Hi Church, 

Tom Petty once sang "the wait is the hardest part" and many of you will agree this week. Thankfully, the Gospel of God's kingdom "already but not yet" equips us to wait well. As we continue to learn about who has won, keep praying for our nation and for the outworking of a just and truthful election, listen for the Spirit's promptings regarding the simple obediences of faith today where you are, and seek the face of the Lord in all things. Whoever the next president is the call upon us to seek Jesus and His kingdom of peace and righteousness will remain. 

This past week, in the midst of everything else going on, I had the opportunity to connect to a couple of members of our community with whom I had not seen or barely seen since the start of the pandemic. It was a true delight. Technology has allowed us to be connected during the pandemic, but there is something different about seeing one another in flesh and blood. Community - with God and each other - is what we were made for. And we commune better face to face. 

Throughout the history of the church, pastors have practiced “visitation” to become more familiar with their community. Such visits - whether one on one or household by household - has its roots in the ministry of Jesus. He spoke to massive crowds but also drew individual people to himself. That’s how Jesus continues to work today, drawing us in intimate and personal ways to a closer relationship with God. The very reality of the Incarnation is indicative of the way God seeks us out, and seeks to be with us. 

My experience this past week of seeing members of our community has sparked a longing in me to meet with you. We have been apart for a good reason, but something in me protests the reality of the absence we have experienced since the spring.

In light of this desire, and in line with the church’s ancient practice and theological convictions regarding embodied community, we are scheduling out pastoral visits for the remainder of 2020. The goal is that Nick or I will meet with every household that is a part of our community before the end of the calendar year. Our hope is to meet with you, hear from you, pray together, and to be encouraged together in our apprenticeship to Jesus. 

You can expect an email from Nick or I in the coming weeks suggesting a time for such an in person meeting (we’ll come to you!). We’ll obviously practice mask-wearing, social distancing and plan to meet outside. We’ll also include a brief questionnaire for you to reflect upon prior to this meeting. I’m so looking forward to this! My hope is that, by God’s grace, these meetings we’ll encourage us all in our faith, and help to confirm for us God’s own caring and presence. 

In Christ, 

Peter+