Last Sunday morning when I got up, I had a text message from Fr. Sam in Maine, saying he had decided to come to Hudson that afternoon and spend a couple of days. I was excited to see him! Sure enough he arrived at 4:30 in the afternoon and we had a great visit that evening. As I write this, it is Monday morning and he is sleeping soundly.

Abby was also happy to see him although she had only met him twice before. When I woke up, she was sleeping outside his bedroom door!! Not her usual nighttime place. I hope he gets some rest and relaxation while he is here, before he returns to his five church collaborative in snowy Maine!

Speaking of collaboratives, we had a follow up meeting of the joint parish councils. It was an evening of getting to know one another and listening to concerns and questions about the process. I felt there was a bond beginning to form as we shared our feelings with one another. We have scheduled our next get together as a pot luck supper at St. Matthias Church on May 6th. Please keep us all in your prayers.

This weekend, we celebrate the Fifth Sunday of Lent. The scripture readings are focused on God’s promise of resurrection and the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. All this, of course, is the foretaste of the celebration of Jesus’ own Resurrection from the dead in a couple of weeks in Easter.

During the rest of Lent may we rest in the knowledge that God does take care of us, not just in life, but through death and into a new life eternally.