|
On Sunday, Maddie preached about what it means to be a community that doesn’t run on crisis mode. We looked at the ways urgency, pressure, and anxiety shape so much of our daily life, and how easily those patterns seep into our relationships, our work, and even our churches. Many of us know what it’s like to feel as if everything depends on us — as if the only way to keep things from falling apart is to push harder, say yes more often, and carry a weight that was never ours to begin with. The sermon invited us to imagine a different way of living together. We turned to the story of the Israelites in Exodus 16, newly freed from Pharaoh but still carrying the habits of slavery in their bodies. Instead of demanding more production or more effort, God meets them with manna — a daily provision that teaches them to live at a new pace. And we looked at Paul’s letters to the Corinthians, where he encourages early Christian communities to practice generosity not from guilt or fear, but from confidence in God’s abundance. In both stories, we see a God who leads people out of crisis and into trust, out of anxiety and into shared life. This week’s resources invite us deeper into those themes. The Liturgy of Abundance, The Myth of Scarcity In this article, Hebrew Bible scholar Walter Brueggemann offers a strikingly clear vision of the same dynamic we explored on Sunday. He describes how the Bible tells a story shaped by the generosity of God — a story where creation is blessed, where manna falls each morning, and where communities share what they have because grace keeps showing up. In contrast, he describes the “myth of scarcity,” the story our world tells us over and over again: that there is not enough, that we must compete, that security comes through hoarding, urgency, and control. What I (Maddie) found most compelling is how Brueggemann connects these themes across the whole arc of Scripture. The manna story becomes part of a larger pattern: God continually inviting people to trust that there will be enough for today. And the early church’s practice of generosity becomes a quiet rebellion against the empire’s logic of fear. This is the same invitation we heard in the sermon — to live not as people driven by crisis but as people grounded in God’s abundance, able to give and receive without anxiety. As you read, notice any places where the “myth of scarcity” feels familiar in your own life. Where do urgency, competition, or fear shape the way you move through the world? And what might it look like to lean into a different story this week? Grounding Prayer for the Week The second resource is not an article but a practice. One of the central questions of the sermon was: how do we retrain our bodies out of urgency? How do we step out of crisis mode long enough to notice God’s provision? This simple grounding prayer is one way to begin. You might use it in the morning before you check your phone, or at the end of a long day when everything feels stretched thin. Gracious God, You who fed your people in the wilderness and who still meet us with enough for today: Slow my breath. Steady my mind. Loosen the grip of urgency on my heart. Teach me to trust the gifts that come in your time, the provision that arrives one day at a time, the love that does not rush or demand. Help me to live from abundance, to give without fear, and to receive what I need for this day. Amen. Questions for Reflection
Both the article and the prayer ask us to pay attention to the stories we live by. The world tells us that urgency is necessary, that worth is earned, that security comes from control. Scripture invites us into a different imagination — one shaped by daily bread, shared life, and the quiet confidence that God is already here. As you move through your week, consider:
Our hope at the River is that we would be a community that helps one another live this out — not a people driven by crisis, but a people sustained by grace, moving at the pace of manna, trusting that God will give us what we need, one day at a time.
