Beloved Friends,
Today I write to you wearing the hat of one my most meaningful vocations- that of a parent. Kim and I are celebrating Taylor’s 23rd birthday; the gift she is in our lives and in the world. This year brings a bittersweet moment as it is the first of no doubt many years ahead when we are not able to be together for her celebration. As a young adult in the world, she is finding her beautiful way staying both connected to us while also living into a glorious and necessary independence far from home. Some of you have already had the experience of letting go while also still caring for the ties that bind. Others have small children demanding your daily attention and this reality may be the furthest thing from your mind. Still others have their own experiences of proximate and distanced love with friends or other family members. Regardless, I am mindful today of the universal experience of how much meaning in our lives comes from the connections we invest in day by day by day.
As a follower of Christ, and by that I mean one who strives to take to heart the stories we have inherited of Jesus’ time walking among us, today offers all of us a moment to remember our call to be connected and committed to the relationships we are gifted all around us. Here at Trinity, we have weathered years of a prolonged season of challenge working hard to stay connected while we necessarily remained out of our building; we met, worshipped, prayed, learned and played on zoom, we had gatherings outside, at every turn we showed up for each other and found ways to stay connected; thank you. Your resilience modeled the Way of Love that Jesus calls us to emulate and, in the process, we have continued to welcome more and more into this way of belonging- drawing the circle wider and wider still.
So now we look forward and do our best to integrate some of the experiences and lessons we have learned together over the past two years. Last Sunday a wonderful group gathered after our 10:00 Trinity@316 service to explore what it means to be a member at Trinity.
We introduced ourselves, shared some of our stories, asked questions and planted the wonderful seeds of new relationships. We underscored that at Trinity we are primarily interested in creating a place of belonging; we acknowledge that people find our community in a variety of ways, and most recently, many have come through our red doors on the corner of Adams and St Clair only after “checking us out on-line” through Trinity@Home. Through that weekly digital presence we have heard again and again people are then willing to take the next step, and if possible, join us for an in-person service. Who would have thought that the seeds for growing disciples would have come through our necessary pivot to a creative digital expression? And yet, should we be that surprised?
As I think about how many times Jesus told stories of change, miracles, rebirth, new ways of being in the world- I am reminded our path is paved with the promise of new life. So, thank you again and again- for your courage and resilience. And especially today for being fierce and generous offering your love to those in your lives and out into a world that needs us now more than ever.
May you never forget that you are loved,
Lisa
P.S. Happy Birthday Taylor.