Dearest Holy Spirit community, thank you to all who have prayed for my family over the last week and for all your kind words and offers of care. If you are now hearing for the first time, we lost Sarah’s parents last week in a car accident. There is nothing like a church community to tangibly bring to life the promise of God’s desire to comfort and care for us in times of loss and sadness. We will miss Debra and Owen, and we are grateful for all they did to parent and grandparent.

The season of Advent is at its core a season about anticipating new life over and against what has come before. In a very broad sense, God came into the world to save us from isolation and death. We find the beginning of that fulfilment in the birth of Jesus at Christmas and it is our experience of that fulfillment that we anticipate. What does this mean? It means that God came among us (Emmanuel literally means “God with us”) so that we would never be alone or lost. God came for moments like this to let us know that when all feels lost and we feel rudderless, that we are held firmly and safely in the arms of one who will not let go.

Written Tuesday, December 8, 2020.

This week was our son’s birthday which, in addition to all the important milestones associated with him coming into the world and blessing Sarah and I, also reminds me of the first time I had Tex-Mex in Houston. The reason being that we happened to come to Houston to meet with Holy Spirit’s search committee at the same time that he turned 2. I still remember which table we sat at in Escalante’s that first night in Texas.

Memory is often heightened in the midst of unusual or special moments in our lives. I imagine this year will provide many such moments. I am hoping the joyful experience of everyone coming out to our field to see the pageant this Sunday evening and singing together on the field on Christmas Eve will be included in the surprising memorable blessings of this pandemic season.

To state the obvious, Advent and Christmas are going to look a little different this year…just like everything else we have done since March. That said, like so many other parts of our shared life of faith in 2020, our amazing leadership has adjusted and approached this season with an eye for possibility and a heart of determination. We will continue to hold everyone’s safety as a top priority while focusing on the Good News of God’s grace and love that is at the heart of this holy season.

First though, I want to make sure you know we are still caring for our neighbors through our Giving Tree this year, albeit virtually. You will find the information below. If you purchase a gift it will be delivered by Holy Spirit parishioners, so all gifts (including the blankets for WHAM) will be contactless this year. Note that the MAM gift drive will end this coming week. Please be a part of taking care of those in our community as we share the joy of this season.

Every year, the Thanksgiving holiday invites us to pause and reflect on the many things for which we are grateful. The love of God, family, church, and friends always make my list and are likely common at many tables. This year, much of our observance will be different. Like many others, my family will have a smaller simpler gathering than is our tradition. I know of families eating over zoom or gathering on both sides of a glass door just to get to see each other. I truly missed Holy Spirit’s yearly Thanksgiving Dinner and Eucharist with our smoked turkey and everyone’s wonderful sides and deserts.

Every year, as the fall programming kicks off, we begin the intentional process of inviting you to join your fellow parishioners in the financial planning of our community.  We ask that you prayerfully consider what you are being called to offer to the ministry of our church next year and then fill out a pledge card.  With your commitment our vestry and wardens can work with the staff and myself in planning for the ministry of the coming year.  We always seek to find ways to be the best possible stewards of your contribution as God turns all of our offerings into the miracle of ministry that expands and proclaims the Good News of God’s grace and love.

Signs, signs, everywhere signs…I mean this literally, we are about to have signs almost everywhere on our campus. If you have driven by the church in the last few days, you’ve seen the newly finished beautiful monument sign and the parking entry signs. There will be other new signs around campus that will make it easier to navigate our spaces. This is a sign that there is still much going on at Holy Spirit, even in the time of Covid, and when we come back together we will be even stronger!

In order to continue growing in our ministry, both on campus and around Houston, we need your support. If you missed the Stewardship video on Sunday, you can see it below. There are so many ways we are all in this together. Holy Spirit has gone to every extent to keep our community connected during this pandemic. We have also reached a wider audience through our online offerings which has allowed our church to continue to grow. Our outreach to the community has continued and we have found new creative ways to serve our neighbors. Our new signs are just one way that we are seeking to let everyone know that there is a place for them here at Holy Spirit where we all find respite for our souls and assurance of God’s love for us. While this is sometimes a difficult message to find out in the world, we are making it easier to be found here.

This Sunday we have a special treat for you that will be shared during the virtual 10:30 service announcements…I want to tell you all about, but it is a surprise. All I can say is that, since we are all in this together, I hope you will join us Sunday morning to see what it is! If you decide to attend in person worship at 9 in the church or at 3 on the field (which we will be offering every Sunday as long as weather permits), we will make it available after Sunday morning’s virtual service.

Surprising someone is the best. The surprise we brought you this past Easter with the bulb, candle, and confetti and the “I am loved and missed by Holy Spirit Episcopal Church” yard signs were an outpouring of God’s encouragement and inspiration. I think the experience of being surprised with goodness is such an essential part of the Christian faith. What a surprise that we have a God who created everything and created us out of the simple and complete desire to be in relationship with us and love us.

I once heard that the finest rug makers in the world always intentionally place a mistake in every rug. They know that they are so good at making rugs that there is a temptation to feel perfect through their craft. Their mistake is an intentional proclamation that no one is perfect except God. I often think of these rug makers when mistakes are made. In fact, I have come to take peace and joy from my mistakes. Imperfection points to the dynamic nature of life and our need of God’s perfect love.