0 Comments
For today's post, we want to connect you with two resources that Pastor Alison mentioned in her sermon on Sunday: 1) The Great Emergence by Phyllis Tickle, and 2) The Post-Evangelical Collective. In her sermon, Alison shared about Tickle's argument, from The Great Emergence, that we are living through a period of historical upheaval — marked by significant social, economic, political, and religious change. According to Tickle, “About every five hundred years the empowered structures of institutionalized Christianity, whatever they may be at that time, become an intolerable carapace that must be shattered in order that renewal and new growth may occur.” We currently find ourselves in one of those every-500-year periods, which means that we — as individuals and as a community — have the opportunity to help shape the "new, more vital form of Christianity" that is emerging in this historical moment. One of the ways that the River is doing this is through the Post-Evangelical Collective (or the PEC). For those who haven’t heard the term before, post-evangelical is a descriptive term that can apply to individuals or to faith communities. It describes former evangelical Christians who have experienced a break with evangelical subculture, beliefs, or practices. Although not every individual who is part of our community here at the River would describe themselves as post-evangelical — the River, as an organization, is a post-evangelical church. What we mean by that is that the River was founded as part of an evangelical denomination called the Vineyard. And then, over a decade ago, we experienced a break — leaving the Vineyard for reasons not limited to, but including our conviction that God affirms LGBTQ+ individuals and relationships. For many years, post-evangelical churches like ours were pretty isolated after choosing to leave or, in many cases, being forced to leave their previous denominations. The PEC set out to change that by building an ecosystem where churches like ours can connect more easily with one another. There are a number of ways they are doing this. Once a month, the PEC hosts a webinar devoted to a relevant spiritual topic. Anyone connected to the PEC can join these webinars — you do not have to be a pastor or work for a church. Past guests have included Zach Lambert (who wrote Better Ways to Read the Bible), Hillary McBride (who wrote Holy Hurt), and Andrew DeCort (who wrote Reviving the Golden Rule). If you are interested, you can receive information about upcoming webinars by subscribing to the PEC mailing list. Once a month, Alison joins a call with PEC pastors around the country to build relationships, to share ideas and resources, and to collaborate with and learn from one another. And, for the past two years, she's attended the PEC’s national gathering in the Spring. Next year’s gathering will be taking place in Cambridge, Massachusetts at our sister church, Reservoir. If you are interested in joining Alison and other members of the River staff who will be attending, please reach out for more information! In her sermon, Alison said this about the River's involvement with the PEC: "It’s been really exciting for me to see the variety of ways that this partnership has been bearing good fruit at the River. For example, there are so many resources that I have discovered through the PEC ecosystem. Ones that I’ve benefited from personally and have also been able to share with all of you in sermons, and Resource of the Week posts, and the Lending Library, and in one-on-one conversations. Brian Recker, the author of Hell Bent who came to speak here recently, is someone I got to know through relationships in the PEC. And at the book event we hosted, it was exciting to meet so many people in our region who are exploring similar faith questions. The church map on the PEC website has been a great way for folks to discover the River — I know of some folks here who found us that way! And the map has also been a really helpful resource when members of the River have moved away from New York City — it has allowed us to better support them in finding a faith community wherever they land. Engaging with the PEC has also helped me to feel more supported as a pastor. When navigating new or challenging situations, it’s been really wonderful to be able to reach out to other PEC pastors to hear about their own experiences and approaches. There are so many ways that we are benefitting from our engagement with the PEC, but perhaps, just as exciting to me are the ways that we are contributing to and helping to shape the movement. The same way that we are learning from other PEC churches — other PEC churches are learning from what we are doing here at the River. In addition to the official PEC churches listed on the website, we are also a resource for churches that aren’t quite there yet. Churches that are considering breaking with evangelicalism or becoming LGBTQ+ affirming but need some support to get there. Through our involvement with the PEC — and in various other ways — we are helping to shape the new, more vital forms of Christianity that are emerging in this historical moment. And our impact extends far beyond New York City."
About the Post-Evangelical Collective
The Post Evangelical Collective exists to connect, cultivate, and resource post evangelical churches. We are church leaders, artists, and other stakeholders who find ourselves estranged from the dominant expressions of American Christianity. Shared Values
Articles About the PEC
