This was Family Center week. Our fourth month of providing food for dinner but with no personal contact with either those whom we so enjoy serving alongside of, or the families we so enjoy seeing relish the crispy chicken tenders, homemade macaroni and cheese, “Daddy green beans”, and the best colorful fresh fruit. I miss the jolly dishwashers teasing me about sending back silverware that didn’t quite get all the macaroni cleaned off. I miss each server who has developed their personal area of expertise and style – Roberta dishing out mac, Maris “selling” milk to the kids, Al teasing and laughing with the kids, Rita and Beata bouncing babies, Susie and Katie having a lively song fest, and Tim scrubbing high chairs and finding connections with family stories. As I was assembling and collecting macaroni from several of our faithful mac makers, I thought about how macaroni is symbolic of comfort and hoped that even though we could not be serving in person, the warm and lovingly prepared food would provide a touch of comfort to the families at the Center.
As I was thinking about macaroni as a comfort food, my mind wandered to other things I’ve been able to do during this time of comparative isolation which also have a link to providing comfort. I’ve dabbled a bit in hemming comforters for the Piecemakers and have made a fair number of masks for family, friends and the Family Center. Thinking about our grandchildren planning for a possible return to school this fall, I also figured they would need masks as part of their likely “school supplies.” It was fun selecting colorful novelty fabric to make them customized masks.
Four months without gathering in person at CMC has seemed like a long time and we have more separation to get used to. I so appreciate the thoughtfully and artfully produced Sunday morning services and the weekly sharing through the Daily Connector. I have to admit that feeling the presence of the Spirit is much easier for me when in community then when I’m left to my own devices. So thinking about the symbolism of macaroni, comforters, and masks as reminders of connection with all of you and with the Spirit has felt good. I don’t think that is exactly what Jesus had in mind when he assured the disciples that even though he would be leaving them, the Comforter would be coming to be with them in all circumstances. I hope that each of you might recognize some part of your Covid life that feels like the Comforter walking alongside you.
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The CMC Connector began soon after the start of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders in Ohio and will continue throughout the summer based on available content, coordinated through the Columbus Mennonite Church office. Contributors are associated with the church. For more information and to sign up, go HERE. Look for articles Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday with the pastors’ blog on Wednesday. All articles are posted on the website columbusmennonite.org/blog.
Mim Halterman
Columbus Mennonite Church
Administrative Assistant
KCMCS Program Coordinator
mim@columbusmennonite.org
