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Sermon October 3, 2021
The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers, MSW
The Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen’s
Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 22, Track 2
http://lectionarypage.net/YearB_RCL/Pentecost/BProp22_RCL.html
Audio: /documents/Eucharist__October_3__2021
Video: https://youtu.be/JAk9scXaFBw
Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone…. Genesis 2:18
Please be seated
Looking back on my life, I really cannot say I was ever lonely. Maybe that is just a fanciful retelling of my life. Maybe I’ve forgotten about the times I’ve felt lonely. As I age, I so treasure the times of quiet solitude.
I guess the closest I can come are the times I’ve moved into a new community. It takes time to meet people. When I’ve moved to a new community, one of the first things I’ve done is to find a church community.
When I moved to Topeka, I found the church before I even moved there. I was Lutheran at the time and on one of my visits prior to moving, there happened to be a Lutheran church on Buchannan Avenue. You see, there are a number of streets in Topeka named after the Presidents and they go in order of the years that the presidents served. So, I thought it was definitely a sign that there was a church on the street named after the only President from Pennsylvania.
There was a woman at this church who was the unofficial welcome committee. Her name was Elaine. Elaine made it a point to greet newcomers and to get to know them. She did that with me and invited me out to lunch. We became good friends and when I really needed help, she was there for me.
Elaine understood it is not good for a human being to be alone.
The verse from Genesis was written at least 2,500 years ago, so this understanding that we need relationships and community is ancient. However, just google loneliness and you will discover that there is an epidemic of loneliness. The pandemic has only heightened this epidemic.
Researchers have documented that loneliness or lack of contact can cause premature death, even more than obesity.
When babies are born premature, hospitals ask the parents, or others if the parents are not available, to provide kangaroo care or placing a baby with only a diaper on on the bare chest of its father or mother for skin to skin contact. Doing so helps stabilize the baby’s heart rate, breathing pattern and oxygen saturation level.
We need each other. It is not good to be alone.
Now, certainly, there is a balance. Some of us do need more time alone than others of us, that is true. Yet, too much alone time is unhealthy.
Our parish helps all of us address the loneliness epidemic.
It is not good for a person to be alone, so we gather with each other in person or online or by phone every single Sunday of the year and at other times, too. We sing, pray and share Eucharist together. We deepen and strengthen our faith together. Even when you might not want to be at worship personally, remind yourself that being present is helping all of us.
It is not good for a person to be alone, so we put together college boxes and notes and cards for college students.
It is not good for a person to be alone, so we put together bags and notes to the residents of the Commons and Gardens. The bags for September were put together last Sunday. They included an apple, a pen and a word find book. Sue Beamer came up with the note:
As the seasons change, we want you to know,
We're thinking of you as days come and go,
So take out your pen and start right away,
We hope this brings joy to you every day.
Nic and Sue dropped the bags at each apartment door and saw some of the residents who thanked them and said those bags mean so much. Even yesterday at Canal Days, some residents of the Commons stopped by and said how much they appreciated the bags, although they really wish we could come in person.
It is not good to be alone, and we cannot be everywhere, so we support and participate in other organizations in our communities and in our denomination that reduce feelings of being alone for so many others.
It is not good to be alone and today we bless your pledges of time, talent and treasure that you have committed for our work together in 2022…so that we co do all of the things to be in relationship and community with each other and so many others.
The LORD God said, “It is not good to be alone.” Thank you for faithfully showing up so that we are not alone.
Amen
Pandemic of Loneliness: https://www.chcf.org/blog/pandemic-loneliness/
Kangaroo Care: https://www.marchofdimes.org/complications/touching-and-holding-your-baby-in-the-nicu.aspx
