There is a well-known portion of the Hebrew Scriptures which says, “To everything there is a Season, a time for every purpose under Heaven.”

In this crazy, locked down, bottled up, socially distanced time in which we live at the moment, one has to wonder if there is any purpose to this global health crisis, if there is any real purpose under Heaven for what we have all had to endure.

As we come to the end of 2020 — a year that will go down in infamy (to borrow Roosevelt’s famous phrase) – we need to stop and look at where we are and what we’ve done.  Indeed, I believe we need to celebrate the Season – this Season under Heaven — that it was for Pacific Health Ministry.

We have continued to do our work and meet together, even it is mostly by Zoom.  We have done creative ministry and service for patients, families, and staff.  We have shown up at Hawai’i’s hospitals to give care and comfort even when it has felt lonely and isolating.  We have trained residents and interns.  We’ve raised scholarship funds.  People are pursuing new careers in religious service and public ministry.  We’ve helped other health providers live in unknown and scary times.  We have never lost sight of the larger community of Hawai’i that is the place we serve.   From where I sit, I know the people of PHM have been faithful in their calling and much, much more.

We haven’t given up or given in.  Instead, we’re finding new and innovative ways to be true to our commitments as Hawai’i’s spiritual care and education organization.  And we’ve never lost sight of our mission, our calling to compassionate care.

So let’s be thankful for all of that.  And let’s always acknowledge our deep appreciation for spouses, partners, family members, colleagues and friends who join us.  Let’s be grateful for outstanding leadership from the Board, staff, preceptors, lead chaplains, educators, the ED and all who make what we do function.  And let’s hold onto our optimism and clear vision for the future.  None of that has changed.  COVID may have created challenges we never thought we would face.  But COVID has not defeated us, nor our brothers and sisters around the world.  We pray for them and the whole world community.  We pray for the pastors, chaplains, and health care workers everywhere.  And we trust they pray for us.

“To everything there is a Season, a time for every purpose under Heaven”.  2020 was not the Season we had planned or wanted. But it is strangely one that has called us to our best purposes — to a renewal our calling and commitments, to a new energy for creative and selfless ministry, and to being a stronger, more genuine, caring, loving community than we have ever been.

So, we end this Season of 2020 and look forward to 2021.  We look hopefully to a new vaccine, to a revitalized health care system, to a reinvigorated world community, and to another year of service and care.  Let’s be thankful for who we are, where we have been, and where we will go as the people of the Divine One.

May the message that comes from all our religious traditions fill us with hope and bless our ministry as we look to the New Year.  All our traditions tell a story of peace, hope, justice, and goodwill for everyone.  May we never fail to the Messengers of that story in this time and in this place.

Thank you everyone at PHM for all you do.

Aloha,

Rev. John Moody