A Word from Pastor Nathan

On Tuesday, November 3, Chad and I returned to Elyria from a brief stay in Salem, Ohio. We’d debated venturing into Pennsylvania for the night but decided better of it. Vacation now seems like a distant memory given the strain of sleepless nights from November 3-7, which is to say nothing of the prolonged election season.

On Saturday, President-elect Joe Biden addressed the nation, saying, “The Bible tells us that to everything there is a season — a time to build, a time to reap, a time to sow, and a time to heal. This is the time to heal in America.” I get nervous when politicians quote scripture because there’s often a lack of context. However, in this moment, we are the context. The words from the author of Ecclesiastes are ancient and yet true and new, and they contain within them a transforming power. Furthermore, we need healing now, don’t we?

Healing is difficult work, and healing requires identifying, naming, and rooting out the cause of our disease and dis-ease. We must commit ourselves to this work while staying at the table, and we need to listen, hear, and respond with unbounded compassion.

Marty Haugen, a favorite contemporary hymn writer, wrote the music and lyrics to “Healer of Our Every Ill” while at Holden Village in the winter of 1986. More specifically, the Space Shuttle Challenger had just exploded. The Holden community gathered to grieve, and they sang this hymn for the very first time. The hymn’s refrain is “Healer of our every ill, light of each tomorrow, give us peace beyond our fear, and hope beyond our sorrow.” The light of tomorrow propels us forward to what’s next. Though all of the verses resonate with me, this one, in particular, is meaningful in our present context. “Give us strength to love each other, every person, one another, Spirit of all kindness: be our guide.” God’s kindness is our context, and this compassion must guide us in all things and in all relationships.

Right now, we need to read ancient words, ever true, that are changing me, and changing you, and we need to keep singing good, faithful, and invitational hymns that lead us toward the future God wants and ultimately will have. Together, with God’s help, we will name our ills and work toward the healing of all creation. There’s no greater invitation than this, beloved, and I feel that Washington Avenue Christian Church is ready for the task.

Healing mercies,