November, 2024

NEVER ALONE

We are born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Everything in-between is a gift.”

I have always credited this quote to Yul Brynner, but I suspect some variation of this sentiment has been expressed by people for centuries. It is an observation on the human condition, and a particularly bleak one.

I prefer the one presented by H. Jackson Brown, Jr., the author of the book, Life’s Little Instruction Book. He puts it this way: “Everyone you meet is afraid of something, loves something, and has lost something.” I would add one more thing: everyone you meet is searching for answers as to why.

On Sunday, November 10, we will gather to remember loved ones and friends that we have lost over the last year. We will honor them with a roll call of the saints, and sing together the traditional hymn for the day, “For All the Saints”. And while we might not be able to fully satisfy why we have lost the ones we loved, we will begin to heal.

Our healing will be found in worship by being in fellowship with our church family, through prayer, singing hymns, sharing the bread and cup at the Lord’s table, and seeking God’s presence in quiet reflection. I have found, time and time again, that it is in the church’s words and deeds that the questions that come from living on this planet find their answers – and most importantly, their purpose.

So, as you gather in worship, look at the faces of those around you. We all share things in common. We are all afraid of something; we all have loved; and we all have lost something. All of which makes us vulnerable, fragile, and broken – but most importantly, never alone.

Blessings ~ Pastor Richard
November, 2024