Dear One’s of St. C’s, 

Here at St. Columba’s we are beginning to explore what it means to discover our roots to build our future.  This is the project that Alissa, our Vicar, has tasked us with doing from now until mid-October, while she is on sabbatical.  We get to ask the foundational and formational questions, who am I as an individual and who are we when we all come together?  Part of what makes church so special is that it is a place where we are asked to understand a piece of our identity connected to a community of people.  What makes you, you and what makes us at St. C’s us?  I truly believe that everyone person who walks through our doors changes us somehow and the longer a person stays the larger the impact is felt.  In order to welcome in new people and expand and grow, we must know what we are desiring to welcome people in to.  As we change and grow, we must have a sense of who we want to become as a community.  I am excited to explore these common threads that have existed throughout St. Columba’s existence.  Who walks through our doors?  Who stays for awhile on their faith journey?  And who really digs their roots in deep?  How do all these people impact and change us?

We are going to be doing this good work over the next 4 months.  We will be giving you opportunities to dig into your ancestral stories as well as this communities’ history.  The beginning of this journey started last week with our Celtic Spirituality class.  Where we learned about the history of the Celtic Christianity, St. Columba and the Iona Abbey.  This week we are going to look at Celtic values and how they show up at St. Columba’s.  How are we already living into these Celtic values and how might we incorporate more of this heritage into our church?

On June 13th Anna Pringle and I will host an experience to explore our property through the lens and gifts of Celtic Spirituality.  We will cross thresholds into the community garden, the bees' home, and what will be the Memorial Garden.  We will explore pilgrimage, thresholds, finding God in nature and within our own creativity.  We will explore these spaces on our property that say something of who we are as a church community and where we are going.  Come join us!  All are welcome.

with hope, 

Meghan