By Beth Lefever, Student Minister

My mother-in-law, Grace, who came to Elkhart for Thanksgiving, and to Muncie for church the Sunday after, has owned a health food store since the 1950s. It is now operated by her daughter, and has grown to supermarket size, and both my mother-in-law and her daughter are highly regarded in the York County, Pennsylvania, area – and beyond – for their expertise in health foods and alternative medicines.

I occasionally scoff at some of the more esoteric theories and practices that Grace suggests, but when I came down with a cold over Thanksgiving, a cold which threatened the preservation of my voice for preaching on Sunday, it was my mother-in-law to whom I desperately turned for help. She had me sucking garlic cloves all weekend, and rubbing on "Thieves Oil," a combination of essential oils, including clove (clove and garlic are not scents that merge pleasantly, by the way), and I both felt better, and though raspy in the pulpit, was able to keep my voice. My respect for Grace’s knowledge increased, as well.

I don’t believe I was contagious on Sunday, but I made it clear that I would be keeping my distance, just in case. And I must say, keeping my distance with you was hard and sad for me. We are a relational church, a church of, as Thomas says, Beloved Community. And to not be able to move freely and closely within the community is a loss.

It is to your credit that I felt the loss so keenly. You, as a church, truly exemplify Beloved Community. You are generous, warm, caring, and affirming. I love sharing you with my friends and family who are able to come down for a visit. I love sharing you with my husband. And I so very much love learning, growing and serving, here, within your midst.

And just a note about "Thieves Oil": it derived from a group of 15th century thieves who rubbed oils on themselves to avoid contracting the plague while they robbed the bodies of the dead and dying. Hmmm…