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Friday, October 31, 2008

What Sort of Church Do You Want?

The following comes from Sharon Kenrick, a dear person who loves the church I am part of now.  Her words, which I have augmented ever so slightly, are hopeful, specific, insightful, challenging, humorous, realistic, actionable, and, basically a T-shirt I'd be proud to wear and empowered by if I were wearing.  It is one of those written moments that captures the power of living Spirit and makes it available to other people.  She doesn't mention Jesus but isn't Jesus walking beside her (and beside you and me) hoping we'll embrace the world the way Sharon's words describe?

I want to answer the question, "What does our town and the world need from Grace Congregational UCC?"
How do I say it?   We need to be what we have always been - out front!!!!    That means that we will be small because we don't fit the mold.  We push the edges.  ALSO though, we have the ability to get the other churches to work together.  And that may be our next mission.  We are not a threat so we can, may ask them to work with us.

When I was last in church with Brooke, I said to her that Grace was a church that reflected the church that God would have wanted.   We don't match!!!   We are old and young, black and white, smart and challenged, moneyed and poor, very religious and learning, etc.    I would not be the person I am today if I had not been a member of Grace.  And who am I?   A person still becoming a child of God and still learning!!!  I am so blessed to have walked to that church and found all of you.