When was the last time you wrote a letter? Not a few lines on a note card but a letter. At least one – possibly even two or three - sheets of stationery on which you penned your thoughts.
The impact of a handwritten letter has undergone a major transformation among current generations. A letter, for a majority of baby-boomers and beyond, afforded thoughtful intention in communicating with another. But what was once a primary means of interpersonal connection is now on its way to becoming extinct.
I knew a woman who, until her recent death in her late-80’s, still shared a close relationship with four other women who had all attended the same kindergarten class. This group’s primary means of communication was a progressive letter they had perpetuated for 60 some years. At least once a month one of the women would receive the letter, include her own updated page or two, and send it on to the next person. This generation’s internet entrepreneur, Mark Zuckerburg, calls that Facebook!
But I would contend that there is a fairly significant difference between the two. A letter takes intention and time. Writing a few paragraphs allows a deeper sharing of the nuances of one’s life. (I know, I know. In 2012, we call that a blog.) But a letter one can hold, specifically written for or received from another, can be, in a sense, holding another’s heart.
During worship in June, we will hold some letters together in our hands. These letters were written from the heart of a man named Paul to individuals trying to live by faith in a world that seemed to careen more vicariously on a daily basis. Together we will listen to lines that can provide hope to our ‘letter-starved’ souls.
June 3 – “You Are an Heir!”
June 10 – “Renewal Notice”
June 17 – “The Deposit is Guaranteed”
Sometimes letters can get hidden in the midst of all the junk mail we receive. Together we will work to uncover the letters from Paul that may have been buried in our homes and left unopened for a long time!
In Christ,
Dave
