[Magdalen] Where are we

[Ginga Wilder]

Hi Judy!  Hope you'll give us a catch up too!
And, hello everyone!  It is great to read how and what you are doing in
this rare season that just keeps on keeping on.

John and I are still in Summerville, SC, in the house we've lived in for 44
years, two doors from the house where he grew up.  We continue with Good
Shepherd, the parish that emerged, and has grown, out of the schism in the
Episcopal Diocese of SC in 2012.  I must say, while this has been a lot of
hard, creative work, we have lived as servants of Christ day by day.  I
think all members of the EDoSC are more grounded in the faith than we might
otherwise have been.  We all continue to rejoice.

Good Shepherd is doing very small in person worship - I have not gone, but
John has served nearly every week.  Besides priests, key-boardist, lector,
usher, only about 6-8 others participate. We can only have 24 people in our
space, according to diocesan guidelines.  I may attend Christmas Eve.  I
miss receiving Eucharist.  Our churches are allowed to commune with the
host but not the wine.  We are not going to see family on Christmas,
neither did we on Thanksgiving.  We ARE doing a Zoom family gathering
tomorrow morning!

Both John and I have chosen to serve at the edge of our parish ministries -
new people and young people needed to assume central leadership at church.
This is a joy to behold!  John serves as an usher, lector, and intercessor;
I keep up our parish webpage and Facebook page.  Because of that, I serve
on parish staff.  Because of multiple health issues that would make me
vulnerable to Covid, should I get it, I have kept myself isolated much of
the time since March.  I do go to the grocery store, the pharmacy, and
occasionally visit with a very elderly friend for whom I have recently been
named medical power of attorney and another friend who lost her son in the
last year - we visit outside amd at a distance.  It is interesting to me
that some of my clients have called me during the pandemic just to say
'hi.'  As much of an introvert as I am, I truly miss f2f conversations with
people I know and love.

Blessings of the season and love to each and all!
Ginga

On Thu, Dec 17, 2020 at 8:58 PM Judy Fleener <fleenerj at gmail.com> wrote:

> Do we still exist? I started looking for posts a couple of days ago in
> between zooming.  I am not a frequent poster, but I miss the chatter.
> Judy
>
> --
> Hope is a thing with feathers that perches in the soul.
> Judy Fleener, ObJN
> Western Michigan
>