the Episcopal Church of the Holy Comforter
Montgomery, Alabama
Rector
The Rev. Rosa Lindahl
May 29, 2025
Message from Rosa
It's almost lunchtime on Memorial Day. I came in from working outside a few minutes ago, drenched in perspiration. We are crossing the boundary from spring into summer in Alabama and I know before too long the heat and humidity will feel overwhelming. Today, our storms, humidity and heat tell me what life abundant looks like.
My time away from church could not have been more joyful and fun. I had itty bitty teeny tiny, biddies to tend to. After getting all systems working, I planted all kinds of flowers and vegetables in my elevated beds. I was out bright and early this morning, looking at everything. Don’t get me started on the excitement of seeing my baby fruit on my San Marzano tomato bush.
The joy of plucking out weeds without having to get on my knees or bend over is indescribable.
The news these days is harsh. As life feels more and more fragile, and so much of what I took for granted shatters in a new world, getting outside grounds and gives me deep gratitude for the days ahead, no matter what. I got to spend a whole month working so hard outside that most nights found me sound asleep by nine pm. That was a pure gift for me. It was also a clarifying and illuminating moment.
For the past seven years, we’ve been shoring up the administrative foundations of our parish. It was not glamorous work: we needed to figure out a whole lot about ‘systems and processes’ so crises and reactiveness did not drive our decisions and actions. We still have more to do but we have a lot more in place now to hold us steady no matter what.
All that is a good and joyful thing. And…And I have returned to my life with you bringing a strong sense that now, my work is to focus on the directive of our denomination’s canons: I am to provide leadership in the spiritual matters and life of the church. I can do that because so many of the ‘temporal affairs’ of the church are being run with great competence by the vestry, officers, staff and ministry volunteers. We are doing good things!
I set out to connect with myself and creation during my time off and in doing so, realized how much our life in faith and spirit depends on paying attention to life in this way. I am delighted that Emmi Harrell is offering her book discussion on Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul. In the next few weeks, I am going to test a new model for book discussions with a book called Good Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand. Please join us! In the middle of next week, Kris, Terri, Missy, Angela, Lee and I will spend some time discussing and planning for the fall. We will draw from Celtic traditions and practices to shape our Advent season. It’s time to really gear up for Sunday School in the fall—our children deserve our care and attention.
Even when it feels like the earth itself shudders with the news each day, tomatoes keep growing. Little chicks stop being so little. The garden explodes with color. This is life lived as resurrection, not denying pain, but insisting pain and brokenness do not have the last word. God said, “It is very good,” and we can say, “Thank you, Holy One.”
I hope I will see you next Sunday! Rosa