Dear Church,

My son recently recovered from pneumonia. The word itself is linked to the Greek word pneuma, meaning Spirit or breath. When our breath is constrained, we don't get enough oxygen in our blood, and our body grows weary. In the same way, if we are not filled with the Holy Spirit (the pneuma hagion) as a community, we don't experience the blood of Christ flowing to every part of us, and the body grows weary from overwork. In this brief season between the rush of early Fall and the arrival of Advent, let's take a deep breath together, be filled with the Spirit, and experience the life in His blood poured out for us. That means listening for His voice, resting in the assurance of His love for us, and offering that same love to one another through the gifts He has given to each of us for His glory and our collective good.

Breathe,

Kyle Chase, on Behalf of the Elder and Minister Team