Rachel Burton

Which Parish Area you live in? City South

If you could describe your pandemic experience in 3 words, which would you choose? Reflection, reinvention, rediscovery

You've stayed very busy since March. What are some of the places you've been able to serve during the pandemic? One of the ways I was able to serve during this time was volunteering weekly with RPS to prepare and distribute meals to students and their families. It was so beautiful to see the tangible ways God’s eyes were on even this small community as evidenced through the care and compassion from this group of cafeteria workers, bus drivers, administrators and volunteers.

What do you want to share with the Third community about what you’ve learned or witnessed during these experiences? This season I feel like God keeps reminding me that these past months are not a distraction from or a disruption to His purposes for this community or any other - or His purposes for me; rather, the God who is ordering the affairs of nations during a global pandemic is also intimately concerned with teaching me how to better love my husband and kids, how to surrender my misplaced attempts at control and how to enter more deeply into the pain of those around me - and this was always going to be the backdrop against which He did it.

Have you seen any gifts of this season? I think when we look back at the gifts of this season, we will remember a renewed appreciation for our family and friends and for the gift of time together, leisurely weekend camping trips and afternoons by the river, and (re)learning to trust in God and His timing when our year looks nothing like we thought it would.
 
What is your prayer for our church community right now? My prayer for our church right now is that during what can be an extremely isolating and disconnected time, people would experience a deep sense of community - and continue to find meaningful and creative ways to extend Christ and community to others.