Monday Moments with Pastor Linda

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the  apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being  the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In Christ you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.- Ephesians 2:19-22 
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We've moved from self-quarantine to a 'Stay at Home' order from the Governor of NJ. In the passage from Ephesians we remember our link to our community of faith, both local and global, and emphatically pronounce, 'we do not need a building to be the church!'

Yet the facts remain: 

Our building Is Important to us. It Is our community gathering place; the place of sanctuary where so many of us find peace, and others call "home." 

Our ministries are important to us: the food pantry, PRISM, Q-Munity, small groups, Bible study, recovery groups, and other outreach efforts based in and out of our church walls are the ways in which we serve.  

Gathering is important to us.  Nothing takes the place of a face to face meeting, a handshake, a hug, or looking into the eyes of a friend for comfort, compassion, or a good cry.  

And for as much as we will miss the things so important to us that we will not be able to do for the for the next several months, (and honestly, it's only been 2 weeks and I am missing them already!) we also can claim these facts:

Community is important to us.  As disciples of Christ we thrive on helping, serving, healing, and restoring.  Each time we connect with a person in our church, we celebrate that community.  

Worship Is important to us.  As a people of God, we surrender ourselves, our ego, our biases, our selfishness, and our pride, and lay them at the throne of Grace and worship in Spirit and in Truth. Each week we are given the opportunity to join with one another to worship.

Prayer Is Important to us.  As  believers who lift our joys, concerns, praises and problems to the one who hears our prayers, we are confident those prayers will be answered. We have been given the gift of time- something that usually we complain we never have enough of.  Each day we can hold one another in the light of God and pray for each other.

During this reflective and solitary season, why not celebrate the gifts we have been given, and notice each day, the ways God Is building us Into a spiritual household, with Christ as the cornerstone. 

In the comments below, why not provide a beginning.  What is important to you in our community for which you are grateful? (Mine are in the comments)

​Peace to you!
Pastor Linda

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