Dear Community UCC Family,
Seven months ago I began dreaming with you about where Spirit was calling us: calling us to listen, to move and breathe, to shift and make new, to curate and procure spaces--both physical and metaphorical--so that we could extend God's extravagant, inclusive, abundant welcome to the least of these, and those least likely to enter our doors.
This weekend marks two very important moments for us in our life together as friends, family and people of a shared and particular story committed to that extravagant welcome. Tomorrow, I will participate in a retreat with a few of you who serve our congregation in leadership, telling our stories and in making room that others might enter in. I am beyond hopeful, giddy really, at the opportunities that await us as we listen deeper, move closer and work to widen the door through which all might come to know and feel God's love.
Last weekend we celebrated as Alex, Diane, Autumn and Charles joined in fellowship and in covenant with CUCC, pledging to love and be loved, and to add their own lights of hope and faithfulness to a light already shining in this place. Several months ago, JM invited us to re-imagine what making room looks like, what the realm of God calls us to in our efforts to love and be loved. There is an ever growing list of others who are eager to join us in our work to bring a just, peaceful, and emboldened witness to Raleigh, to North Carolina, and to God's people and her created world. As we continue bearing witness to this call, we will gather on Sunday for worship services at 9:00am, 10:30am, and then again at 4:00pm. Don't blink twice or you'll be a Baptist before you know it! As is customary in our tradition once a new pastor has been called to the local church, the Association, in our case, the Eastern North Carolina Association, installs the new pastor in a ritual of blessing and covenant celebrated within a worship service. This day, in your history, marks "the next faithful step" in our
communal life together. You have faithfully discerned your gifts, as well as your desires and call as a community of people committed to one another and to loving and serving others. It has been to my great fortune that the call of Spirit brought us together in the place where hopes and dreams are formed, and love is watered and grown. Thus, I could not be more thankful to share in this moment with you!
It seems only appropriate to be together for this occasion at this particular time in history. Every day I begin with the thought that I am part of something much greater than myself, which allows me to breathe a little deeper, and sit a little longer, especially on days filled with so much pain and turmoil.
It seems only appropriate to be together for this occasion at this particular time in history. Every day I begin with the thought that I am part of something much greater than myself, which allows me to breathe a little deeper, and sit a little longer, especially on days filled with so much pain and turmoil.
This something is a love that draws me close, that fills me with peace and a longing to be the most honest reflection of that love that I can be; and I am compelled to share it with others. I believe this Love to be of our Creator, of the divine, that each one of us bears; whether we choose to listen to, or dismiss it, this Love pursues us with a gentle, unassuming light that neither coerces nor condemns us. This love, however, weeps when we do, and yearns as we do for the day when each of her beautiful ones is drawn close, is made whole, and begets wholeness.
As we gather together in LOVE, as Spirit calls us forth, my prayer is that we shall be made whole as one body, covenanting together for the long journey ahead, neither being dismayed by the brokenness of this fractured world or forgetting or "erasing" our history, but choosing instead to fix our gaze on the love which propels us onward. I pray we will choose love--remembering as Jesus taught and lived that,
As we gather together in LOVE, as Spirit calls us forth, my prayer is that we shall be made whole as one body, covenanting together for the long journey ahead, neither being dismayed by the brokenness of this fractured world or forgetting or "erasing" our history, but choosing instead to fix our gaze on the love which propels us onward. I pray we will choose love--remembering as Jesus taught and lived that,
"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out all fear.”
Spirit is leading the way,
Rev. Jenny Shultz-Thomas