Category Archives: Ministry Reflections

So You’re Shopping for a Study Bible

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It’s December, and someone on your Christmas List wants a Study Bible.  Or, you want to put a Study Bible on your wishlist.  How should you choose?

If you’re reading this post, I assume the following about you and your recipient:

  • You’re part of a progressive Christian tradition.  You’re mainline Protestant – UCC or otherwise.
  • You’re looking for something scholarly.  Your use cases include following along with the texts from Sunday’s church service, devotional study of the Bible, and an intellectual curiosity about historical context, authorship, and form.  
  • You’re also looking for a study Bible with recent scholarship. 
  • You’re looking for something easy to use.  You’re also looking for articles, maps, and footnotes.
  • You want your Biblical interpretation to support being a good neighbor.
  • You’re looking for a physical Bible, rather than an app or an online-only resource.

-The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha: New Revised Standard Version, 5th Edition. Also excellent: The Harper Collins Study Bible, NRSV. Why? The NRSV was released in 1989 and remains the standard for most mainline Protestant churches. It’s in the pews at Pilgrim Church, for example. My Oxford Annotated NRSV is still my go to Bible – and 30 years later it turns out the paperback binding was not the right choice. Splurge on the hardcover! If you’re really going for the very latest scholarly translation, you want the NRSVUE – The New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition. The NRSVUE was just released which means most Study Bibles do not include the NRSVUE. There is a Lutheran Study Bible, Second Edition (New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition) from 2025. Looking for one for a teen? Generally, youth study Bibles from the past 10 years that rely on the NRSV and are published by SparkHouse or Cokesbury are worthwhile choices.

–The Jewish Annotated New Testament edited by Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler.  Why? The scholarship in this edition helps us avoid antisemitism.

–The Inclusive Bible, The First Egalitarian Translation by Priests for Equality. Why?  The scholarship is good, the language is poetic. However, this is not a study Bible, so it’s a second volume for your shelf.

These are my recommendations!

+Pastor Reebee

Pastoral Letter on Freedom

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Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Conscience, Freedom of the Pulpit

In this time of profound and swift cultural change, we are buffeted by strong winds.  While there are many dramatic headlines of late, I have been watching some related to the freedoms that are central to the US, and pondering how these events relate to my pastoral role and to our shared life in this faith community.

A few weeks ago the General Counsel of the UCC offered concern that houses of worship receiving federal grants for building security may be required to align with the principles of the current federal administration.  (http://ucc.org/federal-grants-local-churches-must-review-and-understand-requirements/ ) While Pilgrim Church has not applied for such security grants, this letter from the national UCC stunned me. The broader risk pointed to by this memo is that of limiting the freedom of a local congregation to discern its beliefs, limiting a local congregation’s freedom to speak based on the faith held by those gathered, and limiting a preacher’s freedom to speak from their individual faith and conviction.  As a Congregationalist, reading our General Counsel’s advice, I grew concerned about freedom of religion.   As a pastor in a tradition that affirms the freedom of the pulpit, I wondered what the next headline would say.

A story unfolded over the last two weeks that might feel totally unrelated to church business.  It began with an awful event – and let me be clear that I condemn violence against anyone and mourn for all deaths from violence. That terrible and violent event quickly became the rationale for limiting free speech, including the cancellation of a program because government officials did not approve of the host’s speech. (After major public pushback, today’s headline is that this late night program will go back on the national network but not all local affiliates.) While TV and ministry don’t generally overlap, these two matters feel related to me.  Freedom of speech and freedom of religion are enshrined in the first amendment of the US Constitution. 

In my years at Pilgrim this has been my steadfast practice: to never be partisan in my pastoral role, meaning that I never endorse candidates for public office and I respect that members of our community may vote differently from one another, according to our conscience. I hold to that principle even since the Johnson amendment has been set aside. I also believe deeply in speaking kindly whenever it is possible, and it’s always possible (to paraphrase the Dalai Lama).  But as a pastor and preacher, I balance a commitment to non-partisanship and kindness with the principle of Freedom of the Pulpit. Drawing on freedom of the pulpit as described in my call agreement and in the principles of the United Church of Christ, in my sermons and my role, I prioritize regularly speaking on matters of the common good.  Matters that are relevant to our lives beyond the walls of the congregation. Matters of the polis.  Matters of politics.  I speak to the church, not on behalf of the church, and not every church member agrees with me all the time.  In the wisdom of an ancestor, I seek to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

I do this in the lineage of the greatest preacher and teacher that I know, whose preaching and teaching I aspire most to follow, preacher Jesus.  Whose pulpit was the mount and the plain and the synagogue and the city gate, whose congregation included fellow Jews as well as Gentiles, the rich and poor, the hungry and well fed, whose sermons declared the radical notion that in the kin-dom of God no one starves. Whose sermons drew from the teachings of his ancestors in faith and whose sermons provoked the powers that were. Whose sermons, heard in our time, provoke the powers that be.  It turns out that Jesus spoke on the common good.  On matters of the polis.  Jesus’ preaching was at times political.  He is my model. 

