"All the Feelings" by Jason Edwards

There's a section on the Merriam-Webster Dictionary website entitled "Words We're Watching." Within that section, there is a phrase I have noticed appearing in conversations more often over the past few years. I wonder if you've noticed this phrase or the reality it represents appearing in your conversations over the past several months. The phrase: "All the feels."

The word "feels" is short for "feelings" or "emotions." Most often, when I hear the phrase, it sounds something like "I'm just feeling all the feelings right now," which means in response to something that just happened, the person is experiencing a collection of strong emotions all at once. Merriam-Webster admits that "only time will tell if the feels will last long enough to warrant a new entry in the dictionary," but I have to imagine that this strange time we're living in is only increasing its usage frequency.

Right now, many of us often find we're feeling all the feels. In a wonderfully insightful article released by Harvard Business Review in March, Scott Berinato's headline declared: "That Discomfort You're Feeling is Grief." Berinato describes (at quite an early stage in this pandemic season) how so many of us are grieving right now, and how that grief is affecting everything. It's important to remember that grief isn't just something that happens when someone we love has died. Grief happens any time we experience a loss, small or large. In that regard, almost any change can be accompanied by some measure of grief. Think about that for a moment. How many alterations to your expected way of doing things have you had to endure in a short period of time?

It's important to name this because when we're in the thick of it (as we are), we often cannot clearly see how much our grief is affecting … everything. That frustration you're feeling over ______. That anger you're feeling toward _____. That sadness you're feeling because of _______. It may be about that experience, person, event, or plan to which you are directing your energy, or it may be about something else. What is certain? We're all grieving. With that comes a certain pervasive collection of the feels.

But the feels of grief are not all we're feeling. Within the interruption of our routines, many have also uncovered treasures they'd like to hold on to in the seasons beyond this season. Some have identified a life pace that has been renewing. Households have enjoyed (at least some) of their newfound togetherness. In the necessary adaptation, new creativity and possibilities have emerged. Most are experiencing a wide range of all kinds of emotions each and every week. There's fear, frustration, apprehension, loneliness, impatience, and worry, alongside wonder, creativity, compassion, renewal, gratitude, and grace. And that is just a sampling. We're feeling all the feels, and this is as true in our church life as it has ever been as we move into the fall.

We're feeling grateful for the generosity of so many of you. Grateful for your generosity of spirit and your generosity of finances. So much ministry that is supported by your giving is happening here and around the world through Second Baptist Church. So, while we continue to be concerned about the impact of this pandemic on our tithes and offerings, we also continue to be grateful to God and you for continued support. Likewise, we're hopeful that, as we pay attention to the data and listen to the recommendations of our Re-Opening the Building Task Force, you will continue to demonstrate a generosity of spirit as we adapt in so many ministry areas (i.e., worship, Bible study, mission, ministry, hospitality, care ministry, etc.) in this unprecedented time. We are grateful for your generosity.

Even more, we're also encouraged and excited about the ways our ministry together will continue to grow in the future. As you receive this, we're celebrating the one-year anniversary of Emmitt Drumgoole joining us, which was also the launch of our Pastoral Residency. As we do, we're so encouraged that our Pastoral Residency has expanded faster than we anticipated. Because of a grant from the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation, we're already welcoming another Pastoral Resident, Andrea Huffman. Andrea's arrival represents new possibilities for us in ministry this year, and the next step in our Catalyst goal to grow as a teaching congregation. In the midst of this good news, we're also celebrating the calling of our new Children's Pastor, Angie Fuller. Angie is already working hard toward enriching our ministry to young 2BC families and reaching new ones, just as she's dreaming with us toward strengthening our children's discipleship. This is energizing. Mission partnerships continue to grow and be formed; new small group opportunities continue to emerge; creative worship opportunities continue to be offered. We continue to be the church, and with each passing week apart, we grow in longing for our eventual in-person reunion. We know it will be sweet, full of all the feels.

As we continue to feel all the feels this month — the grief that surrounds school, work, worship, and other routines not being as we long for them to be — alongside the gratitude of God's grace emerging in our lives in so many unanticipated ways — may you also feel the nearness of God's ever-present presence, nurturing comfort, compassion, courage, and care in you and through you. We certainly all need it.

Feeling … hopeful,
Jason Edwards, 
Senior Pastor