July 22, 2020

Joelene and I were on vacation last week, and we had a nice getaway. We headed over to Lewes, DE, and spent three days in a wonderful B&B near downtown on the main street and less than a mile from the beach. We also spent some time at Rehoboth on the beach and wandering through some shops.

In general it was a good time away where the only thing we really had to worry about was making sure we were up and out of our room by 9:00 so we could be served breakfast. We read a little, played some cribbage, did a little sight-seeing, ate well, and not much else.

That said, it was also good to come home; it's always nice sleeping in your own bed. Vacation continued through Sunday when I made pancakes before getting online to watch Sunday service.

And then it was back to work on Monday – no sleeping in, no relaxing breakfast prepared for us by a doting staff, no leisurely strolls through downtown or along the beach. It was back to regular mornings, returning phone calls and e-mails, working on the Wednesday Word, the monthly Ramblings, sermon prep, and seeing to any number of other things needing attention.

At some point during the day I went into the church to drop off a few bottles of hand sanitizer and then walked back to the sacristy. And as I made that walk up the center aisle looking toward the High Altar and the Mark 16 window I let out a little sigh and said to myself, “It's good to be home.” For indeed, this is a special place, and it is a place, as I said two weeks ago, where we gather engage with each other and God. Not that we must do that within the walls of Saint John's, but every group needs a gathering place, and this is ours.

With that feeling of good-to-be-home and the deep sense of holiness that embraces you when you are in the nave, either alone or with our community, I looked ahead ever so slightly to when we might once again regather. Because, while I have been able to worship in the beauty of holiness every Sunday, as well as weekday Evening Prayer, most of you reading this have not, and I look forward to the day when parishioners of Saint John's can once again join me in this holy place.

The Parish Regathering Committee has a meeting tonight to discuss this very thing. We have been working to get protocols in place for regathering, looking at the COVID infection rate in Washington County, and being guided by diocesan policies. I will send out an update tomorrow as to where we are and what was decided at tonight's meeting.

This has been a long stretch for all of us. I want to thank you for your continued support, dedication, and understanding, as well as all your prayers. My hope is to be able to provide something positive for us – for you – to look forward to once again being in our sacred space, to once again be able to gather in community and worship, and for us to say, “It's good to be home.”

This is home, and I believe we are close to returning.

Be hopeful,