Art: Triumphal Entry by He Qui
Last week, we gathered for the first time in our new space at One Cup. And it was more glorious and more disruptive than I had anticipated. The glorious part was that one of the primary reasons that we moved to this space was so that we could be welcoming to the community -- and right off the bat, we had many new faces among us.
And you, the community showed up in a huge way! Thank you to everyone for all of your help from setting up, to running slides, to leading worship and loading cars. You rock! There seemed to be a tangible sense of excitement for this next leg of the journey and what the Spirit is up to in us and in the neighborhood.
But along with the glory, there were the inevitable bumps. The disruptive parts were what we might expect in any transition -- sound issues, logistical challenges, distractions and the discomfort of the new, reflected in the deer-in-the-headlights looks as I scanned across the room. I'm sure you saw mine as I struggled with the microphone! All of us trying to make sense of the new environment. The donuts helped. And of course, all your lovely faces.
WE are the church. WE are the community. WE as the gathered people are a dwelling place for God's presence. And it will just take time to create a culture of home here. And that is exactly what we will do! For we are creators of culture, not passive consumers, and we have the opportunity to come together to create something beautiful.
And this is the nature of change and transition, both the invitation to glory and to death. And as we talked about last Sunday, this is the way of transformation. Discomfort and challenge is always a part of the growth process, and yet it leads to life - a full and expansive life.
As we approach Holy Week, we are invited to experience transformation in the journey towards the cross. And we can ask the question, "What in my life is being invited to die? Where do I need to surrender? What of my own suffering does Jesus want to enter?"
I encourage you all to take some time next week for reflection as we move through Holy Week.
▪ What Is Holy Week?
▪ Ignatian Spirituality: How To Do Holy Week
▪ The Holy and The Human: A Reflection For Holy Week
▪ Unlock The Stations Of The Cross: Examen Style
▪ The Stations Of The Cross
For we must place the hope of the Resurrection, the promise of newness and life, against the background of death and endings. It is only in walking through the shadows and darkness of Holy Week and Good Friday, only in realizing the horror and magnitude of sin and its consequences in the world incarnated in the dying Jesus on the cross, only in contemplating the ending and despair that the disciples felt on Holy Saturday, that we can truly understand the light and hope of Easter morning! - Dennis Bratcher
This Sunday is Palm or Passion Sunday and we will begin the journey with Jesus to the cross and we will reflect on what it means to die with Christ. And then on Easter morning, we will remember resurrection and we will celebrate the NEW - newness of life, new gathering spaces, new mercies, and new hopes and dreams.
by Jessica Ketola
Last week, we gathered for the first time in our new space at One Cup. And it was more glorious and more disruptive than I had anticipated. The glorious part was that one of the primary reasons that we moved to this space was so that we could be welcoming to the community -- and right off the bat, we had many new faces among us.
And you, the community showed up in a huge way! Thank you to everyone for all of your help from setting up, to running slides, to leading worship and loading cars. You rock! There seemed to be a tangible sense of excitement for this next leg of the journey and what the Spirit is up to in us and in the neighborhood.
But along with the glory, there were the inevitable bumps. The disruptive parts were what we might expect in any transition -- sound issues, logistical challenges, distractions and the discomfort of the new, reflected in the deer-in-the-headlights looks as I scanned across the room. I'm sure you saw mine as I struggled with the microphone! All of us trying to make sense of the new environment. The donuts helped. And of course, all your lovely faces.
WE are the church. WE are the community. WE as the gathered people are a dwelling place for God's presence. And it will just take time to create a culture of home here. And that is exactly what we will do! For we are creators of culture, not passive consumers, and we have the opportunity to come together to create something beautiful.
And this is the nature of change and transition, both the invitation to glory and to death. And as we talked about last Sunday, this is the way of transformation. Discomfort and challenge is always a part of the growth process, and yet it leads to life - a full and expansive life.
As we approach Holy Week, we are invited to experience transformation in the journey towards the cross. And we can ask the question, "What in my life is being invited to die? Where do I need to surrender? What of my own suffering does Jesus want to enter?"
I encourage you all to take some time next week for reflection as we move through Holy Week.
▪ What Is Holy Week?
▪ Ignatian Spirituality: How To Do Holy Week
▪ The Holy and The Human: A Reflection For Holy Week
▪ Unlock The Stations Of The Cross: Examen Style
▪ The Stations Of The Cross
For we must place the hope of the Resurrection, the promise of newness and life, against the background of death and endings. It is only in walking through the shadows and darkness of Holy Week and Good Friday, only in realizing the horror and magnitude of sin and its consequences in the world incarnated in the dying Jesus on the cross, only in contemplating the ending and despair that the disciples felt on Holy Saturday, that we can truly understand the light and hope of Easter morning! - Dennis Bratcher
This Sunday is Palm or Passion Sunday and we will begin the journey with Jesus to the cross and we will reflect on what it means to die with Christ. And then on Easter morning, we will remember resurrection and we will celebrate the NEW - newness of life, new gathering spaces, new mercies, and new hopes and dreams.
by Jessica Ketola
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