To be clear, Joanne was not perfect. She struggled to be a good human just like you and I do. Yet, it was her clarity about her own imperfection that drew people in and allowed them to simply be who they were. At her memorial service in Thaxter Hall last early December the cast of characters was like the Kingdom of Heaven. Devout 8 o’clockers who hadn’t missed a Sunday in decades and people who told me they hadn’t ever been in a church in their life. That was Joanne’s gift. Her light attracted light and drew people in.

What if we intentionally share in the middle, rather that discount others from the poles? I can practice tolerance and acknowledge that everyone has something good to contribute. Clarity can emerge from the complexity of multiple realities, when we take time to ask questions, get to know one another’s life experiences, values, and ideas about problems and solutions. Conversations can integrate the needs and wants of many and release the joyful energy of collaboration. We can blend the past, present and future into constructive and hopeful ways for individuals, communities, country and world. We can do it once and many times!

One of the gifts of our Christian tradition is that we can glean wisdom from those who have gone before us. One of the themes that many of my hero’s continually express is that of curiosity in the midst of uncertainty.

I am grateful that SJC is a Church community that values our differences and sees them as strength, that we value kindness and people over the “product” and that we imperfectly seek to share God’s deep love with the entire world.

The great but hard news is that God does not manipulate us by puppet strings. God leaves it to us. We can choose to chase after the illusion of freedom in the pursuit of security or we can experience perfect freedom in the service of God and others…May we choose wisely.

Have patience. Easier said than done. I hear people say that they are, “Praying for patience.” I must confess that I think to myself…”Oh DON’T do that!....Pray for GRACE!” I know it is just theological gymnastics but, right now I believe the world needs grace. Grace to hear, grace to see, grace seek to understand, grace to let a winner win and grace to let those who lose grieve and God willing GRACE to remember that we are all in a part of the same family…the human family.