10,000 Steps
I downloaded a new step-counting app a few weeks ago—a novelty to motivate me towards improved fitness. I can’t tell you how many Fitbits and clip-on pedometers I’ve misplaced over the years, as if losing each measuring device were a good excuse for not having to exercise! The new app isn’t much different from the last one I had on my phone except that it tells me when I’ve perambulated enough to be considered “slightly active” as opposed to “sedentary,” and that, apparently, is incentive enough to make me want to accumulate small triumphs.
Incremental improvements seem to be achievable, and they are said to be surprisingly beneficial. Some recent studies show that miniscule amounts of movement make a huge impact on health and well-being. Walking briskly or dancing around joyfully for just 11 minutes a day increases life span, according to research done by the Norwegian School of Sports Medicine in 2020. And by the way, for an upbeat playlist that lasts just over 11 minutes, string together “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars,” and “Handclap” by Fitz and the Tantrums. Longevity will be yours! (So says mind-body coach Dana Santas in a piece for CNN.)
I find encouragement in knowing that positive change can come from taking small and steady steps. I doubt very much that I will ever, for example, run a marathon, but that doesn’t preclude me from striding toward other mile markers. Audacious goals can be inspiring, but they can also turn out to be debilitating. I’m grateful that most of life’s choices don’t have to be quite so unrelenting. On a continuum between ALL and NOTHING, there are infinite points!
When people’s steps follow the Lord,
God is pleased with their ways.
If they stumble, they will not fall,
because the Lord holds their hand.
Psalm 37: 23-24 (NCV)
Step by step. Eleven minutes at a time. Perhaps that’s how we’ll make progress toward collective well-being in a society endangered by all-or-nothing-ness. Folks seem to easily fall into the fallacy of dualism—that there are only ever two choices in a matter, that there are only ever two sides to line up on, that there are only ever correct and incorrect answers. When we get caught up in that kind of thinking—that kind of being—we cannot avail ourselves of the infinite healthy possibilities located somewhere other than THIS or THAT, NOW or LATER. We forget that solutions can be THIS AND THAT, NOW AND LATER.
If there were an app for counting the steps I take in following God, it would have to include a category for the times when I stumble and don’t quite get there, like when I give intolerance a pass or let injustice slide. But the app would also have to include a category to show where God reaches out a hand and helps me get back on track. Every step I take toward understanding my neighbor moves me from “apathy” toward “compassion,” and from “passivity” toward “empathy.” “LOVE” is the 10,000 step goal, and when I get there, animated confetti pours across the screen.
Step with Me,
Pastor Chris
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Worship Opportunities at College Hill Moravian Church
May 2, 2021– 10:00 AM
Parking Lot Worship
When weather permits, we’ll have outdoor speakers set up in the church parking lot. If you bring along a lawn chair, you’ll be able to sit outside your vehicle and listen to the worship service. Please wear a mask and maintain a safe distance from those who live outside of your bubble.
Livestream on YouTube by searching for College Hill Moravian Church
Virtual Activities
Virtual Fellowship Time on Zoom – Sundays at 11:30 a.m.
Everyone is welcome! Whether you’ve become a “regular” at these gatherings, or you’re thinking about dropping by for the very first time, please use the Zoom link below, or join by phone if you do not use a device with a screen.
To join by computer, tablet or smart phone, please go to
To join by phone (no video), dial:
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 998 3134 7702
Zoom Prayers–Sundays at 6:30 p.m.
We offer Zoom Prayers on Sunday evenings at 6:30. We come together to share simply in intercessory prayer on behalf of our congregation, community, and world. We usually conclude by 7:00 p.m. All are welcome!
To join by computer, tablet, or smart phone, please go to
To join by phone (no video), dial:
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 919 6174 3369
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