Musings... On Knowing... And Not

Sitting at the shore on Saturday morning enjoying the sound of the wind and waves, licking the last of a bacon and tomato sandwich from my lips, I was in a peaceful place. And then I thought again of all that is before us in the coming days: more decisions, more uncertainty, more change, and more worry. Suddenly my peaceful morning was gone, and I was back into my default posture, my practical self: What can I do?

Thankfully, Rasta wanted to go to the beach, and it was on the beach with the wind carrying the ball over the sand dunes that I returned to the more important posture: How can I be?

Back in the trailer, settled with another cup of coffee I was reminded of Thomas Merton’s words: “You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith, and hope.” Or, as he wrote someplace else, “I think my job is to make the grace of an invisible God, visible, wherever I am.”

Merton’s words remind us that our ability to transition through challenging times is rooted in who I am and who I will be. The same is true for communities.

To pause in the moment, and reflect on who I am, who I long to be, is time well spent. To take stock of my strengths and gifts, hopes and aspirations, is a spiritual practice that helps me find stable footing – and there I start feeling calmer and more confident.  The same is true for communities.

When we are calm, we can see better the good in us and others: the goodness, kindness, the humorous, abilities, good ideas, our backbone, our ethics. When we are in a calm state, our freedom opens, and our confidence stands, allowing the good to come through.

Friends, read again Merton’s wisdom (changed from I to We):

We do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What we need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith, and hope.

May this wisdom guide us all in the days ahead.

Faithfully,

Lloyd

Looking Ahead

As the 29th is the last Monday of the month, I will be making soup on Monday morning in preparation for gathering with United Church ministry personnel colleagues over lunch at Sackville United Church. The afternoon will include a meeting with Julia followed by participating in a structural change evaluation focus group.

Tuesday morning I will be at the office in Sackville for the Lectionary Study Group at 10:30AM via Zoom. Click the link to participate. After lunch Peg and I will prepare for our the last of our four session, Grief and Loss Support Group.

On Wednesday morning I am off to Pugwash for a lunch meeting with Bishop Karen Oliveto, of the United Methodist Church. Karen and her partner Robin retired to Pugwash from the USA and have taken part in some events at Sackville United and I am hoping to arrange for them to offer leadership at Sackville United soon. At 6:30PM I will convene the Collaborative Grounding Gathering via Zoom and at 7PM will gather with others to hear Parker Palmer’s wisdom in the Hidden Wholeness series. You can take part in one or both of these gatherings by following this link.

On Thursday I have pastoral visits scheduled in Moncton. These will be followed by visits at the hospital and the balance of the day, after a late lunch meeting with the Chair of the SUC governing body, will be devoted to crafting a reflection for Sunday.

Friday and Saturday will be days off and on Sunday, Worldwide Communion Sunday, Julia will preside at the liturgy and table at Central United Church. I will offer the reflection and preside that the table at Sackville United and Audrey Lounder will preside at the table at Central United Church. At the end of the gathering each congregation will be holding congregational meetings to consider the following ballot:

• Course 1: Draw Learning from the Pilot Project, Celebrate What Has Been Accomplished, and Seek to Continue the Existing (or Reimagined) Collaborative

  OR

• Course 2: Draw Learning from the Pilot Project, Celebrate What Has Been Accomplished and End the Pilot Project as Scheduled in February 2026