Dec. 12, 2024

By Rev. Rick King

This week’s column is about not one but a couple of things, so I challenge you to see how they’re related because they concern our community life and FHC’s relationship with the wider community and world.

Katie Chalmers is having a baby!

“Have you heard the news? Better put on your walking shoes…” Our rock-star office manager, Katie, and her fiancé, Patrick Garvey, are expecting a child sometime this month. Thanks to Lynne Meyer for organizing a wonderful baby shower for them, which happened earlier today at the church! Such events as a birth give us hope in the future, and great celebration was definitely in order, so I’m grateful to Lynne for initiating plans for it and to others who helped pull it off!

The church has a plan for office coverage during her maternity leave, which is scheduled to begin Dec. 18 (or whenever labor begins!). Kristin Geary, our temp worker, will begin officing in a hybrid manner, meeting with me via videoconference or in person each week to ensure smooth operations; coming in one day each week to run print jobs, sort mail, and respond to our building partners’ need onsite; and officing remotely other days as Katie has been doing. You can contact her best through email at [email protected], and please indicate if you’d like a phone call back or to schedule a meeting with her in person. For full office staffing details, please see the article in this issue of the TAB.

What We CAN Do After Jan. 20

A number of you have asked for our friend Ellie Krug’s list of suggested actions you can take in the aftermath of November’s election, given the uncertainty and the need to focus and not get overwhelmed. So I’m sharing it with you here, once again:

• First, reach out to those you love and let them know that you care about them. Texting is great, but if you have a particularly vulnerable person in your life—someone who is transgender or an immigrant or female—follow-up with a written note. As many know, I’m a big believer in the written word; having a notecard or letter with ink on it is something you can put on the nightstand or at the corner of the desk and then come back to for nourishment as needed.
• Turn off the darn TV—at least the news. It will help to avoid further pain.
• Meditate. Walk. Exercise. Do what you need to get re-grounded. Find your emotional legs again. Certainly, reach out to your therapist.
• Engage in service. A colleague reminded me today of how service—volunteering, helping another person, showing up at a food bank to help—is contra to what we experienced last night. Compassion for others is more important than ever, now.

To subscribe to Ellie’s newsletter, The Ripple, go to her website: https://elliekrug.com/newslettersmedia/.

As for me, I’m journaling and contemplating how my life will change come Jan. 20. Clearly, I have the choice of packing things up and seeking invisibility. A different choice is to double down and become more vocal, to be more adamant about protecting those who lack voices (or who are at risk of having their voices silenced).

I think I know what choice I will make.

Remember, I care about you. Reach out if you need a shoulder or an ear.