Dear Ones of St. Columba's,

I am writing this in Memphis, TN, where I have been invited, along with my co-author Phil, to do some workshops and facilitation for the congregations here. Last night we met with members of thirteen different congregations and talked about change, anxiety, and all the things that congregations everywhere have faced since the pandemic began almost three years ago. 

The first story we tell in Vital Christian Community, in the introduction to the book, is a story about you, St. Columba's. It's a story about the day in summer of 2020 when our youth group led us in our own Black Lives Matter protest, after doing a month of online discussion together about race and discrimination, expertly led by Vibh Cox and Elaine Ogden. I was transformed by what I experience with you that very hot summer day, as many of us walked down to the corner of 272nd and Military and held our signs declaring that Black Lives Matter. It wasn't the biggest march in the world, there were maybe 30 of us. It wasn't noteworthy to anyone but us and maybe some of the cars driving by. But that moment was one that inspired me, and helped me hold on to hope for the future in the midst of that very complicated and difficult summer. 

This week in Adult Formation we are going to talk about the introduction and first chapter of the book Phil and I wrote (thank you Adult Formation folks for suggesting this!), and we'll talk about the core purpose of church. There is a model for this, and lots of stories in the book. One thing I want to lift up is that being church is not a static thing. Like love, church is a verb. It's what we do together that makes us Christian community. 

So why do we church? Well, we do it because it helps us heal, and is part of God's dream to make the world whole. I know, that sounds like a big thing, but it happens through a series of small things. Weekly worship, little moments of big grace, like the ones I write about in the book. Small vulnerabilities and regular Christmases and all the ins and outs of choosing to love God together. I am reminded of that every week, when I look out into the congregation and see you.

with care and hope,

Alissa