A Word from Laura:
“We’re a destination church.”
It was a new term for me when one of you told me this several years ago. You were describing how Westerners come from all over the region to gather in Foggy Bottom. As I listened, many of you shared how you started coming to Western because of the sermons or the music or the ongoing connection with Miriam’s Kitchen or the progressive Christian spirit. You were drawn, and so you stayed.
When I asked why you stayed, however, your answers were different:
· You got to know someone (for many of you, it was Mark Finks!) while serving together in Miriam’s Kitchen, and he invited you to be part of the community.
· You appreciated the prophetic bent of Western’s ministry and found like minds and hearts on the Mission Ministry Team.
· You admired someone in the choir, and you found yourself a part.
· You joined the Free Inquiry class because you wanted to hear the speaker, and in the process discovered a group of thoughtful friends.
· You found a spiritual home while you were a young adult or student at GW and kept coming back because your children were growing in faith, singing with “Ms. Amy” or learning with any number of you who have volunteered with our children.
You came to the destination, but you stayed because of the community you found here.
Here’s the challenge in the times ahead: In our world, very few are seeking any kind of destination, much less a church. Some of you have told me that as much as you love Western, given the changes in your life over the last few years, driving more than 15 minutes anywhere is a challenge. Delayed metro schedules don’t make it easier. You can find preachers on your podcasts and church surf on-line on Sunday mornings. You can support causes on your own and hear speakers on any number of topics on TED talks.
But what we do on our own rarely grows us as a community. And community – “courageous community living into God’s love and justice” – is our reason for being.
Western’s leaders recognize this. We need to learn how to be ourselves, together, again. As we plan for 11 am worship, beginning Sept 11, we’ll have times before and after worship for gathering and connecting. We’re asking how all of what we do – worship, serving, growing in faith – is not just a series of events, but opportunities to invite each other and grow together. We’ll have hybrid options, but recognize their limits when it comes to growing together.
We’re equipping ourselves, too, in hopes that our community will continue to grow our intercultural welcome. This Sunday, July 31, Sara Parker will lead an after-worship workshop, “From Me-Centered to We-Centered,” helping us learn the basics of cross-cultural communication for our faith community. (Did you know she has her doctorate in this area? Our congregation is filled with gifted folks!) While Westerners are all welcome, Sara shared that she sees this as a sort of pilot. If you can’t come Sunday, you may have other opportunities.
I imagine a future when the reasons for staying will sound very similar, but the reasons for coming will be different. People will say they came because they were invited to hear a speaker and they stayed because they made a friend. Or they came because they got to know one of us who was working or eating in Miriam’s Kitchen, and stayed because of the spirit alive when we are together, calling us to work for the change God is already working in the world.
Years from now, when we describe our church, may we say, “We’re a courageous community…”
Giving thanks for each of you in our community of faith,
Laura