Category: Minister and Board

Hello, all. Another week down and only…….hmm, who knows how many to go?

I hope each of you are healthy and not experiencing any major problems due to the COVID19 pandemic. The necessary change in our way of being in the world has been challenging for most of us and critically difficult for all too many. Recognizing “we are all in this together” helps me to avoid the pitfall of occasionally feeling too anxious and sorry for myself; and looking around at what I have shifts any anxiety and self pity into calming gratitude. I hope your circumstances provide you this same reflection.

Being a news junkie, I am inundated by the scenes of hospitals understaffed and without PPE, bodies wrapped and stored in trailers and statistics about the number of those tested/confirmed to have the virus and those who have died from it. I’ve said to Chancey that I’m grateful neither of us has to worry about our parents in a care facility (all are deceased) because the situation there is a often tenuous. But the virus can hit any where. The 90 year old mother of a close friend is the first person I’ve known (and first in her small county) to die of COVID19. She was mentally alert and used a walker, lived in her own home in a very small town and had round the clock caregivers. She became ill, was hospitalized and determined to have the virus. Family members tested negative so apparently one of the caregivers had the virus. Her condition worsened over a week while her family could only ask medical personnel to relay their love to her. On Easter morning, her doctor, who is a family friend, was holding her hand as she passed. The grave side “service” was held without a minister, only family members sitting in their respective cars,or attending virtually via Facetime, paying their respects. Sadly, this was one of the more fortunate outcomes as many families cannot even have access to their loved one’s body or don’t have the financial resources to provide a burial. For me, the toll of COVID19 became a face, a name, no longer just a statistic. I think of this situation being replayed many times, every day across the country, across the globe. Now when I see the statistics, I pause and imagine the sorrow and pain being felt and briefly hold those families and friends in my heart. They don’t know but it keeps it real to me.

There is also much to feel good about during this stressful time. Spring hit Atlanta with lots of rain and now the sun has given us beauty all around. I love to check Facebook each day to see what amazing flower Lorraine has posted or unbelievably flamboyant bird Franklin has posted. I enjoy sharing phone calls, texts and emails with friends. I love going outside at 7:00pm to clap for healthcare workers and hear others doing the same. I smile at the yard signs saying “thanks”, “we’re in this together”, “It will be ok”. I appreciate that the postal carrier is working and bringing mail; the sanitation workers are picking up our garbage; the store clerks are providing essential services; the fire and police departments are keeping us safe; my family and friends are social distancing and we all are helping to flatten the curve. We don’t know when we can return to some sense of normalcy (whatever that is) but, like Christmas and your birthday, it will happen. Listen to the medical science voices – not politicians – for your cue.

If you are a 1st E member, please read Robert Stewart’s email about voting for the upcoming slate of Board members. He enclosed a ballot that must be returned by this Saturday at midnight. Also, please read his instructions about next Sunday COL and the annual meeting to follow. This is your congregation and your voice matters. Note: Anyone may attend the meeting but only pledging members can vote.

On another note, I have various plants I can share if anyone is interested. Orange/yellow lantana, forsythia, nandina, lemon balm, mondo grass, 4 individual cayenne peppers, small coral bark maple seedlings, and a 2 ft tall mahonia. I can drop them at 1st E on a specified day if you will let me know you’re interested. I have multiples of most everything.

And last but not least, I’m adding some pics I hope will give you a smile.

Love and hugs from a distance.

Rev. Marsha

Hello All,

It’s another week “under our belt” of staying at home in order to be safe and keep others safe as well. I hope this finds everyone doing well and not feeling too anxious or lonely. We are definitely in a crisis that challenges our emotional as well as our physical health.

I missed seeing you this past Sunday when I spoke via our FB group page. It was my first time doing a solo virtual session and it was surprisingly more awkward than I expected. I realized how important it has been to look out over the room at you; to see you smile or roll your eyes at one of my corny jokes; to see you nod in agreement or see your expression when you are moved by a story. All I could see was ME on the screen and that didn’t have anywhere near the same effect! I expect that will get easier but I’m looking forward to being back in the Old Stone Church and seeing your awesome selves in person.

