[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]It hit me today that in just a few days, my family and I will have been sheltering-in-place for a full month. A month ago tomorrow the Governor declared a state of emergency. This Sunday – Easter Sunday! – will be our fifth Sunday online! It feels both longer and shorter. Time is a really strange thing in a pandemic.
So, how are you holding up? However you’re doing today. However you’re doing this moment. You are loved. And it’s enough.
A few weeks ago – when I was in a “bargaining” mood of grief – I was wondering if we could just postpone Easter until after things got “back to normal.” What does Easter even mean in the middle of a pandemic? In the middle of all this news of death, how do we talk about rebirth, and resurrection? I actually have a colleague who decided that that’s what she should do. They are waiting, and they’ll do a big Easter celebration – with all the Alleluias! – once we can say we got to the other side.
But what I’ve realized is that Easter is exactly what we need right now. Because we can’t wait for joy. We can’t wait to live. Living must always be now. And joy is a survival strategy. And besides, we can have MORE Alleluias when we’re back together (and we WILL!).
So I hope you’ll join us this Sunday! And invite your family and friends from all over. Links are below, or always at foothillsuu.org/livestream.
We’re going to be blessing babies – at least 7 of them! Because life continues! And you don’t have to miss out on wearing your Easter garb – we’d love to have everyone wear a hat to worship – at 9:00 we’ll turn on gallery view and can see each other’s Easter “bonnets.” Be creative, or formal, or silly – whatever helps bring out the joy.
With love,
Rev. Gretchen[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Rev. Gretchen Haley has an audacious ambition for the liberal church, believing in its capacity to transform lives and our world by way of hyper-local relationships and partnerships that inspire the unleashing of courageous love. She oversees worship, community resourcing and outreach, and the intersectional work of our justice teams. She also serves as chief of staff, and ministry lead to the Board. In all of these, she is inspired by the commitment of the countless people who show up to do the sometimes-messy work of the church, and who are leading us to live into our mission for Northern Colorado as it is growing and changing. Her ministry is infused with her relentless curiosity about most things, especially the big stuff of theology, the beauty of creation, the magic of collaboration, and the joy of pop culture. She’s all in on adrienne maree brown’s emergent strategy, and finds solace in the trails in and around Fort Collins. She moved to Colorado from Washington state over 20 years ago for grad school in theatre, and knew immediately that she would never leave. She and her amazing partner, Carri, have 2 teenagers, Gracie and Josef, who both relish and resent being PKs, and who keep her grounded, frustrated, inspired, and humbled, everyday. She is basically obsessed with her two dogs, both large mutts, Charlie and Archer.
Responsible for: Worship, Community Resourcing and Outreach, Justice Ministries, and Congregational Leadership