I heard a term that is new to me the other day: “Juneuary.” It is an amalgam of June and January. The term was used by the Bellingham Herald to describe the weather that is forecast for the next few days around here. An atmospheric river will drop between 1 and 2 inches of rain in the Whatcom County lowlands today through Tuesday. Normal June rainfall is 1.61 inches. We could get more than that from a single storm in the first three days of the month. The weather pattern moving into our area is very similar to a winter storm, but temperatures are forecast to be higher than is the case in the winter. According to the article, the term “Juneuary” is a common colloquialism in this part of the country. I guess that the fact that I had not before heard the term is because I haven’t lived her long enough to see this type of storm.

The atmospheric river that is causing our rain is also known locally as a “pineapple express” because the rain clouds develop over the South Pacific and travel north and east until they com ashore in our area. Predictions from the Northwest River Forecast Center show that although the rivers will rise, the Nooksack River should remain below flood stage. The Nooksack has flooded a few times since we moved into this area, but our home is far enough away that the flooding has caused very little inconvenience for us.

Nonetheless, I’m not very excited about the forecast. Our tomatoes are already looking a bit glum because they aren’t getting enough sunlight. The plants are tall, over two feet high, with lots of blossoms and a few tomatoes beginning to set, but the plants are thin and don’t have many leaves on the bottom of the plants. What they need is sunshine. Well, what they need is more sunshine. I’m making it sound like we haven’t had any and that isn’t true. Yesterday was a day without any rain and it was sunny most of the day and there have been several days this week that have been a mix of clouds and sunshine.

The rain might put a bit of a damper on my spirits, though it isn’t likely. I’ve been looking forward to tomorrow for some time. It will be the second week for us of leading worship at Lummi Island Congregational Church. We are providing leadership while their pastor is on a vacation. And tomorrow we will be celebrating communion with the congregation.

Celebrating communion was a part of my life for many years. I was licensed to serve a congregation during my last year of college, 1973-74. I celebrated communion with that congregation. The next year we were off to seminary where we celebrated communion regularly with the seminary community and in 1978 we were ordained to the ministry and began a life of celebrating communion regularly. It was such a part of my life that I had the liturgy from the book of worship memorized. I know the words of institution and prayers of consecration by heart. During the last decade of our active ministry, I worked hard at developing new communion liturgies that gave the words of institution and consecration to the congregation. Our Rapid City congregation became used to having the traditional words printed in the bulletin as responsive readings and unison prayers.

Then, in June of 2020, we retired. I stopped being the officiant at communion. There were many things about retirement to which I was looking forward, but somehow it feels like I didn’t think through what it would be like to suddenly stop celebrating the sacrament. It isn’t that I have been absent from communion. I still receive communion regularly and I am grateful to be part of a worshipping congregation that celebrates regularly. But I have not been the one to break the bread or raise the cup. I have not put the stole around my neck with a prayer in preparation to serve a congregation. I didn’t know how much I would miss it.

I have had some experience with retired pastors. We have had retired pastors in the congregations we have served throughout our careers. At one point, when we were serving Rapid City, there were ten retired pastors in the congregation. I made a point of having them participate in serving communion from time to time and I frequently called upon retired clergy to serve communion in care centers and homes. I was used to the retired pastors expressing their gratitude for being invited to lead. I just didn’t think about how I would feel when I retired.

Tomorrow we will celebrate with a small island congregation and no amount of rain will dampen my spirits. I’m ready to gear up in full rain coat, pants and boots to ride the ferry and take the shuttle bus to the church. It can be pouring rain and I will have a sunny disposition. And I will be grateful to the pastor who invited us to lead the congregation.

I believe that the sacraments belong to the congregation. That is why I worked to develop liturgies that gave the formal words of institution and consecration to the congregation. I believe that ministers are ordained to serve, not to be in authority over congregations. I don’t need to be in charge. But there are some actions and some words that have become so ingrained over the years of serving that I miss them. Celebrating communion is near the top of the list.

At its heart the sacrament is one of connection. When we celebrate we remind ourselves of Christians who celebrate all around the world and of generations of faith people who have celebrated throughout the history of the church. We sense our connection with those who will come after us. I believe in those connections deeply. I am connected to the congregations I once served even though I have moved away. When they celebrate, I am still present. I don’t need to be dressed in a robe and stole and standing in front to be connected. When I taste the bread and cup, I am connected regardless of who says the words and leads the service.

But this weekend, rain or shine, I will recall decades of congregations and so many people with whom I’ve been able to share even though it will be a small congregation, perhaps even smaller than usual because of the rain. “Wherever two or three are gathered,” the scripture promises the presence of Christ. We will gather. And I will give thanks.