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Peace be with you Glen Morris, 

What a blessing it is to watch the leaves change colour in the Glen. I’ve been marveling at the way maple leaves can change so that one tree holds almost every colour of the rainbow at once. I’ve been shocked at how quickly nighttime has crept up on me, looking up from my laptop to realize I’m sitting in the dark at only 7 pm. 

I’ve been unsure how to write this week’s newsletter. All that seems to come to mind is the devastation I am witnessing in Israel/Palestine and how there aren’t enough words or words that are good enough to name the heartbreak I have been feeling. There is the violence of the bombs being dropped, the violence of the military occupation, the violence of so many civilians being targeted, the violence of dehumanizing narratives being shared by the news, the violence of families torn apart, the violence of the loss of home. In the past decade of advocating for peace and justice in Israel and Palestine, I have experienced glimpses of this hate but it still had not prepared me to see it on such full display. The grief feels new and old all at once. 

Of course, the truth remains the same this time as always - that we are called to bear faithful witness to our neighbours (next door and around the world) and we must not let despair dictate how we choose to move forward. I must dream of ways to remain present to this work for the long haul even at times of crisis where it feels like doing everything to the point of burnout is the necessary option. So I turn to God, with my hope and helplessness, with a prayer for peace and justice. 

I look forward to sharing in worship with this community at Telfer Place this Sunday - what a delight it is to be present with members of our community in retirement and long-term care and to share in worship with the wider Telfer Place community. 

Yours in Christ, 

Rev Michiko