Hello family, friends, and future friends -
Holy week, which is arguably one of the busiest weeks in the church year and a special kind of chaos for solo pastors in the first few months of their first call, seems to also be the time that the universe is prodding me to explore new projects and resurrect old ones. God's funny like that.
Since Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter sunrise services are locked in and the Easter sermon is underway, now seemed like a good time to pause and update this little exchange with people I love near and far.
I'm absolutely loving life in Colorado and the adventure of serving a new community. The building in which we seek God and community is a beauty and a beast - 100 + years old, full of memories and possibilities. I'm currently working with a few brave and dedicated souls to sift through the paperwork of the last many decades, figuring out the history, the historic registries, the grants, the ghosts, and all the rest. My understanding is that it's pretty impossible to move forward if you don't know where you've been.
I'm also working with some talented minds and compassionate hearts on a project I've been pecking away at for a few years - building a road map for churches that want to commit to being Slave Free. If you're interested in helping out as a part of that, let me know.
Finally, I'm gaining clarity just by virtue of how challenging I sometimes find it to focus on week-to-week tasks. I love the people. I love preaching and listening and learning. It is hard for me to quiet the fact that I get quite revved up (ha!) about the idea that the church is a necessary vehicle for radical love, for absolute inclusion, and a voice for justice that rolls like a river. Maybe that consistent call to act, and help others to act, in the name of justice isn't a distraction at all. Maybe that is the call.
I guess we'll find out.
Holy week, which is arguably one of the busiest weeks in the church year and a special kind of chaos for solo pastors in the first few months of their first call, seems to also be the time that the universe is prodding me to explore new projects and resurrect old ones. God's funny like that.
Since Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter sunrise services are locked in and the Easter sermon is underway, now seemed like a good time to pause and update this little exchange with people I love near and far.
I'm absolutely loving life in Colorado and the adventure of serving a new community. The building in which we seek God and community is a beauty and a beast - 100 + years old, full of memories and possibilities. I'm currently working with a few brave and dedicated souls to sift through the paperwork of the last many decades, figuring out the history, the historic registries, the grants, the ghosts, and all the rest. My understanding is that it's pretty impossible to move forward if you don't know where you've been.
I'm also working with some talented minds and compassionate hearts on a project I've been pecking away at for a few years - building a road map for churches that want to commit to being Slave Free. If you're interested in helping out as a part of that, let me know.
Finally, I'm gaining clarity just by virtue of how challenging I sometimes find it to focus on week-to-week tasks. I love the people. I love preaching and listening and learning. It is hard for me to quiet the fact that I get quite revved up (ha!) about the idea that the church is a necessary vehicle for radical love, for absolute inclusion, and a voice for justice that rolls like a river. Maybe that consistent call to act, and help others to act, in the name of justice isn't a distraction at all. Maybe that is the call.
I guess we'll find out.
Dear Laurie: It is so fun to read your blog and "catch" your enthusiasm. The radical, absolute and all it involves is something that is gripping to me and is starting to wonder what shape or form it will be.
ReplyDeleteI would love to know what defines "Slave Free".
In the meantime I love the image of you nestled in viewing the majesty of the mountains - on Holy ground.
Teri Piacenza