Update from Pastor Nate - September 2023
Friends, Christ is in our midst!
It’s hard to believe that summer is already drawing to a close. I continue to be grateful for our journey together, and for the ways we have grown in our faith and our commitment to one another over the last several months.
In July, I had the opportunity through the Next Generation Leadership Initiative to attend the General Synod of the United Church of Christ, along with about 2,000 other pastors, lay folks, family and friends from all over our denomination. At the heart of our gathering was a line from the prophet Isaiah, who gives voice to God, saying:
“Do not remember the former things
or consider the things of old.
I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth; do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43.18-19)
This incredible gathering for worship and witness saw our denomination pass several historic resolutions of witness that speak of our common vision for the church as witness to God’s renewing presence in the world. One such landmark resolution establishes our church’s support for equal rights for transgender and nonbinary folks and calls for all settings of the United Church of Christ to include trans and nonbinary folks fully in our life and work together. You can explore that resolution, as well as the other ones which were passed, here.
Additionally, in another historic vote, the UCC elected the Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson as the first woman to lead our denomination, and the third person of color to lead the UCC.
But General Synod is not just business. We also had the gift of powerful, Spirit-filled worship led by an incredible team of musicians and leaders from across the wider church, as well as the gift of each other’s company. Colleagues and friends from across the country reconnected with one another, learned from one another, regaled one another with stories of challenge and triumph in our ministries, and found renewed commitment to conspiring with God in making all things new.
As an added gift for those in attendance, the Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber delivered a galvanizing keynote. Speaking directly to the heart of our institutional anxiety about shrinking budgets and plummeting numbers, Rev. Bolz-Weber reminded us that “We are a people of an old old story that begins at the beginning of time and brushes the present and reaches into the future. This hope is not naive or escapist. This is the hope of a people who have heard the dangerous rumour that there is life beyond death and joy beyond suffering.
“For it to be a hope we can trust, it can't be unprecedented. Our hope isn't in nonprofits, it's in the God of Mary Magdalene and Isaiah. And our hope is not in our ability to be hopeful. Our hope is not in our ability to get anything right whatsoever. Our hope is in the God of Noah and Hagar, the God of Rahab and Ruth, the God who rises from death and asks for a snack.”
And those are words to which I continue to cling as we enter the next season of our life together.
Speaking of making all things new…
When I returned from travel and vacation in August, Jaimie shared with me their plans to transition out of their role as Executive Director, which you all found out about recently too. Since that time, Jaimie and I have been hard at work planning for their transition, identifying and offloading responsibilities, and collaborating to ensure we have a solid handle on the position(s) that will need to be hired to staff the spread of jobs that they held.
Working alongside Jaimie has been one of the real treasures of my time with you here at FCC, and I’m grateful that even though they’re transitioning out of their staff role, they’ll still be involved with us as a member and a driving force behind many of our ministries of direct action and service to folks in need in our neighborhood.
Of course, Jaimie’s departure is just one of the many changes that are unfolding in our space. Our work with Partners for Sacred Places is continuing apace, and transformation is already happening in different corners of our building as we grow toward our vision of being the center for arts, culture, and spirituality for our city and beyond.
The Arts and Culture Collective of Battle Creek has transformed the old children’s ministry space and Upper Room into an incredible setting to support young and developing artists. The Harmony Room has been transformed into a versatile space for learning, meeting, and movement. The Breathing Room, formerly known as the Heritage Room, is now a space for prayer, conversation, breathing, and spiritual growth. Garden of Dreams is looking lovely with all the recent updates to their space. Good stuff is happening all around!
As with any change, there will be some anxiety. There will be some miscommunications, some clashes between expectations, some stepped-on toes—in other words, all of the usual stuff that comes from being human together in close proximity. None of this is bad. All of it is an opportunity for the practice of patience and presence. And so, I encourage us all to continue to bear with one another in love as we navigate this transition.
Our staff is stretched thin right now and their energies are going to mission-critical projects—which means that tiny details are not as much a priority. Which means this is a great opportunity for us to lean into those words so many of you are familiar with: “I, too, minister here!”
I encourage each and every one of us to re-up our sense of ownership and responsibility for our life together and for our physical space during this time. If a window is smudged, grab some Windex. If a cobweb catches your eye, grab a broom. If someone looks like they need a listening ear, take a beat, take a breath, and listen to them. And, listen, if you feel the urge to complain about something, consider whether there’s something you can do personally to resolve the issue.
This is spiritual work, friends, because how we do anything is how we do everything. Together we are breathing, together we are imagining, together we are growing up into the full stature of Christ, right here in the weeds of our life together. And together, we can continue to keep our eyes looking ahead to the new thing that God is doing in our midst. We are ready for this.
Peace,
+Nate