Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers over the last few weeks while I have been undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. I’m happy to share with you that everything went well. I’ll know in a couple of months whether or not additional treatment will be necessary and I’ll let you know what I find out at the appropriate time. For the present I am feeling optimistic and especially grateful to have access to high quality, and extremely current medical treatment. And grateful to all of you for your patience. I’ll be back this weekend, leading Jeannine Reininger’s celebration of life on Saturday, and preaching on Sunday morning. I’ll be scheduling appointments again next week.
This week our Jewish friends begin observing the Days of Awe, the ten days between the New Year (5786 C.E.) on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement. During this time the rabbis teach that the Book of Life is open and miracles and reconciliations are possible. It’s also the Autumn Equinox. The seasons are changing, and so are we. My sermon is about healing, a topic that has been on my mind, and based on Jeremiah 8:18-9:1 and Matthew 9:35-36.
There has been so much conversation about public health this week, I have found it helpful to think about what I believe is essential to society and also a primary purpose of the church, to promote healing in mind, body and spirit. Come to church online or onsite with your prayers for healing where they will be received by God and the community.
In Faith,
Pastor Jim