Passover began at Sundown on April 8 for our Jewish brothers and sisters and will continue until the evening of April 16. This is a time of celebrating the liberation of the Jewish people out of Egypt; a time that “gives power for the whole year for us to leap over our limitations”. My heart goes out to the Jewish community for the many losses they have suffered in recent years (and before) due to hatred and intolerance and now in NY from the COVID19 pandemic. People of color, especially Blacks, have also seen losses due to hatred and intolerance and, disproportionately in many cities across the US, from the COVID19 crisis. My hope is that we exercise our power – channeled into actions – to correct the intolerance and inequities in our systems as we peacefully confront those who hate/violate others because they are different, turning their hearts toward healing and justice. Let it be so.

How are you faring during these days of mandatory staying at home (unless you are one of the heroes who is in an essential category that is working for the good of all of us)? I feel somewhat guilty that I have a house with a yard, a partner and resources to keep my head above water while many are isolated by themselves, don’t have the option of going outside for pleasure and don’t have the resources to meet even their basic needs. Many of those I am calling are people who live alone. It’s a small thing on my part but I hope it lets them know they are not alone, that I care about them. When I do go out to the grocery store I say thank you to the counter and stock clerks for being there for the rest of us. I have income from Social Security and can donate small amounts to local aid organizations. When I go out in my yard (which right now is to work in my garden), I am very aware of how lucky I am and feel gratitude for the birds, the trees and flowers, the earth I dig in to plant and the worms that help keep it healthy, the breeze caressing the wind chimes on the porch. Sometimes, I stop and am filled with emotion by the joy I feel in my surroundings. My cup runneth over. I hope each of you can find those things in your environment that make you feel alive, happy, and grateful.

Yikes. Too much about me. Are you sleeping enough? Eating healthy? Staying active in some form? Are you connecting with others? Zoom has become one of my ways of connecting with some folks, while other it’s mostly by phone. I’ve even remembered how to use the U.S. Postal system and sent some cards. I hope you are utilizing any/all methods to stay in touch with those close to you and including others who may need some attention (and may become close). It’s another of those win/win scenarios that I love.

I had planned to close with some quotes to ponder and funnies to brighten your day, but I’m too technologically NON-savvy to get it to work. Maybe next time.

Virtual hugs and wishes for a peaceful heart.

Rev. Marsha

Well, as John Steinbeck (taking a line from Robert Burns) once wrote “The best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry.“I apologize for my inability to post a live video on our FB group page Sunday morning. Patton did a great job of walking me through the process but for some reason I could not “go live”. I hope to figure out the technical problem and try again, perhaps next Sunday.

But enough about me. How are YOU?
I hope all of you are well and enduring this crisis without too much difficulty. There is a lot of information overload going around which can easily lead to high anxiety. Those who have lost income face problems beyond those created by the social distancing/self-isolating rules. And for some it’s an extended “stay-cation”. For everyone this virus and its effects upon our world cannot be understated.

I’ve been calling friends, family and folks at 1st E to let them know how Chancey and I are doing and check in on their status. So far, everyone that I’ve contacted have been ok. I still have a list of folks to call or perhaps email. Have you made your list (checking it twice?) and stayed in contact with those you love? How about those outside your usual circle that may need someone to show concern? Mr. Rogers would say it’s a good thing to do. Small gestures can have a bigger impact than you imagine.

How are you staying busy? Besides getting more sleep than I’ve had since I was a baby, I’ve been cleaning and going through stuff, organizing and throwing away; catching up on movies I missed at the theater; watching (too much) news; planting my veggie garden (tomatoes-4 types, peppers, cucumber, lettuce, beans, onions, basil, celery, parsley) and have more planned. I’m very lucky to have a yard and I love to play in the dirt. We’ve ridden around a few times to break the routine and looked at the beautiful flowers and trees. Atlanta is truly stunning in the spring so I recommend that you take a safe spin and soak up some joy.

As I’ve watched the news, I’ve felt  a wide range of emotions- anger at the failure of the federal government to provide a prompt, organized plan to manage the massive needs presented by the virus; anger at those who don’t take this issue seriously and put others at risk by their careless behavior;sadness at the pain, suffering, loss of life and grief that has hit this country and around the world; awe and gratitude for those in healthcare who literally put their own lives at risk to help others; appreciation for those who support the healthcare workers/system and us – janitors, truckers, those making/processing the products needed to keep things going, volunteers for stepping up to fill critical needs – and anyone who takes the time and effort to be there for others in small and big ways. This crisis has moved the concept of “it takes a village” to a whole new level.

I’m going to add a few pics/funnies(go to the end for these) I’ve received and an excellent explanation of the virus that helped me.

Til I see you in the flesh, sending virtual hugs.

