Reflections

Reflections There is a great scene in the last episode of the first season of Apple TV’s Emmy Award-winning series, “Ted Lasso”. In heartbreaking fashion Lasso’s soccer team has just lost the last game of the season which will cause them to be demoted into an inferior league the next season. The players are devastated. The fan base is demanded his scalp. Lasso, as coach, speaks to his players in their pain. “We’re all suffering now,” he says. “But there are things worse than suffering,” he continues. “Suffering alone is worse. Look around this locker room. You are not alone. We’ll get through this together.” I talked to an old friend yesterday who is dying of kidney failure. She said much the same about dying. She asked for my prayers and told me to let my son and daughter-in-law, also good friends, know of her condition. “I want to be surrounded by love and prayers when the time comes.” There are things worse than dying. She also told me that she is taking one day at a time. “That’s all any of us can do at any point in our lives,” she reminded me, as she often did when I would go to her for counseling and spiritual direction. “So make sure you stay in touch with those you care about.” Being alone in death is far worse. Our culture has given us a false sense of connection through social media, but all the data suggests that a sense of loneliness is at epidemic levels. Even if you don’t suffer from this cultural malaise, someone you know does. When have you last talked with them? Would a phone call today take too much time? Other Matters of Importance Salt and Light Task Force to Meet this Sunday @ 5:00pm There will be a meeting Sunday afternoon to begin the process of getting the Salt and Light building fully functional for our use and the use of community groups who have expressed an interest in making Salt and Light their home. Subgroups will be formed with different responsibilities given for decorating, thinking through room use, facility use/management and other area that may be suggested. If you are interested in helping with this project please join us. A Look at the “Sacred Ground” Curriculum-Password Restricted I have been talking a lot about the “Sacred Ground-A Spiritual Journey of Race and Faith” course that I will be facilitating, beginning August 9. Recently, I have had a couple of requests to have more information about the curriculum that we will be using. The two texts that are used are Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurmond, a spiritual mentor to Martin Luther King, Jr., Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and Archbishop Desmond Tutu; and Waking Up White: And Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debby Irving. Much of the material will be in the form of videos and additional articles and excerpts found online. To access an outline of this online material go to sacred ground/episcopal church.org. If you would like to watch some of the videos in their entirety before the course begins, please see me or contact me ( dmgrayiii@gmail.com or 601-260-1937) for the password to the materials. I will be offering introductory sessions Sunday, July 30 and August 6 (after worship) and Wednesday, August 2 at 5:30pm in the This is Noteworthy building. These sessions will provide an in-depth preview and a time to respond to any questions you might have. There is also a sign up sheet for persons interested in the course ( no obligation is implied by showing interest). Formal registration for the course will begin July 30. Prayer List Changes In order to keep our Prayer List up to date we have begun the following practice: A person will be listed for prayers for 60 days, or until removed by request. If, after 60 days, you would like the person to continue on the Prayer List, just let us know, and they will be added for another 60 days, etc. I think this will be helpful in focusing our pastoral care. Questions? Feel free to contact me. See you Sunday! Blessings and Peace, Duncan (601)260-1937 Dmgrayiii@gmail.com

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