This past weekend was a beautiful one at Calvary. Laity Sunday filled our sanctuary with meaningful worship, heartfelt leadership, and the deep reminder that ministry is something we share together as the whole Body of Christ. I am so grateful for each person who offered their gifts, from the pulpit to the pews, as Calvary celebrated the ministry of the laity in our congregation.
This also gave me the gift of time to spend with my daughter and watch a little lacrosse this weekend. I’ll admit that in this new season of ministry, I’m learning to find balance, balance between the good and holy work that God calls us to and the deep need to pause, rest, and breathe. Sometimes that means stepping away from the to-do list, the endless emails, and even from watching the news cycle. Rest is not indulgence; it is part of living faithfully.
Of course, stepping away doesn’t mean my heart and prayers are not attuned to what’s happening around us. This season of federal shutdowns weighs on many in our community, especially those whose jobs and benefits are affected. I am keeping our federal workers and their families in prayer, as well as those who are already feeling the strain through programs like SNAP.
That is why in the weeks and months ahead, we are doubling down on our food collections to help support our partners at the Frederick Food Bank. Their shelves have been stretched thin for months as demand continues to rise, due to job loss, rising costs, and now the uncertainty of the shutdown. If you’d like to help, you can bring non-perishable food items to the Food-Barrow just outside the Parish Hall. We will make sure every donation is delivered to the food bank and put to good use in our local community.
This work, feeding the hungry, caring for neighbors, isn’t simply a program of the church. It’s the heart of what it means to follow Jesus. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus meets people at their point of need, with food, with healing, with presence. In Matthew 25, He says, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” When we fill that Food-Barrow, when we offer a hand to a neighbor, when we give even a small gift that meets someone’s need, we’re living out the Gospel. We’re remembering that faith isn’t just proclaimed; it’s embodied.
So, as we move into this new week, I invite you to rest when you need to rest, pray for those in need, and act with compassion where you can. In small and big ways alike, we are building a community where love looks like something.
Until Sunday, and all the days between,
Dr. Hutton