September 3, 2026

The weather has shifted this week. My walk this morning included my Gore-Tex shoes, rain jacket, head lamp and reflective vest. The birds were not yet singing as I walked a familiar route about the same time as earlier in the week. A common phrase living in the Pacific Northwest is that there is no bad weather, simply the wrong gear for the weather. While I was not quite ready to wear closed-toed shoes, wet toes yesterday encouraged me to put them on today.

I am excited to join Emmanual Presbyterian and West Linn Lutheran Churches for our Ecumenical Worship Service this Sunday at 10:00 a.m. We will gather at Mary S. Young Park. Please bring a chair to sit on and a dish to share. There will be no livestream of the service in the park. As the Clergy Planning Team looked at the scripture readings for Sunday, we imagined a way to build on the text and our experience in July. We have imagined a fun way for us to ponder what it means for two or three to gather. I hope you can make it to the park and join us for this time of cultivating relationships!
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The office is closed on Monday for Labor Day and most likely I will be in my garden or hiking a trail. As we pause and give thanks to those who have labored over the years, I also ask us to remember those who have no rest. May we remember those who need to work two or three jobs to make ends meet. May we honor the dignity of each human being, especially the people working tasks we would never want. Greeting the store or restaurant employee and saying their name is one simple gesture of noticing them. It helps them feel seen and acknowledged.

As I was writing this article, my phone rang with the news of Linda McKnight’s death. About five weeks ago, we got news of her declining health. It has been a gift to visit with her in these weeks. Each time she had a wonderful smile as we reminisced about the blueberry farm and her family. We can take comfort in the knowledge that her pain and suffering have ceased. Yet, whenever death arrives it is a shock. In these moments, lean on one another for comfort and consolation. Drink extra water, get some nourishment, allow the tears to flow and trust in the promises that God loves Linda and each one of us no matter what!