In her sermon last Sunday, Pastor Alison shared about how impactful it was — during her years at Union Theological Seminary — to learn from classmates who came from a wide variety of Christian traditions. Alison said this: "[Prior to seminary] I had primarily spent time in evangelical and post-evangelical contexts. So, while I had become quite familiar with how things worked in those particular worlds, I hadn’t had much exposure to how diverse Christianity really is — how many different expressions of Christianity have existed throughout history, around the world, and even in our own country right now. Part of what I found so exciting about this discovery was that it challenged the narrative that any one group of people — no matter how big or loud they are — owns the Way of Jesus. I also found it really heartening to realize that I wasn’t alone in the questions I was asking or the yearnings I had for a more beautiful, liberative expression of Christianity than the dominant versions we see represented in our media today. It was so encouraging to me to discover that Christians have been wrestling with doubts and questions since the beginning of the faith; that there is actually great diversity of thought within the Christian tradition; and that there is so much wisdom to be gleaned from fellow travelers who have walked and are walking the Way of Jesus in the world." This week's resource, Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints, is one that can help us learn from and be encouraged by a range of Christian role models, as well as "people of diverse faiths working for more love, kindness, and justice in their corners of the world, even when that means rocking the religious boat." The book is marketed as middle-grade nonfiction (ages 9 and up), but in our experience it is also great for teens and adults. We used the companion curriculum with RiverYouth a few years back and it was an enriching experience for our youth and our adult volunteers alike!  About the Book
Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints is an illustrated children's book about people of diverse faiths working for more love, kindness, and justice in their corners of the world, even when that means rocking the religious boat. With original portraits from more than two dozen artists and engaging profiles of people from different faiths and different eras, these are stories that inspire, educate, challenge, and encourage. (There is now a companion curriculum also available for home or church use.) Some of the people featured in this book are well known, like the beloved St. Francis of Assisi (a favorite of Hufflepuffs everywhere for his love of animals), who gave up a wealthy inheritance to serve the poor, Rumi, the Sufi poet, and Thich Nhat Hanh, the beloved teacher who developed the concept of engaged Buddhism. Some are well known, but the deep faith motivating their work is lesser known, such as Harriet Tubman, Florence Nightingale, and Mr. Rogers. Others are less known such as Bayard Rustin, an American Quaker whose role in the civil rights movement of the 1960s is often downplayed because he was a gay man; Maryam Molkara, an Iranian Muslim transgender rights advocate; and Regina Jonas, the first female rabbi to be ordained whose story was almost lost to history. In particular, Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints emphasizes the stories of women, LGBTQ people, people of color, Indigenous people, and others who are too often written out of religious narratives. These stories move us towards more love and a faith that works for the common good of us all. Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints is a middle-grade nonfiction (ages 9 and up) book. You can read several sample profiles here. About the Author This book is written by Daneen Akers, a writer, producer, teacher, and mother who believes deeply in the power of stories. Her past projects have explored faith, identity, and belonging. She is the mother of two children who are the true inspiration for this book. Daneen found that most of the books she’d read as a child that had anything to do with faith were not compatible with the type of faith she now has as an adult and parent. She knew she needed better stories for her own children, stories that help us transcend fears, connect with each other, engage in justice, and model an expansive and fully inclusive view of the Divine. She'd removed a lot of faith-based materials from her home that no longer fit, but she realized there weren't a lot of options for replacing those resources. As a storyteller, the clearest place for her to start adding back to their bookshelves was to tell stories about people of faith who have been motivated by a vision of a loving, just, and compassionate Divine, people whose faith works for the common good of us all. Some of Daneen’s previous projects include the Seventh-Gay Adventists documentary and Outspoken short documentary film series. About the Publisher Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints is published by Watchfire Media, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) public charity. Watchfire Media produces life-affirming, spiritually expansive books and films for the spiritually unconventional who have children in their lives whom they want to be comfortable with the big questions of faith and meaning, awed by the beauty of the world and her people, and ultimately committed to love, kindness, courage, and justice. Free Copies As part of our non-profit mission, we are happy to be able to offer a free copy of Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints to anyone who would like this book as a resource but for whom funds are a challenge currently. Just use the Contact page to send us a mailing address (or an email to send a free digital version to for non-U.S. mailing addresses). Thanks to our donors who make this program possible.
About Hell Bent A former evangelical pastor explains why we can stop worrying about hell and start focusing on love There is a black hole at the center of Christian spirituality: the doctrine of hell. No matter how hard we try to believe in a loving God, the fear of eternal torment always lurks at the back of our minds, warping our sense of what love means. Worse still, many churches act as if the point of Christianity is not to follow Jesus but to secure a get-out-of-hell-free card—and to “save” everyone you know by converting them to your religion. For many of us, the whole story of Christianity has punishment at the very center. But does the Bible really say we’re going to hell if we don’t do or believe the “right” things? In this taboo-shattering book, former evangelical pastor Brian Recker takes an honest look at scripture and reveals what has been true all along: Hell isn’t real, and God’s universal love is radically inclusive, in this life and the next. By removing punishment from Christianity's center, Recker boldly reimagines the core questions of faith, such as why Jesus lived and