Reflections

Reflections

It has been a while since I sat down to reflect with you on matters of daily life. Since I last wrote I spent a week sidelined with pneumonia, recovered in time to make a two week golfing trip to Ireland and returned home only to test positive for Covid. I recovered sufficiently to join our children, their spouses and grandchildren at the beach for a wonderful week. We had three days at home before traveling to a wedding in Hot Springs, Arkansas where Kathy did the flowers for the rehearsal dinner. Our daughter, Tabitha, and her children spent three days with us before flying back to their new home in Washington, D.C.

My body is rather weary, but my heart is filled with great joy as I reflect on the extraordinary gifts of grace and love that both generated these moments and are products of those experiences. Congressman John Lewis used to talk about getting into “good trouble”. I can describe the resulting faitigue as “good weariness”.

The times with family and friends, both in special moments and in the ordinariness of normal life, give gifts in the moment, but are also cumulative in their effect. To use a rather earthy image, the moments of our lives are layered upon themselves to become something of a compost pile that is fertile with joys and sorrows, hopes and disappointments, life and death. The cumulative experience is far deeper and truer than the individual moments, as wonderful as they are.

This is why family traditions are so important. Doing something over and over again with the same people year after year creates a distinctive and different experience as the same thing is repeated year after year. Sounds a lot like our Episcopal worship experience, doesn’t it?

I’m glad to be back, and look forward to joining with you creating that spiritual compost that will nurture the roots of our souls.

Other Matters of Importance

Mission Committee-Tuesday, July 16

The Mission Committee will hold its monthly meeting this Tuesday, July 16 at 6:00pm in the Salt and Light building.

Baptism(s) and Confirmation July 28-Reception to Follow

July 28th will be a special day at Nativity as we will have at least one baptism (Rosemary Dillard) and one confirmation. Bishop Seage has given me permission to function as a bishop so that I will be confirming Annaliese Coughlin in her home church.

We are planning to celebrate this special day with a reception/ luncheon following the worship in the Salt and Light building. An entree and drinks will be provided, but we will need folks to bring side dishes, salads and desserts. Sign up sheets will be available in the rear of the church for those willing to provide these items.

Thanks for your help for this very special day.

*Free 5-Day Meal Packs For Kids (18 and under)

Oxford YMCA is providing free 5-day breakfast and lunch meal packs for kids in Water Valley. The food packs can be picked up at Springhill North M.B. Church (600 Railroad Avenue) on Wednesdays 1:00- 3:00pm The packs can be picked up by the children themselves or by a parent or guardian. This program ends July 31.

Help us spread the word!

See you Sunday!

Blessings and Peace,

Duncan

(601)260-1937

Dmgrayiii@gmail.com