April 22, 2022

Wow! What a Holy Week!

I want to thank everyone who helped make it so special!

Thank you, Choir Members, Musicians, Worship Team, Sound Team, Live Stream Team, Children, Youth, Leaders, Teachers, Clergy, Laity, Ushers, Greeters, Decorators, Donators, Liturgists, and Congregationalists! God's Spirit was flowing on both campuses throughout the season of Lent and Passion Week! We were truly blessed!

So like the Christians who experienced the resurrected Christ, we ask ourselves, "What now?" 

We begin by continuing our journey with Christ this Sunday as we gather together to worship God. I want to thank Rev. Claire Marich for preaching this Sunday and Rev. Bob Chvatal for leading us in prayer. I will be participating in the service, but I will only be leading hymns and doing the announcements. This brief respite from the pulpit does a world of good for me, and it gives me a little more time to fulfill some of my other pastoral duties. Plus, it gives us all an opportunity to be inspired by other people God is using in ministry.

If you asked Rev. Claire "What now?" in regards to having experienced the resurrected Christ, she would have a lot of things to share with us. In fact, I've asked her to write the rest of this letter to the congregation so she could share some of the upcoming opportunities we have to be in ministry. 

JUST Nehemiah Action  

One time each year we gather with the larger faith community to speak out for change in our area. Join Rev. Billy Hester, our JUST team leaders and support our choir at this annual event on Monday, May 2, 2022, at 6:15 pm at the Johnny Mercer Theatre in the Civic Center at 301 W. Oglethorpe Avenue, Savannah. Pre-event preparation for congregations will be followed by the public action at 7 pm. This is an in-person event and masks will be required. The issues of affordable housing and criminal justice reform are on the table and the fact sheets are posted on the wall outside of Holliday Hall. You will be pleased to see how JUST has matured in just one year.  

Interfaith Faith Leaders Addictions Training  

I have been attending training with twenty-two other faith leaders in Savannah to learn about addictions and in particular about the opioid crisis in the USA and in our area. The White House released the stats this week with the trends worsening from last year: 106,854 deaths to opioid overdoses, or one death every 5 minutes. Overdoses are the number one cause of death in men under age 50 in the US. I will be sharing updates with you monthly on issues around addiction, recovery and resources in Savannah. 

Addictions and Recovery Team Forming    

If you are interested in finding addiction solutions for our community, for making Asbury and Wesley Oak safe and welcoming sanctuaries for those with substance use disorder and their loved ones, and helping plan a community engagement event on addictions to be held in the month of August, please let me know. We are on the move to improve the health of the community.  

Shane Claiborne and Beating Guns  

We were inspired by Shane’s witness of hope in the resistance to gun violence last December and he has agreed to come back to Savannah to support us in this effort. Shane will be coming with his forge to host a Beating Guns event on Saturday, June 4 at 1 pm at the Historic First African Baptist Church and Franklin Square. There will be music, prayer and the opportunity for survivors of gun violence to pound that weapon into garden tools. You will be hearing more about this soon but mark your calendars now. Shane will also be speaking in worship on Sunday, June 5, 2022. 

And finally, John and I would like to return the love that we have experienced from this congregation during the course of his illness with Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL). We appreciate all of your prayers, support and inquiries. John’s health is clearly improving after 7 months of treatment at MD Anderson and we feel confident that he is well along the road to remission. Bless you all for your amazing care! 

Claire