Make the Circle Wider

John Britt, Pastoral Associate

Imagine that we are back in our beloved building (Yay!)  You are heading downstairs after the service. You get your cup of coffee or tea and begin greeting people. If you are like me, there are people you regularly interact with, people with whom you share a mutually acknowledged connection. There are others I greet, however, where our relationship is friendly but more recent or less well established. 

One of my early drumming teachers, Simone LaDrumma (yes, that is her real name) wrote a great song called “I Will Be Your Witness”. Having people recognize and acknowledge us, is a simple but powerful reminder that we are visible to others. To see and be seen these days requires us to be more intentional.

As we enter the dark and cold of winter, I invite you to make a conscious choice to widen your circle beyond your immediate friends. I invite you, as part of your winter spiritual practice, to take a few minutes during the day or week to reach out further with a card, a call or even a text with a very simple message, such as,“ I have been thinking about you and just wanted to check in. I hope you and those you love are doing OK”. You need no special reason to do so other than the recognition that we are all trying to make it through some challenging times together.

As a pastoral associate who has been regularly doing this I can attest to the fact that, while it may seem like a very small gesture, it has been gratefully appreciated.

While we are all doing our best to “let our little light shine”, it is of some comfort to know that, whether it is shining brightly or flickering a bit, that others can see it.

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