welcome to harvard-epworth Church

A farewell from Sarah,

 

           As I sit to write this, I am filled with memories of my time at Harvard-Epworth. Beginning as an intern, I connected with you all over Zoom gatherings and helped with worship during a time when only two or staff members were present in the sanctuary on Sundays. Since then, I have seen this congregation come alive as you began to cautiously gather for contemplative services, in small numbers at Sunday worship, for a reunion at the Summer picnic last year, then gradually meeting in person more and more for small groups, potlucks, adult forums, and more. I have seen unwavering love sustain this community in all places throughout these transitions. I have learned so much about showing and sharing love in a community of faith from you all.

 

I feel I have had a special opportunity to witness and be a part of this transition from my perspective as an intern, a small group leader, a choir member, an administrator, and a ministry director. I cannot say enough how thankful I am to have held so many positions during my time at Harvard-Epworth. In each of these spaces, I have learned so much about ministry, community, faith, and God’s holy presence. Because of the opportunity to join this church in so many ways, I have also had the blessing of getting to know so many members in this congregation from the choir to the young adults to small groups to staff and other volunteers. I have felt so loved by this community during my time here, and I hope to offer this love back as I am leaving:

 

Witnessing the community of love at Harvard-Epworth draws the words of 1 Corinthians 13 to mind. In a familiar passage on the beautiful potential of love, verse 7 in particular resonates with me and my experience in this community:

 

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

 

During my time in this church at the height of Covid-19, I have seen this community’s love for each other bear the strain of online ministry, believe in each other’s strength to get through the individual pandemic challenges we each faced, hope for the days when we would be safe enough to gather in person, and endure the process of slowly reopening church doors and spaces to be with one another in the flesh again. So know that the love among the good people of Harvard-Epworth has proved itself to be strong and remains so full of potential for shining forth, welcoming in others, bearing up, believing, keeping hope alive, and enduring whatever may come in the next season.

 

with gratitude and with love,

 

Sarah