Weekly Newsletter

Hello Friends,

The following has been posted and forwarded to several pastors that I know. Rev. Tom Pasmore got it from a friend. My friend Rev.Eusun Kim posted it earlier this month. Why is this message written by Elizabeth Gilbert being passed around? Because it's good!

"Some years ago, I was stuck on a crosstown bus in New York City during rush hour. Traffic was barely moving. The bus was filled with cold, tired people who were deeply irritated with one another, with the world itself. Two men barked at each other about a shove that might or might not have been intentional. A pregnant woman got on, and nobody offered her a seat. Rage was in the air; no mercy would be found here.
But as the bus approached Seventh Avenue, the driver got on the intercom. "Folks," he said, "I know you have had a rough day. and you are frustrated. I can't do anything about the weather or traffic, but here is what I can do. As each one of you gets off the bus, I will reach out my hand to you. As you walk by, drop your troubles into the palm of my hand, okay? Don't take your problems home to your families tonight, just leave them with me. My route goes right by the Hudson River, and when I drive by there later, I will open the window and throw your troubles in the water."
It was as if a spell had lifted. Everyone burst out laughing. Faces gleamed with surprised delight. People who had been pretending for the past hour not to notice each other's existence were suddenly grinning at each other like, is this guy serious?
Oh, he was serious.
At the next stop, just as promised, the driver reached out his hand, palm up, and waited. One by one, all the exiting commuters placed their hand just above his and mimed the gesture of dropping something into his palm. Some people laughed as they did this, some teared up but everyone did it.
The driver repeated the same lovely ritual at the next stop, too. And the next. All the way to the river.
We live in a hard world, my friends. Sometimes it is extra difficult to be a human being. Sometimes you have a bad day. Sometimes you have a bad day that lasts for several years. You struggle and fail. You lose jobs, money, friends, faith, and love. You witness horrible events unfolding in the news, and you become fearful and withdrawn. There are times when everything seems cloaked in darkness. You long for the light but don't know where to find it.
But what if you are the light? What if you are the very agent of illumination that a dark situation begs for?. That's what this bus driver taught me, that anyone can be the light, at any moment. This guy wasn't some big power player. He wasn't a spiritual leader. He wasn't some media-savvy influencer. He was a bus driver, one of society's most invisible workers. But he possessed real power, and he used it beautifully for our benefit.
When life feels especially grim, or when I feel particularly powerless in the face of the world's troubles, I think of this man and ask myself, What can I do, right now, to be the light? Of course, I can't personally end all wars, or solve global warming, or transform vexing people into entirely different creatures. I definitely can't control traffic. But I do have some influence on everyone I brush up against, even if we never speak or learn each other's name.
"No matter who you are, or where you are, or how mundane or tough your situation may seem, I believe you can illuminate your world. In fact, I believe this is the only way the world will ever be illuminated, one bright act of grace at a time, all the way to the river."
Elizabeth Gilbert

One simple random act of kindness can make a difference to someone. It doesn't have to be big, maybe it means letting someone go in front of you while you're waiting in line. Maybe it seems buying someone's coffee or gas if you have the means to do it. Maybe it means dropping a note of thanks to your mail-carrier. When I pastored in Las Vegas, I delivered a huge tray of homemade cookies to the coroner's office. I was surprised when I was escorted into the building by armed security. When I inquired as to why? I learned bodies are considered evidence. I never thought of that before, but I wish you could have seen the look on the employee's faces when they saw the homemade cookies. It was priceless! Nobody ever brought them cookies before. Maybe there is someone who you know feels forgotten and can use some homemade cookies, maybe they just need a phone call. You are blessed to be a blessing! So, go shine you light in as many places as you can.

This Sunday is our Hanging of the Greens Service. We will decorate the church together, sing songs, listen to scripture and a message. Enjoy Holy Communion together and then join together in fellowship after worship.

See you Sunday at 10am.
God bless you all
Pastor Robyne

Newsletter will resume on December 20, 2024