Hi Friends:
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing some of the clergy associated with our schools for our podcast. (Make sure to click below if you would like to subscribe.) Fr. Josh Woods (St. David's, San Antonio) reminded me that our word for "religion" comes from the idea of "connecting"--think of a ligament or a tendon. At the core, our faith is about deeper connections--deeper connections with our God, deeper connections with the world God created, and specifically deeper connections with each other. Our faith prepares us for this holy work.
This is the same holy work facing Episcopal schools in this moment.
At a time when the world feels very disconnected, the things that you are doing in your community are providing the all-important "reconnection" that people desperately need.
Several heads have expressed anxiety to me about whether or not they will be able to maintain the special connectedness of the community during this challenging time. I propose that you are already doing that. True, it's not the exact same as when we were all physically together. As Fr. Woods also noted, however, spending time comparing ourselves to others or comparing the current times to past times might not be helpful in the moment.
I would encourage you to keep doing what you are doing--and that's putting yourself out there to connect with your people in a real and genuine way. Keep saying "yes" to the challenge.
Please know of my prayers and how I stand in awe of the things your are accomplishing each and every day.
With blessings,
David+
