Rev. Kimberley Debus reflects:

I wrote these words because I couldn't find anything that worked...because no one's done this in living memory. Please feel free to use with attribution.

There Are No Good Opening Words

There are no good opening words,

Written long ago

Or even recently

That capture this moment.

We are

In uncharted territory

Taking up a task

Our past selves and our ancestors

Can only imagine

But here we are –

We are the people this moment needs

And so let us take up our work

In covenant

In faith

In pursuit of healing and holding.

Let our work today

Be fruitful

And helpful

Despite our fears and uncertainties

Despite our anxieties and frustrations

And let us chart this new course

That says

We were, we are, and we can be again.