died, and what it means to be “saved.” It’s time to rediscover spirituality as Jesus taught it: loving God, and loving our neighbors as ourselves. Whether you’re Christian, exvangelical, or anywhere along a deconstruction journey, Hell Bent is the perfect resource to help you replace fear and church hurt with healing and peace. In her sermon this past Sunday, Pastor Alison asked us to consider measuring our impact — as individuals and as a community — by measuring in love (à la "Seasons of Love" from the musical Rent). She told us, if following Jesus is all about the pursuit of unconditional love, then our pursuit of impact should be the same. Reflecting upon the events we see in Acts 10-11, Alison spoke about the power of the ripple effect. How the internal shifts that happen within each of us can lead to shifts in the ways we show up in the world -- in our relationships and workplaces and neighborhoods and so on. And how the people we impact will go on to impact other people, who will impact other people, and on and on. The ripple effect can be hard to quantify with numbers, but it’s a really beautiful image. It reminds us that every person — including each of us — has the power to make a difference. And that small actions are often more powerful than we believe. Alison encouraged us to: 1) Consider the possibility that our small acts of kindness are more powerful than we imagine. 2) Consider that, perhaps, “the world” that we hope to impact is not just out there, but also wherever we happen to find ourselves. To help us think further about the power each of us has to positively impact the world for the sake love, we want to point you to the inspiring work of two different individuals — Danielle Coke Balfour and Jane Goodall. During her sermon, Alison shared a few images from Danielle Coke Balfour of Oh Happy Dani. Balfour is an artist, activist, speaker, and entrepreneur who creates art about living a more just and hopeful life. Through content creation, resources, products, and experiences, she aims to inspire everyday advocates (like you!) to do good daily, right where you are. Balfour does an amazing job of "using art and words to help people seek justice and stay hopeful." She hopes to "inspire people like you to live a more just and hopeful life by doing good daily — right where you're planted." There are many ways to engage with Balfour's inspiring work!
Another resource we would like to share with you is the work of Jane Goodall. Goodall — world-renowned ethologist, conservationist, and humanitarian — died recently at the age of 91. Goodall is best known for her 65-year study of wild chimpanzees in Gombe, Tanzania. However, in later years her focus expanded and she became a global advocate for human rights, animal welfare, species and environmental protection, and many other crucial issues. Goodall's work lives on through her foundation; her prolific writings; her participation in many films, documentaries, and museum exhibits; through Roots & Shoots (her global humanitarian and environmental program for young people); through the impact she had on countless animals and people over the years; and through the inspiration of her life and memory. Goodall was famous for saying that “every single one of us makes a difference every day -- it is up to us as to the kind of difference we make.” Goodall truly believed that each of us has the power to make a positive difference and that small actions add up to big impacts. Through her words and example she reminded us that we are all connected in a tapestry of life and each of us has an important part to play in making the world a better place. There are many ways to engage with Goodall's inspiring work!
This past Sunday, Pastor Alison shared about the River's vision for community, drawing inspiration from the Parable of the Great Banquet in Luke 14. Over the past year or so, many of us here at the River have been turning to this beautiful imagery as a guiding metaphor for how to think about church. We’ve borrowed this framework from our friends at Reservoir Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts and we've really appreciated how it can help us to think intentionally about how we want to show up and engage with community. The logic goes, if a church community is meant to be a reflection of the Kingdom of God, and the Kingdom of God is like the Great Banquet — then, metaphorically speaking, we too should be seeking to throw a wonderful feast with an unusually diverse community. If we embrace this image of the River as an inclusive, abundant feast then there are two primary ways we can think about our participation in the community. As members of the River community we are invited to be both:
 Painting by Hyatt Moore We love the both/and nature of thinking of ourselves as both guests and hosts! It’s a vision where everyone matters and each person’s presence makes a difference. Where — in one way or another — everyone gives and everyone receives. Where there is mutuality and reciprocity, collaboration and co-ownership. Where there is fun and joy and laughter and life! Thinking of ourselves in this way means that our experience of community is not static and that we are not pigeonholed into one specific role for all time. That there is room to grow, to try new things, to honor the specificity of the season we find ourselves in. To take on more when we have greater capacity; to take a step back when we need to. What it looks like for each of us to be a “guest” and to be a “host” will vary from day to day, week to week, month to month, year to year. There may be periods when our capacity is greater than normal and we have more to give. And there may be other times when we are really going through a tough time and need greater support. That’s all a normal part of being human and being in community with one another. Questions for Reflection
It seems to us that in the world we find ourselves in today, our need for genuine, loving human connection is greater than ever. And, also, that learning how to be in community with one another has the power to both enrich our own lives and to help bring healing to the world. Church — especially a diverse one like the River — can be a great place to practice being in and building community!
