Dear Friends:

You all looked pretty darn perfect last Sunday in your "Sunday-go-to-Meeting" best Easter dress!

So I was watching an episode of Kimmy Schmidt last night (Season 3 episode 9, Kimmy Goes to Church) which was a good sendup of church--but with a soft heart. It reminded me of the old wisdom that "Church is not a Museum for the saints but a hospital for the sinners." (Morton Kelsey) At best, church enables us to face our true and unfinished selves. That honesty allows us to have support while we do the work of becoming something a little more blessed and a little better. That honesty allows us to make real and meaningful connections with other people based on trust and integrity. And finally, in the wisdom of the church we learn that we aren't meant to be perfect in the first place: we are meant to be imperfect so that we can learn to depend on others and lean on God. As Leonard Cohen put it-- the cracks are how the light gets in.

You all looked pretty darn perfect last Sunday, and I know we aren't perfect. Except in God's design, when we reach out to one another and are open to the Spirit's nurturance, we get pretty close!

Blessings. Susan