This coming Sunday (Sept. 13) we begin our fall routines in earnest: worship moves back to the sanctuary, the choir returns, the adults resume their Sunday morning study group. For those who have been away over the summer months—and for those who have stayed—“back-to-church” Sunday is an opportunity to reconnect with our church family and establish a rhythm for the coming season.
This September, as we continue to get to know each other as pastor and congregation, our worship will center around the beloved community, a concept named by Josiah Royce and built upon by Martin Luther King Jr. To them, beloved community was grounded in God’s agape love, a love strong enough to confront injustice without growing to hate “the enemy.” The beloved community is a place where all can participate and flourish even now, and creating that community, King said, would “require a qualitative change in our souls as well as a quantitative change in our lives.”
Since arriving at Crawford, I’ve heard many testimonies to the power of community found here: annual traditions that bring people together, small groups that respect and challenge our perspectives, the presence of prayerful friends during a difficult moment. I’ve also heard (and share in) the concern that not everyone has this type of community to turn to. And when we look around, we recognize that our community does not include everyone that it could.
This fall as we worship together, we will do so with eye and heart toward the vision of beloved community that God sets forth. We’ll examine some of the obstacles, but more importantly, we’ll look at tangible steps we can take now to join, create, and invite others into transformative relationship with God and neighbor. And, as Dr. King said, we should prepare for some quantitative and qualitative changes ourselves!
In pursuit of that change, the adult study group will be reading together Mónica Guzmán’s I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times. This book, which focuses specifically but not exclusively on political divisions, will be an important guide as we prepare to be beloved community through the midterm elections. This study, facilitated by Pam Reeve, will run through October 11. View the study plan.
Another way we’re refreshing our sense of community is through the (re)connect sessions. Initially billed as meet-the-pastor sessions, these are opportunities to learn a bit about me, but also to share with each other what has been most transformative about life at Crawford as well as where our hopes and energy lie at this moment. It’s my dream that every Crawford member would attend at least one session. There are still several opportunities, including virtual ones. I hope to see you at one of them!
Last but not least, Sunday Sept. 13 will be a special day of celebration. After major renovations this summer, we will rededicate Gifford Hall for future ministry use, dreaming of and praying for the beloved community who would be formed within that space. Also during coffee hour, the parsonage will be open for visitors. My family and I are very grateful for your stewardship of this property which has become our home; we’d love for you to see how we’re settling in.
September Worship Schedule
9/13 – The Vision of Beloved Community | Acts 2:1-21
After church: Gifford Hall Dedication & Parsonage Open House
9/20 – Overcoming Obstacles to Beloved Community | Matthew 23:1-5, 37-39
After church: (Re)Connect session (Meet the pastor) (begin at 11:45)
9/27 – Becoming Beloved Community | Matthew 25: 31-46
After church: Sunday School Showcase in Gifford Hall (11:00)
(Re)Connect session (Meet the pastor) (begin at 11:45)