At the end of her sermon, Alison quoted from an essay by Rev. John J. Thatamanil, professor of theology and world religions at Union Theological Seminary and ordained Anglican priest. In the essay, titled "Recovering trust in humanity in these perilous, uncertain times," Thatamanil wrote about the peril of losing faith in one another and the power of real human connections to help us co-create a more just and loving world. He argues that small steps to build community are essential and that they are our way forward in these challenging times. Consider giving the full essay a read and joining us at the River as we seek to build life-giving community together! On Sunday, Maddie preached a sermon about the books of Ezra and Nehemiah and what it looks like to reconstruct our faith and communities after exile. We looked at what it meant for the Israelites to come home after exile in Babylon and face the hard work of rebuilding their lives. They had lost so much — their temple, their land, their sense of who they were as a people. What they had left was a remnant, a small community that had to decide whether they could still belong to one another. Their task was not only to put stones back in place but to reimagine how to live together as God’s people in a changed world.
Maddie suggested that many of us know something about exile. Sometimes it looks like overwork that leaves us drained and disconnected. Sometimes it comes from systems that push us to hide who we are. For many, it has meant leaving churches that caused harm. Like the Israelites, we find ourselves asking what it looks like to start again: what can we carry forward, what needs to be left behind, and how do we build something new together? This week’s resources expand that conversation. Ezra and Nehemiah Deep Dive This article offers a helpful overview of the books we explored on Sunday. It sets the stage historically — Cyrus of Persia allowing the Israelites to return home, the rebuilding of the temple, and the restoration of Jerusalem’s walls. But what I found most striking is how the article shows that the real heart of the story isn’t about architecture at all. It’s about identity. The Israelites had spent fifty years in exile, scattered and shaped by very different experiences. Some had blended into Babylonian culture, others had clung tightly to their old traditions. When they returned, they had to figure out whether they still shared enough to call themselves one people. Ezra and Nehemiah capture the messiness of that process — the disagreements, the compromises, and the fragile unity that slowly emerged. This is what we reflected on in the sermon: exile changes people, and there is no way to simply go back to what was. The work of rebuilding is really the work of deciding who we are now, after loss. The Israelites had to take stock of the remnant that was left and trust that God was present in their fragile community. Post-Evangelical Christians (Christian Science Monitor) The second resource looks at a very different context, but the echoes are clear. The Christian Science Monitor recently profiled Christians who describe themselves as “post-evangelical.” This is a movement that has resulted in the formation of the "Post-Evangelical Collective" — a collection of churches that The River has joined, who share a common history. For many who identify with this movement, exile hasn’t meant a forced migration but the painful experience of leaving behind churches where they no longer felt at home. Some grew up in environments that excluded women or queer people. Others were disillusioned by hypocrisy or by a version of faith that left little room for honesty. Post-Evangelical Christians aren’t giving up on faith altogether. They are rebuilding — sometimes in small house gatherings, sometimes in new church plants, sometimes simply by finding one another and learning to pray and worship again. Their journey is marked by questions: What of the old faith still holds true? What must be left behind? How can a remnant form a new community that feels faithful to God and to themselves? That is the same challenge the Israelites faced, and it’s the same challenge many of us face at the River. We may not all be coming out of the same tradition, but we know what it feels like to emerge from exile and to risk building again. Questions for Reflection Both of these resources remind us that exile is never the end of the story. The Israelites could have scattered forever. Post-evangelicals could have walked away from church entirely. Instead, they gathered what was left and chose to start again. As we consider their stories alongside our own, here are a few questions to hold this week:
Our hope at the River is that, like the Israelites, we would be able to look around at one another and say: yes, we’ll do this together. God is in the work of rebuilding. Last Sunday, Alison closed her sermon by sharing some beautiful words from fellow post-evangelical pastor Rebecca Bell. Rebecca — Lead Pastor at Threads Church in Kalamazoo, MI (a church that's similar to the River in a lot of ways!) —spoke about the power of church to act as a "resistance community" and how gathering together week after week in the presence of God and one another allows our hearts to be realigned (again and again) to the Way of Jesus.