I have, in my pastoral role over many years, preached politically.  I have lifted up issues of great importance – homelessness and hunger, reproductive justice, climate change, gun violence.  I have called upon communities to change oppressive systems.  I have shown up in my role to call upon local and national elected officials to act with wisdom and compassion and I have critiqued leaders of multiple parties when their actions have shown primary allegiance to power and profit.  I will continue to do so, even in moments when freedom seems more tenuous.

I’m a Congregationalist.  I’m a pastor in a tradition that affirms the freedom of the pulpit. I live in a country that treasures freedom of speech and freedom of religion. So I will continue speaking from my conscience, speaking my truth to the powers that be, and working for the common good.  I pray for freedom: freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of the pulpit.  Some of those freedoms are civic, and some of those freedoms are religious.  I pray also that wisdom and compassion might guide our speech and actions, now and always.

Pastor Reebee

Postscript:
It is also crucial in this moment to reflect on violence and non-violence.  I commend two recent pieces in the magazine Christian Century – the first by Lilia Ellis, the second by the Editors; they speak very clearly on this subject.

We Are Bearing Witness

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On a warm day in early August, I park my car in an unused lot between stores and office buildings.  Dozens of folks are walking toward some trees next to the sidewalk carrying water bottles, and sun hats, and signs – I’ve found the right place.  I pull on my clergy collar and rainbow stole and carry my Love Your Neighbor sign.  Within a few minutes after, there are hundreds of us, our attention turned toward a small office building.  We are Bearing Witness @ ICE.

An organizer comes to the mic to welcome us.  “We are here to support the dignity and rights of every immigrant.” He shares the story of this moment in this place. Inside the ICE facility, detainees are held in converted conference rooms, with no beds, no natural light, no clocks. Immigrants sleep on concrete floors with a toilet in the middle of a room. There is no soap. Sanitary products are not available for those menstruating. This is cruel and unusual punishment. Lawyers are not allowed to see clients being held here, and detainees are not able to contact their families. Due process is not available.  We are within sight of the Burlington Mall.

The gathered crowd walks slowly down the sidewalk.  Just before we begin to walk, our conveners ask us three questions. Are you here because you support immigrants?  We cry, yes.  Do you support the Constitution?  We cry, yes. Are you committed to nonviolent witness?  We cry, yes.  We walk or wheel or use rollators toward the main road chatting and holding banners and flags.

One Friday we gather with Blanca.  She has been called to an appointment at 7:45am and no one knows whether she will come back out of the building.  Hundreds of us sing and pray with her.  The wind blows through the trees and I find myself praying that the Holy Spirit’s wisdom and love (Hebrew: ruah – the breath of God) will blow through this innocuous-looking parking lot and move through the hearts of everyone in the ICE building.   We don’t know why and we don’t know whether our presence helped, but Blanca is released – for now.

Every time I attend, I see people I know from Lexington, Arlington, Burlington. Last week that included Pilgrim folks.

There is power in these gatherings.  Immigrants called into appointments know their neighbors care for them.  The people who work in that facility are asked by their neighbors to follow legal and ethical standards and treat every human being with dignity and due process.  For the foreseeable future, I’ll be there, most Wednesdays, 11-1.  Bearing Witness.  Would you join us?  Feel free to email me if you’d like to coordinate.

Pastor Reebee

Pastoral Letter before the 2024 Election

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Grace and Peace in these autumn days.  

You may recall that I offered a letter similar to this one in the fall of 2020.  It seems appropriate once again to reflect on my pastoral approach to  politics and elections, and our life together as a Christian community in an election season.  

I do not intentionally or in my official pastoral office offer any partisan endorsement.  This is my longstanding policy.  I respect the tradition of religious groups remaining non-partisan, and I respect that people of good conscience can come to different conclusions about which candidates they vote for.  

