Because we were not meeting for worship at church, the Echoes Editorial Board did not get to church to see the cards, letters, notes, and Christmas greetings Epworth received last Fall and during the holiday season. However, we still want to share them with you. The Christmas letters are too long to print here in their entirety but we share some excerpts with you below.
Dear Epworth Community,
It wasn’t possible to enlist enough members to safely put down much and do extensive weeding this year so instead the Garden Club is making a donation. The club would not be thriving without your generous support. We were able to plant some iris, perennials and weed the rain garden. Thank you so much. Stay well, stay safe.
Longfellow Garden Club Claire, Martha, Julia, Terri & Bev
We are so proud of your ministry and are so happy to be part of it!
Sending my love to everyone at church.
Carol A. Marron
Thank you for the gift of sun and earth. I love to garden and grow vegetables and flowers. The garden continues to be productive and I continue to improve the soil. I hope the iris I planted thanks the community with a lovely display. Wising you well.
Take care, stay safe, Claire
Thank you so much for the kind words and beautiful flowers! My mom loved being a part of the Epworth family. You all are amazing!
Amber Mulligan & Family
So blessed by the fellowship we share in the family of faith … . So glad to be rejoicing with you in the gift of God’s Son.
Dave & Cheryl Goode
Wishing you a Wonderful Christmas –
Missing church. Thank you for online service. Love the videos. Hope the offering helps.
Love from AZ, Jay & Barb XOXOยช
From Elton and Emily Brown’s Christmas Letter December 2020
Dear Epworth Friends,
What a tough year for so many of us! Emily and I have been among the luckiest, living where physical distancing is easy, retired with good health insurance and adequate income. …
But how we have missed people this year! Haven’t been with any of our kids, grandkids, or sibs.
Those of us who hope to Save the Boundary Waters, to support serious efforts to mitigate global warming, to see a restoration of our nation’s hospitality to refugees, to push for legislation that raises the prospects of people in poverty, etc., are certainly buoyed by the result of last month’s presidential election. But we realists have learned to take nothing for granted.
The Christmas story can easily be reduced to sweet pablum if we forget the dark parts: that there was no room at the inn for a family seeking shelter, that innocents were slaughtered by an insecure tyrant. A lot of weeping and tragedy is part of the deal.
Elton & Emily
From Joyce and Mike Sluss’ Christmas Letter December 2020
Christmas greetings to all.
It has been an extraordinary year for everyone.
I stopped working on Jan. 12 and we quickly found a new church home and choir. Then we went on a Methodist trip to Arizona to se and learn about the immigration situation. We returned home on Feb. 14 and soon realized we needed to prepare to stay home for an extended period of time. Our last trip to the grocery store was Feb. 26, and then our isolation started. …
We were able to continue our “Tuesday Adventures” together as brief outings. … We have been to the coast a few times up into Washington, and in late April we got stuck in the snow!
The major excitement was the Oregon wildfires. The sky was red and surreal. We were in the “prepare to evacuate” zone, just two miles from the “be ready to evacuate immediately” zone, so we made hard choices as to what we packed in our cars and what we would leave behind. It was an uncertain tine until finally the winds sifted and the rains came.
Contrary to news reports, Portland is not degenerating into anarchy. Most demonstrators are legitimate protesters. …
Telephone calls and Zoom have kept us connected. That’s how we do worship, have book discussions, attend meetings, and most importantly, connect with friends and family.
We miss visiting with you. Becky recently spent ten days with us by traveling in a private berth on Amtrack. It was fantastic to have her with us and was a much needed break for her.
Mike’s mother currently has COVID-19. She has been doing OK despite her cough.
Our hearts go out to all those who have suffered from health problems, economic difficulties, social issues, political frustrations, and personal isolation. We give thanks for our family and friends.
As we enter 2021, we pray for goodwill, hope, and compassion for others.
Have a Merry Christmas
Joyce and Mike
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