an ineffective ritual

I've been struggling emotionally for several days now. Last week we heard that another family has decided to leave here (though I imagine it will be quite a while before they can actually move). I mentioned scapegoating a month ago; that's what I felt I was seeing here. But I wasn't sure whether it would end with them actually leaving the community.

And I don't think this will rid us of the community's transgressions or reconcile us. Maybe a good theme for worship next Sunday would be repentance.

I tried to do what I could to prevent this from happening, especially now, when we're struggling to find some common ground among all of us and come together to meet the urgent practical needs here. And I've been trying to get us all together to see what we can do to meet those needs. It's been a little frustrating because several families have been away recently (taking vacations, which is understandable after the long, busy farm season). But now I'm glad that it has been delayed. Because it's important to let the heavy discouragement of another departure fade a bit, before we try to move forward as a community again. I'm hoping to stir a spirit of unity and generosity; it would do us good to see people stepping up to help each other in a hard time. But I think the current spirit here needs some time to dissipate first.