March 2021

Peter Fitch expressed his view that Palm Sunday is a great reminder of the need for discernment. There is more than one way to think about God and what “the good” might look like. People welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem but turned on Him soon after that. Behind it all are questions about the nature of God. Peter next looks at the story of the leper who wants to know if Jesus is willing to heal him and, after that, he turns to a story about Brother Masseo, one of the original Franciscans, as he discovers that God’s willingness is different, and better, than he could have imagined. 

Peter Fitch introduces Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), a genius and polymath whose prophetic wisdom was sought by kings and queens during the 12th century. She is gifted in theology, science, herbal knowledge, medicine, music and art. Her views seem strange to us, however, because they come through her medieval lens and understanding. This leads Peter to ask questions about the illusions we carry today and whether or not we can ever expect to get an understanding of something that hasn’t been tainted by our own worldviews and values. Speculating about this results in a new way of looking at Jesus’ words in Matthew 5: “Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God.”

This Sunday Peter Fitch spoke on the first anniversary of St. Croix Church, the name that we took as we morphed away from our denomination a year ago this weekend. He chose to speak on Revelation 21 and 22, seeing the description of the new Jerusalem as an ancient means of encouragement for people who were undergoing persecution and oppression. As such, it works in a similar way for us. Instead of hopelessness in the face of challenges, we can be confident in the Spirit of God’s Presence, bringing comfort and creativity as we walk through life together, always pushing toward kindness and justice.

After sharing some obligatory grandbaby pics, Walter Thiessen reminds us of International Women’s Day (with a prayer shared by LA). Then we acknowledged the year we’ve spent with the pandemic and shared some memories and hopes.