“Treating each other and ourselves with care isn’t a luxury, but an absolute necessity if we’re going to thrive. Resting isn’t an afterthought, but a basic part of being human.”― Tricia Hersey, Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto

I write this in the wake of several troubling Supreme Court decisions that could threaten the dignity and safety of our neighbors and the health of our democracy. And the alerts on my phone warning of an extreme heat wave keep distracting me from the tasks at hand. This week it feels like our nation and our planet are on fire, making it all the more difficult to lean into our summer theme of “rest, reflect, renew.” How can we possibly rest when there are so many urgent problems to solve and so much at stake?

That’s how I was feeling this morning when I headed down to the lower level of the church for a meeting of our 13 Salmon Shower Project leadership team. As we sat in the day room, we discussed the incoming heat and made sure we had the up-to-date list of cooling shelters where we could direct our guests. And in that moment, I was reminded of the deep sacredness of that space. This day room is a place of rest for our unhoused neighbors. It provides shelter from the elements and a safe and peaceful place to think, read, draw, and find community. And I thought about the feeling of renewal that can come with a cool shower on a sweltering day. Providing a space of peace, respite, and welcome amidst the chaos of our world is a radical and holy act.

Being down in the shower project space reminded me that time to rest, reflect, and renew is a human right and necessary for our basic survival. As I mentioned on Sunday, there is difficult and important work ahead of us as a church, faith, and nation, and we won’t succeed at this work if we are exhausted, uninspired, and hard-hearted. We need to take care of ourselves and one another and find the spiritual nourishment we need to stay in this work for the long haul. That’s my goal for our time together this summer, through our Sunday worship and other laid-back, community-building summer activities (read further on in the front steps for more details!).

So I hope, if you have the privilege, you will take this long weekend to find some joy and ease and let your body and spirit rest. For my part, I’ve worked to pare down our Sunday service a bit so those of you joining us in the sanctuary (and those of us on the chancel) won’t overheat! It was a good and necessary reminder that sometimes doing less is actually an act of community care! 

Blessings for a safe and restorative holiday weekend. I hope to see you at church this summer!

Grace & Peace,

Danielle