However, church is a place where we can share our concerns about our world.  This election season makes many of us anxious and worried.  Let me be specific: people are concerned about voting rights and ballot counting, reproductive rights, the US role in wars abroad, racism and xenophobia. These are deep and personally felt concerns. We need compassionate and brave spaces to share our concerns and I believe church needs to be that kind of space. It is beautiful that we can lift our individual and communal prayers up on Sunday morning, be held in community, and renew our own commitments to God’s creation and our neighbors.

Some have said to me, let us be careful not to assume we are all of the same opinion on the election.  That is a worthwhile reminder, and I’ll repeat my belief that people of good conscience can reach different conclusions in the ballot booth.  We do not have to agree on how our votes will be cast in order to enter into a deep spiritual practice of empathy and compassion. I urge you: if you are wondering why someone is feeling anxious, take a moment to truly listen to what is making them fearful.  Listening to one another with love and care will help us maintain community beyond election day.

Speaking of community beyond election day, I am setting aside time for reflection and prayer during the week of the November election, so watch for opportunities to gather in a group for prayer, deep compassion, and listening.  I’m also available for 1-1 conversation.  And if you are uneasy in this season and seeking daily prayer resources, you may appreciate this one from Mission Hills UCC.

I’m also deeply aware that as a pastor, I have a call to be both pastoral and prophetic. This includes drawing connections between our faith and the way we live in the world. Our faith is sometimes political – meaning that our faith is relevant to the ways we seek the common good.   In the words of Peter Bollard, “what are politics but the enactment of our values?”  Jesus himself had more than a few words to say about the Roman government, and his teachings offer timeless guidance.* As followers of Jesus, I believe that our engagement in the world should be informed by our faith and our sense of God’s yearnings for our world.

And so, there are matters of common good that I feel require me to speak.  I speak against racism, antisemitism and xenophobia.  I speak against violence and against the political incitement of violence.  I speak in support of the immigrant community and in support of my LGBTQIA+ siblings.  My Christian faith also calls me to work against voter suppression, to ensure voting rights, and to encourage you to vote according to your conscience.  Following the wisdom of our Congregational polity, I speak to the church, not for the church, and I do not claim to speak on Pilgrim Church’s behalf unless it’s on a matter about which the congregation has clearly discerned and spoken, such as being an ONA church and a church committed to caring for creation.

Being committed to these things means, for me, that I aspire not to neutrality but to actively working for the common good. I aspire to restore creation, not just avoid more damage. I aspire to be invitational to people of many gender identities, not just accepting.  I aspire to neighborliness toward siblings in other religious traditions, not just tolerance. I aspire to be anti-racist and to work against white supremacy, not to be quiet on the topic of racism.  And I believe that the Pilgrim community shares these aspirations, in every season.    

Blessings and peace,

Pastor Reebee

*Recommended: Richard Horsley’s Jesus and Empire (2002) or Obery Hendricks’ The Politics of Jesus (2006).

(Pastoral Letter to Pilgrim Church)

On Pies & Bandaids

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This reflection was originally posted as a Daily Devotional through the United Church of Christ on November 24, 2014.  

“He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them.” – Luke 10:34a

I had a terrific idea for a November Sunday School Service Project.  It was awesome.  We’d gather pumpkin pie supplies – all but the eggs – and the kids would bag them up and decorate them with cute turkeys and pumpkins and it would be perfect for the Food Pantry we support because everyone loves pie.

Then I told the pastor and the administrator for the church* that’s hosted the food pantry for 30 years my wonderful idea.  Well, that’s awfully nice, they said.  But most of our guests don’t have ovens.  Why don’t we ask our folks what they would actually need?

This is what they asked us to do: to make first aid kits – band-aids and bacitracin, soap and washcloths. On that Sunday we told the story of the Good Samaritan – and then I confessed to the kids that I had made assumptions about our neighbors’ needs.  When I paused to listen,  I heard an unexpected story.  Our kids were able to offer them bandages, and salve, and respond to our neighbors’ actual needs, not my assumptions.

Prayer

God, make us thankful people. Make us generous givers.  Make us humble listeners.  May we have some small part in your story of healing.  Amen.

*Thanks be to God for the hospitality of the Brighton Allston (Massachusetts) Congregational Church, UCC, which hosts a food pantry, a community supper and a thrift shop.

Bike Blessing

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This reflection was originally posted as a UCC Daily Devotional on January 4, 2014. It is no longer available on ucc.org.

