Dear Friends,
We often hear people talk about churches as something that they attend. The conversation often goes something like this:
“What church do you go to?”
“I go to _________ Church, they have a great ___ program.”
What stands out to me in this brief dialogue are two elements. First, the assumption that you “go to” church. The second is that a church is identified by a program.
I’d like to point out that church is not a building that we occupy on a regular basis. It is a community in which you participate. Second, church is not a program or set or programs; church is a complex web of relationships with a mission.
So, when we read the announcements this week, please consider the relationships and their participation. With the Student Section Ministry Leader’s reflection, many of us made that experience possible through our attendance of their fundraising concert. Ariane, the student, will in turn be a different person, having changed her with her skills and understanding of liturgy. Below we can also see the great work overseen by Margaret Holt and Scott McCurdy, both vestry members. They employed their skills and time to help with the kitchen and our database, respectively. Their work will impact the effectiveness of our ministries and open up many possibilities.
In other words, our church is not something just to attend. It’s a complex web of relationships and participation. This leads me to ask you, how would you describe your participation? How about praying about it?
Regardless of how you answer these questions, I thank you for being part of our church and we welcome you!
Peace and grace,
Fr. Jonathan Evans