A Shining Light – St. Nick’s News July 17, 2024

Full St. Nick’s News for July 17, 2024

Dear Friends,

Jeremy and I are off to Australia and very excited to spend time with his family.  We hope and pray that you are having some fun too.

The past few days we have been in Los Angeles visiting my sister and learning about the city.  After we worshiped with St. Nick’s online (great job Montana, Jena, Elizabeth, Mike, Howard, Mark, Nick, and Chase) we visited Thad’s, a church plant in Culver City and met new Episcopal friends.  That same evening we went to Echo Park and enjoyed the 43rd Lotus Festival.

The Lotus Festival celebrates Asian-Pacific cultures with this year having a specific focus on the Philippines.  It has all the things – live music, cultural performances, kids activities and a Lights of Dreams lantern launch.

The lantern launch was especially moving. People gathered to decorate their own unique lantern made out of rice paper.  Then they set them in the water to join in with thousands of others in the Echo Park Lake.  The illuminated lanterns symbolize “our hope for a brighter future, appreciation for loved ones, and memories of those who passed away.”

Many of the people gathered there decorated their lanterns with the lotus flower.  The lotus represents rebirth, purity, and life.  Other people created lanterns with symbols from their lives – their interests, loves, pets, and family.  As I watched people decorate and then launch, I was encouraged by the ritual of it all.  I was witnessing a diverse group of people – different cultures, socio-economic background, people of all faiths, and people of different ideologies and political persuasions, all coming together to participate in hope.

Over the course of the weekend, thousands of people gathered to create material and tangible symbols of hope and set them upon the water.  As I watched the lanterns float in the water, it was so beautiful to watch one solo lantern slowly make it’s way to the wall of lanterns waiting for them.  One solo symbol of hope, slowly making it’s way to a collective of hopes, dreams, and remembrances.  So beautiful.

This was timely.  I do not often share my heartbreak over the violence in our country.  But I am, much like you, frustrated with the breakdown of decency and discourse; and dismayed by the verbal and physical threats people face every day. I felt a deep grief and hated that I was not with you on Sunday to share a word of hope or to remind you that God is bigger than all of the brokenness in our world. Let’s remind ourselves again – God is bigger than all the brokenness and violence.  Jesus, in his life, death, and resurrection has defeated death and leads us to light and life.

This past Sunday, Jesus reminded me that when people come together collectively it is very powerful.  I watched y’all online and cried tears of joy as you all gathered for worship and continued in the glorious work God has called us to – to pray, praise, love, laugh, and grow in faith.  I watched a group of strangers come together and create a wall of light in the darkness as individual lanterns – individual hopes – combined and brightened the darkness.

I want to encourage us to remember that God is always at work in the world.  Jesus is shining his light in Echo Park, in Bulverde, and for sure in Australia!

God’s Peace, Love,and Blessings,
Beth+