I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. -Ephesians 1:16

I often commute by bicycle through one of the most congested neighborhoods in greater Boston, Davis Square. At rush hour, this is an obstacle course requiring absolute concentration. My goal is to arrive safely, not quickly – and thus I must stay constantly alert in order to avoid pedestrians as well as car doors. On occasion I loose focus, and get a little too close to a turning vehicle. Sometimes I hear unkind words or blaring horns.

Last week was different. For five days in a row, my commute through Davis Square included a blessing of me and my bicycle. Monday through Thursday, it was the same gentleman, standing at the bus stop, who grinned, raised his hand and called, “God bless you, have a good day, be safe!” as I pedaled past. Once while I was stopped at a light next to him, I told him how much I appreciated his blessings, and he replied “I like to look out for the cyclists, and the moms and babies, and the blind folks who come through the Square.” Friday, it was a different gentleman, who asked me and a fellow cyclist if we were having a good time on our bikes. Yes, we replied. Good, he said – I had fun commuting by bike for thirty years! And then he said, “God bless you and be safe.”

This week, as I rode through the Square, I could not stop thinking about these gentlemen, and their blessings. What gifts of peace in the storm!  I do not cease to give thanks for them and I remember them in my prayers.

Prayer

God, thank you for the folks who bless us on our way. And whether we’re commuting by foot, bus, bike or car, may we offer more blessings than blaring horns. Amen.

Associate Ministry

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Associate Ministry

Thoughts from the Journey 

 

In recent months I’ve had occasion to consider best practices in associate staff ministry several times.  First, in the context of the new clergy group I facilitate which is predominantly associate pastors; second in the interfaith religious educators group I meet with in my city; third in the context of the boundary awareness training groups I co-facilitate for our conference.  

 

It was surprising to me to realize that I’ve spent more time as an associate pastor than as a solo or senior pastor.  This has not been a matter of feeling called to associate ministry. Instead, with each search process I’ve balanced the available positions with my life circumstance in determining which call to take.  At the beginning of my ministry I was the full time breadwinner while my husband was in graduate school. The full time position available was an associate position. When our son was born, we both worked 3/4 time serving as a solo pastor. I later served as a full time interim senior pastor.   More recently, I’ve served as a half time associate pastor while my husband works more than full time. This choice has made possible more time with our son, as well as additional paid and volunteer ministry. I am the denominational counselor to UCC students at Harvard Divinity School, a boundary training developer for our conference, and a climate activist.  I foresee a return to full time solo/senior ministry in the future.

 

I’ve reviewed this list of positions simply to show that I’ve seen both sides of the associate and senior coin and feel allegiance to both types of positions.  Thus when it comes to best practices, I’m more likely to lean into best practices for any pastoral position, whether associate or senior. I have also experienced the challenges and the blessings of both solo/senior and associate ministry.

 

It’s fascinating to look back and compare the challenges and blessings of associate ministry and senior/solo ministry.  In my current associate ministry, I am blessed that the buck does not stop in my office. I am not the only pastor able to or expected to respond to a pastoral emergency. My schedule is lighter and more flexible than it has been in full time or solo positions.   I have very specific responsibilities and when I go beyond those responsibilities it is usually by my own choice to take on a project that I am passionate about, and I do so with the collaboration and support of my colleague. However, I very much miss preaching weekly, and the spiritual and scholarly discipline that requires.  I am also aware that I am not the primary vision casting leader, and on the rare occasion when my sense of vision for the congregation varies from my colleague, her vision is the one we pursue. She has final day to day decision making authority, although our congregational polity brings congregants into most of the big decisions.  The power dynamics in a multi-staff context are also complicated, and I have less influence over those dynamics as an associate. Finally, in associate ministry, my professional satisfaction is closely intertwined in my relationship with my senior pastor.

 

The interview process for an associate position is one moment when we can get a sense of what we are  getting into. I suggest talking to someone who has served as an associate with this particular senior minister.  What is the level of trust and support I’ll receive from this senior minister? How does the senior pastor cast a vision, empower the full team, and manage power dynamics?

 

In the interview process, I would ask a senior pastor and their reference these questions:

 

How involved will you be in my day to day ministry?

Do you want someone to direct, or someone with whom to collaborate?

Will you listen to my opinions?

Will you have my back?

Will you honor confidences I share with you?

 

What follows are my suggestions for associate ministry based in my own experience in multiple settings.  Asterisks indicate these are suggestions for solo/senior pastors, too. I’ve noted where these suggestions come from specific books or resources.

