Our First Lesson from Exodus 5 ends at the darkest moment in Moses' life. In tears he calls out to God, blaming God for sending him to help the Hebrew children. Our Gospel ends with Jesus' death on the cross for our salvation. Both look like the end, a picture of complete darkness. But looking at the "Story", we realize that this is only Act 2. There is an Act 3, no matter how bleak Act 2 is.
Church members and friends can support St. John's By-the-Sea by visiting our website https://www.stjohnsbythesea.com/donate, where a donation can be made by PayPal or credit card, if you prefer that to mailing your donations to the church.