Northminster News

August 27, 2020 | The Thirteenth Week After Pentecost

The Continued Work of Healing

Northminster Family,

I pray that this newsletter finds all of you safe and dry on the other side of the hurricane today. Let me first say that if you know of a specific need that has arisen out of this storm, please don’t hesitate to share it with us. This is yet another opportunity for us this year to practice being community for one another, and despite the complexities of doing that during a pandemic, we are committed to serving one another in love.

What an unusual season it is. And while the struggles of the pandemic sometimes seem to overwhelm both the news cycle and our own daily lives, there are times when we are privileged to see the new possibilities that are emerging out of necessity in this season, possibilities that might not previously have existed had we not been pressed to find them by these difficult circumstances. This week has brought two such instances to my notice, and I wanted to be sure to share both with you as a way of encouraging us toward hope in a difficult time.

The first emerged in response to the centennial anniversary of the passage of the 19^th Amendment yesterday, on August 26, marking the day that (at least in writing) all women achieved the right to vote. The reality was never that simple and there is much to be said about the way the story continued to play out after that landmark event, particularly with regard to the difference in the effect for white women and women of color. Much of that has been said this month thanks to the 2020 Women’s Vote Centennial Initiative. A month’s worth of virtual events, from panels discussions to off-Broadway-pandemic-style-productions are available online to explore, to learn, and to continue in the good work that did not end a century ago, but continues today. You can find the whole schedule of events (many of which have already occurred but are still available online) at 2020centennial.org.

The second virtual event that falls in line with our pursuit of God’s justice is the 2020 Virtual March on Washington, which begins later this evening and continues on Friday. This event “seeks to channel the soaring energy from this national moment of reckoning and will call for reforms of the systems, structures, policies, and attitudes that enable police brutality, and racial discrimination.” We have reflected together on the original March on Washington (marked by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech) often at Northminster. These virtual events this week are a way to connect to that continuing tradition and to find our way forward within it.

As we recover from this storm, and as we face the weight of all the ongoing crises around us, may we find strength in the continued work toward healing and justice in our world. May we continue to lift one another up, that we all might rise.

Love and light,

Claire

The Prayers of the People

An opportunity to celebrate and pray alongside siblings in our community.

We pray alongside...

Marilyn Decker who broke her foot in two places this week and is in a boot for 3 months.

Tim and Marissa Jaquess as they are traveling to be with family in Dallas. Tim's sister Carolyn Long came home from the hospital yesterday after making the decision to end her chemotherapy treatment.

JD Daniels, who is in the ICU after emergency surgery earlier this week to remove a tumor from his colon.

Keith and Penny Joiner, and family, former Northminster members living in Lake Charles, as they recover from the storms this week.

All our other neighbors around the city and state, and across the state line in Texas, as they work through the aftermath of these two storms while in the midst of the pandemic.

We celebrate alongside...

Scott HIgginbotham (28th), Liam Fisher (29th), and Frank Wilcox (30th), as they celebrate their birthday.

If you have concerns or celebrations you would like us to add to the newsletter, please call the church office or email [email protected].

The Work of the People

How we are responding to the Spirit of Love

Is it possible to experience joy in this season?

What does it take to be happy? We often approach this question as though it were a mystery, but it’s not. Well-being is innate in every human being, and there are practices and pathways hard-wired into each of us to help us access that well-being, even in times of great difficulty or isolation.

This course will take an evolutionary and spiritually-informed approach to helping us discover those practices and pathways.

The second meeting will be this Sunday at 10am, where we'll be talking about "supernormal stimuli" and how they're sabotaging our access to joy. If you'd like to attend, please take a few minutes to watch the video to the left.

Click here to join the group on Sunday morning

Or, click here to watch the video on YouTube

Readers Needed in Worship

We'd love to hear your voice or see your face in worship! Each week we need a reader for the scripture passage and someone to voice the Lord's Prayer for us. If you would be willing to be added to a running list of volunteers please contact the office or the worship commission!

You can record on your phone and send it on over in ten minutes or less - and just because you've done it once during the pandemic doesn't mean you're disqualified! Repeats are definitely allowed.

Holy Ideas

How might we respond to the Spirit of Love?

In this new season of social distancing, we need holy ideas to help stretch our imaginations for what is possible within this community more than ever.

Since we can't make use of the physical "Holy Ideas" board in the hallway, we'll maintain it virtually and keep it updated here in the newsletter. If you have an idea for a way the church can be church in this season, or if you see an idea you'd like to support to help it become reality, email the office.

Giving to Northminster

Support Northminster's Work

We are sensitive to the reality that financial uncertainty is one of the side effects of the spread of the coronavirus. However, if you find yourself in a position to continue or increase your contributions to the church, know that your donation will be greatly appreciated. We have made the decision to honor our commitments to all those on our payroll (ministers, staff, choral scholars, childcare) who are relying on this income in an anxious time, and we cannot do that without your continued support.

To support Northminster financially, you can click here, or scan the QR code below with the camera on your phone.