 

*Get a life.  This is a word from Marie Fortune of the Faith Trust Institute and means, have a robust personal life outside of your professional setting.  Practice both sabbath and self-care, and attend to relationships outside of the congregation.

 

*Get support.  My clergy covenant group has saved my spirit, kept me in ministry, and showed me what beautiful ministry looks like.  My spiritual director reminds me I am a beloved child of God and a minister with a lifelong colleague, no matter what my current ministry setting is or what challenges I face in ministry.  Therapists have helped me figure out how my family history influence my reactions and responses in ministry.

 

Stay in your lane.  In my own time as an associate this has been the most challenging thing for me.  When I perceive a ministry need that is not being addressed, I want to step up, but I need to check in with the senior pastor before doing so. When people in the congregation ask me for my opinion about something, I always have an opinion, but sometimes the best response is, I support the senior pastor on this.  When congregants ask me to function in ways that are in the senior pastor’s job description, not mine, I have to set aside the ego bump I get from the invitation and remember not to overfunction.

Sam Sanders of NPR  recently shared in a podcast episode his daily prayer: “Lord help me find my lane, Lord help me stay in my lane, Lord help me move in my land at the appropriate speed.”  (It’s Been A Minute, April 17, 2018)

 

Have professional projects where you can fully lead, and about which you are passionate, outside of your congregation.  This is especially important if you are often feeling a desire to move out of your lane in your ministry setting.

 

Lead where you have the opportunity to lead.  Many associate ministers are specialists.  For example I am fully authorized to lead the children’s programming at my current church so I do my best to lead this program area well.

 

*Stay on your side of the triangle. Bowen Family Systems Theory describes relational triangles.  (http://www.vermontcenterforfamilystudies.org/about_vcfs/the_eight_concepts_of_bowen_theory/ ) As I understand it, I am not in charge of other people’s relationships.  I do not try to fix other people’s relationships. I attend to my own relationships.    The senior pastor may need to set behavioral norms between other staff members but the senior pastor cannot fix other people’s relationships.  I also cannot fix anyone else’s behavior.

 

Margaret Marcuson writes: “Here is the heart of what it takes to sustain leadership. We move from the impossible – controlling others – to the merely difficult- managing ourselves.” (Leaders Who Last: Sustaining Yourself and Your Ministry  This book has an excellent chapter on navigating ministry triangles.)

 

*Don’t triangulate.  When people come to you with a complaint about another person within the system, help them find ways to express their concern directly the person.  Don’t do anything with what they’ve told you.

 

*Generational Loyalty   This concept relates to the idea that parents must be on the same page with each other in terms of their decision making and then present a united front to children.  In the congregation, generational loyalty means that disagreements between senior and associate are processed behind closed doors. When the door is open, both show outward facing support for the decision made.  Whomever is leading a particular effort, the other follows their lead. We do not speak badly about one another with members of the congregation. We do not let congregants draw us into listening to negative commentary about our colleagues – we ask the congregant to take the concern directly to the colleague.  Additionally, generational loyalty means that the senior and associate give each other heads up about potential problems or conflict. As Kevin Lawson and Mick Boersma say, “We are family first, not just leaders of an organization….A radical love for one another, even if there are hard things to be faced and worked through, must characterize our relationships together on staff.” (Supervising and Supporting Ministry Staff: A Guide to Thriving Together by Kevin E. Lawson and Mick Boersma) In another book  of their books, Lawson and Boersma write, “As an associate, when you recognize the benefits that can flow from a good working relationship with your supervisor, the logical question to ask yourself is, what can I do to help bring this about?”  (Associate Staff Ministry: Thriving Personally, Professionally, and Relationally  Kevin E. Lawson and Mick Boersma)

 

 To the extent that I am able I try to show collegial support and grace to my colleague behind closed doors as much as in public.  For an interesting contrasting perspective on what to do with triangulation and generational loyalty, see Doug Bixby’s Navigating the Nonsense: Church Conflict and Triangulation.

 

*Go overboard on communication and transparency.  My first senior pastor made this a clear requirement of my position by telling me never to surprise him.  I work very hard to inform the senior pastor of what is going on in my ministry area and what I am sensing within the congregation.  

 

*Document.  Because it’s always a good idea.

 

*Game face / positivity  Once the door is open, I put my game face on.  For example: there is a very important Christian holiday that involves a special service.  In one setting where I served as an associate, I did not like the senior pastor’s design of this service.  I expressed my opinion behind closed doors, realized that it was outside my lane to design or critique this service, trusted that the deacons and the senior pastor had consulted, and painted a smile on my face for the duration of the service.   

