It was early April, 2020. We were in the heart of the Coronavirus pandemic. Schools were closed. Stores were closed. Churches were closed. I was serving as Minister to Senior Adults at First Baptist Church in Wilmington (where I still serve.) I couldn’t visit the homebound members I usually saw. We had canceled all services, including the Tuesday Noon Church, where I led worship on a weekly basis. I was looking for a way to stay connected to our members and to offer some spiritual encouragement during those long, uncertain days.
So I began writing Hunkered Down Homilies. I was inspired by a box turtle ENan and I saw while walking around our neighborhood. I observed how he stayed “hunkered down” in his shell, although occasionally he peeked out to see what was happening around him. I figured I would write the homilies for three or four weeks, then life would be back to normal and they would no longer be relevant. After much encouragement and some nudging from readers of my musings, I find myself, over four years later, still writing.
It has been suggested to me, however, that maybe the title of my homilies (which I describe as Sermon McNuggets) needs to change. We are far beyond the “shelter in place” period of American life. Americans are traveling more and participating in more activities than ever. ENan and I have been accused of “always going somewhere,” a label we proudly wear.
I have been searching for a new name for the homilies, and I think I have settled upon a title that fits – HD Homilies.
The HD is a nod to the origin of my homilies for those purists who do not like change. Some friends have said they think of “hunkered down” as getting focused and centered and not connected to Covid days at all. The HD allows for some other applications as well. It could stand for “Holy Dialogue” as deep calls out to deep. It could stand for “High Definition” like the expensive televisions that allow for a clearer picture. HD may be an abbreviation for “Happy Days” or “Hellish Days” depending on your situation (or mine.) You may see HD and think “Hey Dude!” as though God is trying to get your attention as He did with Moses at the burning bush. (Exodus 3:1-4) I am sure you can create some other extensions for HD as well...
However you read it, I hope you will keep reading. Let me know where God gets your attention.
-Dr. Jim Baldwin