Weekly Rector's Note: Worlds We Create

Dear Saints,

It is good to be back after having some time away with family in Disneyland last week. It was nice to be able to spend so much time with each other doing something fun. The weather — which was in the low 90s — was also a welcome change of pace.

At the parks, the thing I enjoyed the most was the new immersive experiences that they’ve created, namely the Galaxy's Edge Star Wars themed area and the Avengers Campus. These areas have been designed to make you feel like you’re really there. They are staffed by cast members who stay in character the whole time. You might walk past R2-D2 or see Spiderman flying overhead. It’s like stepping into another world.

I tried to imagine what it would’ve been like for the design team creating these attractions and all of the details that went into pulling it off. And though most of us will never get to do what they did, we all have our own opportunities to create worlds of another sort. Through our actions and words, we create experiences that others find themselves immersed in. Some people create worlds with their hospitality that make you feel totally at home and cared for. Some people create worlds with their relaxed demeanor and openness about joys and struggles that make you feel like you can let down or open up. Conversely, people can create worlds that put others on edge or leave them feeling bad about themselves.

Jesus taught about creating worlds within worlds. The world he lived in was harsh and precarious. But he taught his followers about another world wanting to break through — what he called the kingdom of God, or the world as God would have it.

This Sunday we will be hearing and exploring one of his most important teachings about what it means to create this kind of world through non-violent engagement and the concerted decision to love as God loves. It is powerful wisdom for all of the ways we relate with others and the values we uphold as a society. I am thankful for this opportunity to mediate on it together.

Next Sunday, we will celebrate the Transfiguration, and we will also be welcoming Deacon Maureen Hagen who will serve as an additional deacon at All Saints to help with the many emerging ministry opportunities in our parish. Maureen was a parishioner at All Saints and this is also where she discerned for holy orders. She currently serves at St. Stephens, but will be able to split her time between the parishes, offering her unique gifts and experiences to both.

Blessings in these last two weeks of the Epiphany season and looking ahead to what we want to seek out and experience in the season of Lent.

In peace,

Andria+