 

*Stay calm.  Take a breath. Say a prayer.  Think big picture even if you aren’t the painter of the big picture.  Take notes for later. “In any crisis, our own response contributes to the outcome.”  (Marcuson)

 

*Integrity and Ethics At the same time, I am not obligated to behave in a manner that goes against my own sense of integrity and ethics.  In such a moment I have many resources available to me, within the congregation (the pastor staff relations committee or moderator) and in my judicatory.

 

*Tend one’s own relationship with God and celebrate a larger sense of calling.  Ministers are ultimately called by God to do ministry; the ministry of a specific time and setting is subordinate to God’s calling.  “It seems that for real thriving in ministry, nothing is as foundational as the quality of our own relationship with God.” (Kevin E. Lawson and Mick Boersma, Associate Staff Ministry: Thriving Personally, Professionally, and Relationally)

 

Use the time to learn for the next ministry setting.  Some folks have stayed in the same associate ministry setting for their entire multi-decade career.  God bless them for their fortitude and patience. Even as I revel in the blessings of my current associate ministry setting I am simultaneously filling in the gaps of my experience and knowledge in preparation for a future call.  I am adding to my professional network and profile. 

As you consider an associate position – whether you feel “called to the second chair” or your current situation matches with such a position – I pray that you will be as blessed in your ministry as I have been.

Peace,

Reebee

 

Why I go to Church

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Okay, I’m a pastor. It may sound obvious or even self-serving to talk about why I go to church, and why church participation is part of our family life. But I recently read a blog post written by a friend who is not a pastor, who wanted to explain to her friends and wider community why she and her family go to church. (It’s a great read – http://lillibet.livejournal.com/720229.html ) It occurred to me in this back to church season, celebrating why we make church part of our family lives is a good thing to do. When we’re acting counter-culturally by praying and singing and serving together, having reasons helps. When we’re choosing between Sunday School and the fifteen things that must get done before school on Monday, the big picture helps. When we’re trying to figure out how we might invite a friend to give Eliot Church a try, having our own love for this community articulated helps. So – here are my thoughts. And I really would love to hear from you: why do you and your family go to church?

A peace and justice centered vision of the world

There are very few settings in which kindness, joy, generosity, faithfulness, peace, mercy and justice are celebrated. This is where we teach our children to love kindness and do justice, where we become doers of the Word. In this place we learn to turn our energy outward to love and serve our neighbors. More than this, when we speak of our hopes and dreams for our lives and for the world, in this place we talk about God’s Dream, a dream of peace and justice for all people. And because faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen, in a faith community we cling to the belief that this vision may become reality! But because this is a practical community, we work together toward that vision of God’s realm.

Space to Share Honestly, Question and Grow

In our prayer time in Sunday School and worship, we don’t just say “I’m fine.” Our kids can share worries about grandparents, pets who are sick, or bullying; our grownups can say out loud Parkinsons, cancer, forest fire, climate change, racism. We struggle with all of this together. A burden is lighter when shared. And our common sense of hope beyond hope gives us strength to minister to the needs of our neighbors and our world. This is also a place where questions are valued and doubts are welcomed, which is especially important to our older children as they come into their own sense of faith.

An intergenerational and inclusive community

  Everyone is welcome here. We value and treasure the two year old and the ninety-two year old. Other than his grandparents, my son does not have deep ties to people over 55 – except through our church community, where he makes cards and sings carols for elders, and they come over to him at coffee hour and ask him questions, and then they work together to serve our Thanksgiving meal. In this place, my family interacts will all kinds of different families, and builds friendships with people of all physical and developmental abilities, too. At church we talk about every single person being God’s beloved child and made in the image of God. That models for my son the way he walks in the world, seeing everyone with loving eyes, and treating everyone with compassion.

A touch of the transcendent

  Every once in a while, in the sanctuary or at coffee hour, we feel a love so tangible it doesn’t make sense. Every once in a while, in our prayers, we hear a wisdom so clear it astonishes us. Every once in a while, we hear a note so glorious that we are sure we have lifted up off our seats.

A connection across time and space

  People have been gathering around Communion tables for two thousand years, and Christian communities gather around the world. When we are together for worship we are connected to something so much bigger than ourselves. Where else can we say that?

 

Are any of these reasons on your list?

Do you have a friend or neighbor who needs this kind of community? Maybe they might like to hear why you & yours go to church.