Maundy Thursday, 2020

John 13:34-35, Jesus instructs his disciples in the following way: “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples: if you have love for one another."

It’s Maundy Thursday, the evening when Jesus gathered with his disciples to do the work of a slave by washing their probably pretty disgusting feet -- not symbolically washing just one disciples' feet, but all the disciples’ feet -- and to command them, "Love one another."

       Loving one other during a global pandemic adds a whole different lens to this.  We can’t know, but did Jesus have in mind washing one’s own hands and sheltering in one’s home without letting anyone else in, as examples of loving one another?

 

While we don't customarily wash feet these days (which was an act of hospitality performed by slaves), our great act of love for others during this pandemic is as simple as washing our hands, and (not as simple) staying home.  We do these things, we think, to protect ourselves. But there is a whole new concept throughout the world now: “Flattening the curve.”  In my whole life, I never once considered the simple act of washing my hands with soap as an act of loving others.  But in this situation, it absolutely is.

I donated blood today, trusting the American Red Cross's even stricter than usual adherence to distancing, sterilization and safety.  All were masked and worked with gloved hands.  I am O- (a “universal” donor).  Because it is needed and used in so many urgent situations, and it is not a common blood-type, there is always a state of urgency, if not "emergency," in needing O- blood.  Clearly, this need doesn't go away in a pandemic.  In fact, if the American Red Cross shut down blood donations around the world for a month or months, where would that leave other sick people who needed blood to heal or even survive other maladies?

Donors were showing up just as they were scheduled to.  We were buzzed in at the front door, one at a time.  Our temperatures were taken immediately when we walked into the building.  Chairs for waiting were set a little more than 6’ apart.  Hand sanitizer was set at strategic places all over the room.  Every possible precaution was being taken to keep the donors and phlebotomists safe.  None of that could have taken place without that first and then repeated step:  washing hands.

So maybe Jesus knew that there are times and opportunities to do what may be considered small things (especially in light of his crucifixion), but to do them with great love. With a prayer that our small undertaking may bless those who are sick and struggling, our “small” effort encourages us to make other efforts.  Then we begin to understand that it isn’t the size of the thing.  It is a matter of passing along the same love with which Jesus loves us while doing it.

In the meantime, we live with this confidence:

It’s Maundy Thursday, and it’s dangerous out there.

But Easter is coming…

Christmas/Epiphany letter, 2019-20

 Joan & Merle Gunderman

Epiphany 2020

So the first spiritual/life lesson of 2020 was skimming through our local paper just after the holidays and seeing a local church ad entitled: Sanctity of Lip Service with the date and time.  I thought (add just a tinge of sarcasm here), “Oh yeah, that’s about right!”  Just to get another smug chuckle out of it, I looked at it again, only this time it read Sanctity of Life Service.   Good thing I double-checked the source, I guess, before I made a judgmental fool of myself by “advertising” my first reading of it, with my own cynical spin on it.  I could write out all kinds of applications for this, but you can too, so I’ll leave that to you!

This turned out to be a year of intriguing travel for both of us.

Joan

January:  Tijuana/San Diego border, Sanctuary Caravan.  Volunteered for a week at a shelter for immigrants who had been temporarily released from detention.  This is a shelter which has   been working for a long time. They help them get connected with friends/family who were going to house them, make travel arrangements for them, provide a “triage” to treat any physical issues (from lice to flu to injuries received in detention), provide several meals, coats/shoes/a few items of clothing, diapers, underwear, etc.  I worked with young children, mostly, one little girl (4?) who was deeply traumatized.  Mostly they wanted to learn/practice English!

April:   Honduras w/Synod Team.  Visited a number of out-laying villages with tiny Lutheran congregations to learn how they support their ministries, how creative they are both in ministry and finding ways to fund them.  Some we’d never visited before because of the activity/violence of gangs which made it unsafe for both residents and visitors/Americans.  Heart-breaking poverty, malnourished kids (except for the one village where the church had developed a lunch program for any child in the village who needed it).  We listen to dreams and visions of what they need and what kinds of  new ministries they want to begin.  We’re talking just handfuls of people in each village, but with the faith, hope, determination of a thousand.  Very definitely a mutual ministry between us as     “Companion Synods.”

Oct. 23-Dec 5:  (6 weeks) Ecuador, through Road Scholar educational travel.  5 of those weeks were intensive Spanish classes, and the other (and weekends) were touring the country, including the Galapagos (pre-oil-spill).  Incredible beauty and history throughout the country.  I could share so much more from all three of this trips…  I posted a bunch of photos over the weeks I was in Ecuador, if you want to see more.

Merle

Sept. (10 days):  Road trip to visit Adam in Portland, a trip through Canada he’s been wanting to do for years.  He thoroughly enjoyed it, and mostly enjoyed Father-Son time with Adam.  They always have such a good time together!

Aug.-Sept. (1 week):  Little Sweden, our time-share in Door County, WI.  His sanctuary.

Both

Jan. 3-Mar. 2:  Panama City, FL – while the weather wasn’t great, it wasn’t sub-zero with frequent snow!

Sept.-Oct. (8 days): Caribbean Cruise – to a part of the Caribbean we hadn’t seen before.  Ahhhhh!

Our kids and grandkids are doing marvelously, and we are always so proud of them.  I could write another whole tome just about them, they give us such joy and love!  Robbie just turned 2 and is an absolute hoot; Beau is turning 8 in a few weeks and is fun, curious, and so, so kind; Brailee is now 11 (gasp!) and is very much a pre-teen girl (smile) as well as a pretty fair hockey player on a local hockey team.  She’s known as being “aggressive” so is trying to find creative ways to accomplish her goals without breaking the rules (isn’t that fun?!).  I can’t help but wonder if they call boys who aren’t afraid to get in the fray something more positive in our culture, like “fearless” or something…)

Merle and I are also part of two "activist" groups in Grand Rapids:  1) Community Action Team, where we address issues of racism in our area (against Native and African American people).  2) Circle of Healing, which involves meeting with, listening to, and working with Native Americans mostly in (but not limited to) our county, getting to know native culture, history, and people here, helping financially support major improvement projects on the reservation, celebrating success and milestones and the like.  We have met wonderful people through both groups, are learning a lot, and really enjoy doing more than "ain't it awful" hand-wringing.  We are so blessed.

I want to close with some quotes that have assisted me cope with and act upon current realities:

Hope is found in a humble baby Jesus born in poverty

Powery, Luke A. Rise up, Shepherd!: Advent Reflections on the Spirituals . (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2017). pg. ix

Keeping hope alive is our greatest challenge, our greatest opportunity, and our greatest reward. May these words remind you of the things forgotten, awaken what is dormant, energize that which is active, and give hope where hope seems lost.

Prophesy Hope!  DANTÉ STEWART

For us, anger and hope are an unbreakable cord, one which holds the promise of truth and life together. We are angry, yet we are hopeful. We are hopeful, yet we are angry. Both have room to speak.

Prophesy Hope!  DANTÉ STEWART

Rich blessings of kindness, generosity, sacrifice for others, and a living, active hope to you and your loved ones!

Yours,

Joan:  joan.gunderman@gmail.com

Merle:  gunderdad@yahoo.com