Fahoo Fores

We did an outside Ash Wednesday service on Wednesday. It was 10 degrees. There was a campfire, but it was still 10 degrees. AND PEOPLE CAME. Some of us were even outside for like an hour and a half. We didn't put any ashes on anyone's forehead. We wore masks and kept distance. It was 10 degrees. Even still, it was so lovely. We sang songs about faith and hope and prayed and caught up with each other. At one point someone jokingly started singing, "fahoo fores, dahoo dores, welcome Christmas," but you know what? It really WAS like that magical scene from The Grinch. 

I hate this pandemic. I hate all of the things that it's stolen from us over the last almost year. I hate that it isn't safe yet to be inside with my church people and have coffee and donuts with them and watch kids running around playing with each other. But you know what? It's these simple moments over the last almost year that change something for me. The simplicity of being together and singing about hope despite all of the elements, the still showing up for each other, the still being committed to each other, that's the whole thing. That is everything I love about church. That IS church. And a lot like after the Grinch took everyone's presents and people could still sing.

I hope I don't forget that.