If you are interested in hearing more from Rebecca, you can check out a powerful essay she wrote recently titled "When Injustice Reigns." Here's an excerpt: "These themes - the downfall of the rich and arrogant and the exaltation and vindication of the humble - are woven throughout all of Scripture. Hannah’s song and psalms like the ones I’ve referenced here were prayed consistently and affirmed confidently through many centuries of Israel’s suffering and exile. They knew that, even when their circumstances seemed to indicate otherwise, God was indeed their deliverer and their champion. And Mary’s song, with all its triumph and exaltation, would be sung and celebrated and claimed by countless members of the early church, even as they experienced brutal persecution and, at times, an unimaginable likelihood of martyrdom. We Christians of the West have so frequently misunderstood what the 'way of God’s commands' and decrees were all about. We read these pleas for God’s help, these professions of adherence to God’s decrees or commands, and we think our spiritual predecessors were seeking to find their way into God’s good favor by admirable adherence to a list of rules. And then we read the songs of ill-portent for the strong and a coming exaltation of the poor, and we think: yes, in the sweet bye-and-bye. When the martyrs and the faithful poor die and go to heaven, then they will get to live like the rich. But the truth of the Gospel is incomparably richer than these anemic distortions, and its warning for those who align themselves with the arrogant are far more grave. We are each invited - and perhaps it has never been so critical for us to boldly embrace and enter - into the mystery and beauty of God’s decrees that Hagar, Hannah, Mary, and the Psalmists all knew: the schemes of the oppressors will always fail, the false worship of the arrogant will never be acknowledged by the Almighty. Instead, the scorned of the earth are the very ones who are most highly honored in the courts of the Most High. If you stand against the weak, you stand against Almighty God. If you find yourself among the vilified, cast-out, and dehumanized, then you can be certain that God has drawn near to you, sees you, values you, and will not remove the Divine hand of loving care from you." Check out the full essay on Substack! This past Sunday, Pastor Alison wrapped up our sermon series on "Cultivating Fruits of the Spirit," by preaching about Self-Control.
Alison reflected on what it means that the list of fruits is bookended by Love (the first fruit listed) and Self-Control (the last fruit listed). Alison explored how — as followers of the Way of Jesus — Love must be what guides us, motivates us, and empowers us. We are nothing without unconditional love! (1 Corinthians 13:2) At the same time, we need Self-Control to actually be able to embody all of the other Fruits of the Spirit. Self-Control is incredibly important. However, our approaches to Self-Control often miss the mark. Alison explained: "We miss the mark when our pursuit of Self-Control becomes more about proving our purity, holiness, discipline, or devotion — than it is about helping us to love ourselves, others, and God more deeply. We miss the mark when shame becomes the motivator for transformation, rather than God’s unconditional love for us. And we miss the mark when the only advice we have for how to pursue Self-Control is to just try harder." Drawing insights from the story of the prophet Elijah, Alison explored the ways that Self-Control and Self-Care are deeply interconnected. Alison shared: "A pastor friend of mine recently reminded me that sometimes the most important spiritual disciplines are simply getting enough food and enough sleep. We don’t always think about eating and sleeping this way — but it’s so true. When we are hungry or tired, it’s really hard to be kind or patient or gentle or joyful. I wonder how it might change things for us if we viewed Self-Care — in its many forms — not as a luxury but as an essential spiritual practice?" When we think about Self-Care, it is important to consider the concept of bandwidth. How much capacity do we have in any given moment? What impacts this capacity? How much were our bodies, minds, and spirits actually designed to handle? During her sermon, Alison quoted from a newsletter by Nadia Bolz-Weber (a Lutheran minister and public theologian) that explores many of these questions. The newsletter — titled “If you can't take it anymore, there's a reason: an essay on circuit breakers, empty buckets, and the shame-show of social media” — was written in August 2021, while we were still finding our way through the global pandemic. However, much of what it says still resonates with the world we find ourselves in today in 2025 — in particular, the way that baseline levels of anxiety and grief are collectively higher for everyone. We encourage you to give it a read! In the newsletter, Bolz-Weber wrote: “I used to live in a very old apartment building with super sketchy electrical wiring. Were I to audaciously assume my hair drier could run while my stereo was on, I would once again find myself opening the grey metal fuse box next to the refrigerator and flipping the breaker. My apartment had been built at a time when there were no electric hair driers, and the system shut down when modernity asked too much of it. I think of that fuse box often these days, because friends, I just do not think our psyches were developed to hold, feel and respond to everything coming at them right now; every tragedy, injustice, sorrow and natural disaster happening to every human across the entire planet, in real time every minute of every day. The human heart and spirit were developed to be able to hold, feel and respond to any tragedy, injustice, sorrow