A recent Harvard University study caught my attention this week. Researchers found that scrolling on electronic devices before bedtime can significantly disrupt sleep. The blue light from screens suppresses melatonin, the hormone that signals to our bodies it is time to rest, and disrupts our natural daily rhythm. Remarkably, just a few minutes of late-night scrolling can delay sleep more than drinking a double espresso. No wonder so many of us feel groggy in the morning.
And we do scroll constantly. We scroll up and down and swipe left and right. Scrolling has become second nature, shaping how we communicate, how we relax, and even how we measure our worth. For some, it brings connection and comfort. For others, it increases stress, anxiety, and loneliness. Experts agree that heavy, unfiltered scrolling, especially before sleep, can take a toll on both mental health and rest.
The irony, of course, is that the word “scroll” is anything but modern. Long before smartphones, words were written on papyrus and parchment, stitched together, and rolled at each end. To read, you did not swipe. You slowly unrolled. These scrolls preserved sacred texts, legal records, and community history for centuries, until the codex, pages bound together like a book, came into wider use during the time of Julius Caesar.
This Sunday, we are reclaiming the scroll in a very different way.
As part of our 150th Anniversary celebration at St. John’s, we will invite worshippers to avoid late-night scrolling the evening before. We want hearts and minds fresh and wide awake, especially when our youngsters step forward to open a symbolic scroll. There will be no screens and no devices, just paper, hands, and an important message.
Each month this year, a new scroll will help us look back and remember the pastors and people who shaped our ministry, beginning with our founding pastor, George W. Drees. As a special treat, we will welcome Arden Strasser, current pastor of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, the congregation from which Pastor Drees came to plant this church, who will proclaim the Word among us.
Join us for worship this Sunday, January 18, at 9:30 AM. Set the phone down a little earlier the night before. Rest well and come ready to open something meaningful.
And if you absolutely must scroll, you can always visit www.saintjohnslindy.com and scroll through our pages for more information.
Blessings,
Pastor Marc
