse --- because even then --- early in the biblical story --- way before David --- way before Jesus

God is reminding us that God is always with us.

That is quite a bit different from the message of Genesis --- Where Adam and Eve are sent out of the garden forced to seek God and look for Eden again.

David asked the question: where is God?

In the 139th Psalm he writes:

Where can I go from your spirit?

    Or where can I flee from your presence?

If I ascend to heaven, you are there;

    if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.

If I take the wings of the morning

    and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,

even there your hand shall lead me,

    and your right hand shall hold me fast.

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,

    and the light around me become night,”

even the darkness is not dark to you;

    the night is as bright as the day,

    for darkness is as light to you.

And Paul too reminds us when he asks: (Romans 8)

If God is for us, who is against us? 

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

And of course, he answers his own questions when he writes:

For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The liminal spaces can be scary and exciting.

But the good news is

The really good news is

God goes with us!

“The Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

I don’t know what the future is going to look like.

I only know it will not look like the past.

My prayer is that we will work to make it better.

But that is up to us.

Are we going to form a back to Egypt committee and pine for the past?

Or will we create an even better present?

This We Have Now
This we have now
is not imagination. 

This is not 
grief or joy. 

Not a judging state, 
or an elation, 
or sadness. 

Those come and go.

 
This is the presence 
that doesn’t.

May we with courage --- as a church --- as High School graduates ---- as individuals --- may we have the courage to embrace this presence and cross the threshold to a new more just tomorrow.

“For those who come here seeking God,
may God go with you.
For those who come embracing Life,
may Life return your affections.
And for those who come to seek a path,
may a way be found, and the courage
to take it, step by step.”