By Rev. Chris Harris, Associate Rector
According to Dr. Randal Bell in his book Post-Traumatic Thriving, when a traumatic event hits — such as a pandemic, it can either take us down a dark path or act as a catalyst for remarkable change. In a recent sermon, I mentioned how I have seen so many of you make changes in your life over the last year — changing careers to something more in alignment with your values or passions, moving across the country to be closer to family, taking on a new spiritual practice like weekly bible study or morning prayer, going back to school, changing jobs to work from home, exercising more, saving money, cooking at home, etc. — several of you are even discerning ordained ministry!
And of course, these kinds of life changes happen all the time, with or without a pandemic. It can happen when we wake one morning to find ourselves “empty nesters” when our kids go off to college. We can receive a scary medical diagnosis. Our employers can pick up and move out of state or close our department without warning. While everyday life certainly brings its share of change to our lives, I think there is no question that COVID has been a catalyst for a large number of us to consider changes in our lives that a year ago would have been unimaginable.
This fall, Christ Church Cranbrook will begin a season-long series on how we can THRIVE amidst the change that our post-pandemic has thrust upon us. We will explore this theme in a variety of ways; through our preaching, a Sunday lunch-n-learn series, a Wednesday night small group/dinner gatherings, and more.
And we want to hear from you!
How has the pandemic affected you for the better? How have you found yourself THRIVING as never before despite the unwanted changes that have been thrust upon you? How has Christ Church Cranbrook helped you to flourish despite the grief and sense of loss you might be experiencing?
And so to help us kick this off, I want to invite YOU to share your experiences, your practices, your surprises and your epiphanies. It might be something big, or more likely, something quite small. But whatever it is, if you have found yourself thriving because of it, share it with us!
Email your stories or responses at charris@christchurchcranbrook.org