A Message From Your Intern Minister, Sophia Doescher: The Stillness of Late Winter

In stillness  

we see the vibrant yellow-green buds of Spring joy,  

nestled comfortably in the smooth dirt still permeated by winter chill. 

In stillness 

we catch the warm breeze carrying a familiar waft of  

barbecues and picnics and campfires and laughter. 

In stillness 

we feel the love that stirs in the air around us.

Let us remember that 

If they didn't strengthen in stillness, the buds would be stopped 

by the rough, cold, crust of earth above them. 

Without the resolve from stillness, the barbecues and picnics and campfires  

would remain wintertime wishes. 

Without the love connecting us in stillness, we can't be all that we wish to be in this world. 

In stillness, may we be.   

In this moment of the year when winter begins to outstay its snowless welcome (if it didn't already), I offer each of us an invitation to attend to our needs for restoration and renewal. Let us be generous in the time we make to celebrate the love in our lives. Let us rest in that love, in that stillness. 

In the first many weeks of this year, I have found myself relying on moments of stillness to navigate the rollercoaster of global news and personal to-dos.  A surprising result of this practice has been learning my own capacity; the more I find stillness, the easier it comes. The stress and turmoil of the world are always within reach, and we are the only ones who know when we need to set it down; we have to listen. We have to trust we will pick it back up. The way is long. 

I'm reminded of the beautiful Communion for the Activist Heart that Rev. Mary Margaret Earl offered last Sunday morning. We were each invited to take what we needed from one of three baskets: Community Connection, Spiritual Nourishment, and Knowing That I Am Enough. When we picked an item from the basket, we were told, "May your heart be renewed." I have settled into this love and renewal this week and found it interwoven with moments of gazing out at the snowfall and feeling the sun finally emerge from the clouds. Moments when I could feel innately connected to our web of existence. Moments of stillness. 

You are welcomed into stillness. May your heart be renewed.

In faith,

Sophia

Intern Minister