Marsha

Hi, everyone,

I trust you are all being smart and staying safe in your own environment. It may be boring, financially devastating and stressful, but by keeping ourselves and others safe, we are potentially “flattening the curve” and shortening this crisis for us all. And think of all the things you’ve been meaning to do but “didn’t have time for”!

Thanks to Christine Ristano for a powerful, positive message on Sunday March 22. You can listen on our FB page if you missed it. Franklin Abbott”s message is also available. It was fun to fix my coffee and climb back in bed to watch. It made a reality of my joke about missing a service but attending the “church of the inner springs”.

Each week I will include in my email some ideas of how to get through these difficult days.
SEND ME YOUR COMICS, PICTURES, QUOTES AND SUGGESTIONS and I will share them with the group. Below are some suggestions I’ve picked up from the internet, my experience and conversations with others.

Grocery shopping for elders/at risk people: Go to AARP for a list of stores that provide special hours(eg, Target 1st hour of operation; Walmart 3/24-4/28 TU 1hr before open including pharmacy and vision; Whole Foods 1hr bf open)

Stay active : Silver Sneakers – “like” on FB to take part in a “fun workout” Mon 3/23 11:30.Take a walk in your neighborhood keeping a safe distance from others. Look through your videos for an old Jane Fonda workout tape .

Clean up your garden and prepare for Spring planting. Check out Pike Nursery for curbside pickup.

Brush (and wash?) your pet. It’s good for both of you and reduces the “hair bunnies” rolling around on the floor and furniture.

Complete your Census  It doesn’t take long and is critical to our representation. Encourage others to do the same.

Dance!Play air guitar. Put on your favorite boogie music and “dance like nobody’s watching”.

LAUGH! Watch a fun show or movie. Fraizer reruns are my favorite.

Clean Out your closet, cabinet, stacks of paper. UGH. But now you have no excuse not to.

Here are some pics and funnies I hope you enjoy. Send me yours to share …

Dear Members and Friends,

In this time of anxiety and uncertainty, it’s important to stay informed and connected as best we can. I will be sending an occasional email to keep you up to date and provide some information I hope you will find helpful.

First I want to say THANK YOU FRANKLIN ABBOTT for his message on Facebook this past Sunday in lieu of our in-person Celebration of Life (COL). Franklin took the initiative and had the expertise to set this up. I hope you were able to listen but, if not, it remains on our Facebook Page. We expect that other speakers will also use virtual messaging – like Christine Ristaino who has already volunteered to use this method for March 22. I also want to thank Robert Stewart, Patton White, Charlene Ball, Andy Weiskoff and Edith Covington for stepping up to quickly handle the details of canceling Sunday COL and other activities.

This pandemic has ushered in circumstances unlike anything most Americans have experienced. It is a challenging time for everyone. We are already maintaining social distance and even isolating ourselves to stay healthy and limit the potential spread of the virus. Although this is prudent, even necessary -especially for those of us in a vulnerable category – it creates another set of challenges: having sufficient food/RX/other essentials and dealing with the potential high anxiety – panic – and depression. So even though we need to physically distance ourselves, we can still maintain contact via techniques such as Skype, Facetime and Zoom as well as telephone and social networks (FB, Instagram, Twitter). I encourage everyone to be in touch with family and friends but also with those who may not be in your close network but you know may need supportive contact and comfort. Taking care of one another – showing love and compassion – will be critical to get us through this difficult experience.Another great need arising from this is financial. If your circumstances allow, please consider making a donation to the  Ministerial Discretionary Fund. We will help the best we can with what we have. Organizations like the food bank and shelters (human and animal) also need your continued support.

And last, but not least, take care of yourself. Be kind in how you perceive your handling of this crisis. We are all under incredible stress and may make less that optimum choices at some point. Regroup and look forward. If you are physically able, take a walk to enjoy the beauty of nature that abounds here in Atlanta. Pull out that craft project or book or puzzle you’ve put aside. Enjoy the company of your pet – they can be great listeners and provide wonderful comfort. Be creative in ways to be as active as possible and keep a positive attitude.

I believe we will come through this stronger as a community as we work together to support one another and show great caring and compassion to all, those we know and those we don’t. As Existentialists we emphasize our freedom to make choices and I am confident that we will act authentically to be our best selves.

Stay well, be careful and think positive.

With much love,

Marsha
Rev. Marsha Mitchiner, Fellowship Minister