Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12)

Yesterday, I heard from the Saskatoon Theological Union that the next time I need to be physically present in class was in January 2025.

I just want that to sink in for you for a moment.  I will be in Saskatoon.  In January. 

This all sent me into a panic.  I can barely navigate from home to my car and then from my car into the church in January, and January in Eastern Ontario is way less snowy than January in Saskatoon.  This is the biggest reason that I have stacked a good deal of my vacay in January.  So I can stay inside.  So I don’t have to limp through snowbanks. 

The hotel that I stayed at the last time was fully accessible and quite lovely for my needs.  My intent was to stay at this same hotel.  Its right across the street from the building I will need to be in so quite convenient.  Except, maybe for the four lanes of traffic I had to hike across with the quickest set of lights ever.  Last September I started competing with the lights and finally made it across before they changed on the very last day of class.  But it was a victory for me.

Now, the idea of navigating these four lanes of traffic, the quicker than lightening traffic lights and snow banks was enough to put me on a tailspin for most of the afternoon.  Until I confessed to Hugh how scary and upsetting this was for me. 

And you know what Hugh said back?  He said….

“Why don’t you just ask for help?”  And then went on.  “Most people want to help, they just need to be asked”. 

And you know what?  Hugh is totally right.  Most people do want to help, and my classmates are all CLERGY for heavens sake.  They have “helping” given to them as a Call from Jesus! 

The problem is me.  And the problem is my inability to ask for support when I need it. 

And I’m totally not alone in this, and I see it played out week after week at Church.  I have had people tell me they don’t want to be put on the prayer list because they think that others are more deserving of my time.  I have had people in hospital tell me not to come because I must have better things to do.  I have had other people deny support like a hot meal lovingly prepared by another member of the congregation because “you don’t need to do that!”. 

And here’s what I need to say.

It is good and right for the church to support each other.  In fact, its what we are supposed to do.  We are supposed to support and care for one another. Even more, its our Call as a community of faith to care for one another.  Remember the whole “Bear each others’ burdens thing?”.

But even more than this.

It is good and right for us to ACCEPT the care of the community.  Just for what it is.  A loving gesture by the people who have been Called by God to support us. 

AND

We are also called to clothe ourselves with HUMILITY.  Ack.  Humility.  That’s are hard word.  Humility means that we accept that we need help, that we can’t do everything on our own, and that we can’t, well, exist without each other.  Yeah.  I know.  That should be transparent.  But I think that humility has gotten a bad rep in Canadian society, right?  We have equated humility with humiliation.  Of course it isn’t.  Humility is a God-ordained attitude.  A state of being that reminds us that all of us are equal and all of us need each other.  Humiliation on the other hand is a power play that demeans one person in favour of the power of the other.

God is not about power plays.  God is about all of us being equal and living together as one Body; with parts that all have a different purpose. 

So, my dear Bethel Friends.  I think its all time that all of us generously and wholeheartedly embraced a little humility, and asked for help when we needed it, and even more, accepted help when its offered.  I will start today and will email one of my classmates about the whole Saskatoon in winter dilemma and see if this can be something we solve in community.

Blessings today and remember you are Loved.

~Rev. Lynne