or natural disaster that was happening IN OUR VILLAGE. So my emotional circuit breaker keeps overloading because the hardware was built for an older time.” If this is true — that we were designed for the needs of our village, not the 24-hour global news cycle — then this means that we need to be intentional about honoring our limitations, about setting boundaries, about being selective around how we spend our time and energy. This sounds great! But how do we actually go about doing this? How can we discern what is ours and what we can release to others and to God? A helpful tool that Bolz-Weber shares in the newsletter comes from Suzanne Stabile — a highly sought-after speaker, teacher, and internationally recognized Enneagram master teacher, having conducted over five hundred workshops. Bolz-Weber picked up three discernment questions from Stabile, and returns to them every day. They are:
Bolz-Weber noted that many folks misunderstand the third question. She explained: "To be clear – that is not to say that it is not worthy to be cared about by SOMEONE, only that my effectiveness in the world cannot extend to every worthy to be cared about event and situation. It’s not an issue of values, it’s an issue of MATH. . . . It’s ok to do what is YOURS to do. Say what’s yours to say. Care about what’s yours to care about. That’s enough. . . . I’m not saying we should put our heads in the sand, I’m saying that if your circuits are overwhelmed there’s a reason and the reason isn’t because you are heartless, it’s because there is not a human heart on this planet that can bear all of what is happening right now. So thank you for being a person who cares about and responds to animals, or the environment, or immigration, or domestic violence or any of the other worthy-to-be-cared-about shit-shows we are in the midst of right now. Just, thank you." So, this week, we encourage you to schedule some time to sit with these discernment questions. Spend some time in prayer or journaling. Ask God to help you get clear on what is yours and what is not yours. Identify some concrete actions steps you can take in the areas you are called to. And then, try to release everything else to others and to God. Doing this is not easy — it's an act of faith and trust! But remember that to care for others, we must care for ourselves, and that means honoring our human limitations. This past Sunday, Maddie continued our sermon series on Cultivating Fruits of the Spirit, by preaching about Faithfulness.
Together we looked at the Book of Judges, which is about a time in the history of God's people when God felt far away, and when the people and idea of the Promised Land no longer felt enchanting. We examined what it means to stay faithful to God, to people, and to communities when the feeling of enchantment has worn off — and how that feeling of enchantment can often be misleading. This week, we're offering three resources to build on what we talked about. 1. A Bible Project Breakdown of the Book of Judges If this Sunday's sermon got you curious about the Book of Judges, check out this video from The Bible Project that goes into more depth about the context for that book and the stories in it. Judges tells us about a time after the Israelites reached the Promised Land when there was no king in Israel and everyone did what they wanted. The Israelites would periodically turn away from God and engage in behaviors that made it more difficult for them to experience God's love -- which then made it hard for them to love one another. God would periodically send flawed people, "Judges," to deliver the Israelites from their suffering, but inevitably the cycle would repeat itself. As you take a closer look at this book, consider the ways in which it speaks to your own life and also to our current moment. Where is God in this book and where are we? What can we learn from it as we endeavor to stay faithful, even when it's hard? 2. "Love is Not a Permanent State of Enthusiasm" by Esther Perel Couple's therapist Esther Perel is famous for saying that "Love is not a permanent state of enthusiasm." She counsels couples on how to work through periods when the state of enchantment has worn off. In this lecture, she lays out her ideas about how to do this. She talks about how emotional commitment is a daily practice, how love can be a mirror for self-awareness, and how we can move from focusing on enthusiasm to emotional depth. As you give it a listen, consider what her insights might have to tell us about how we relate to each other as friends and community members, and also how we might relate to God. How might de-centering enthusiasm or enchantment help us to remain faithful in hard times? 3. Interview about Building Community with Casper ter Kuile Sam Pressler is a researcher at Harvard who is focused on the breakdown of community in America and its implications for our shared life. In this post he interviews community entrepreneur Casper ter Kuile. Casper ter Kuile reflects on his journey from studying the decline of traditional religion to exploring how spirituality is transforming through secular spaces, rituals, and new forms of community. He emphasizes the importance of hospitality and belonging, drawing from personal experiences and mentors who taught him the depth of theology and tradition. His current work, including the Joyful Belonging newsletter, focuses on cultivating joy, play, and hospitality as core practices of community life. Rituals — whether inherited, reimagined, or newly created — are central to how he sees people connecting, belonging, and activating collective meaning. Ultimately, he envisions a future where covenantal relationships and spiritual innovation sustain communities beyond institutional decline, grounded in love and joyful belonging. As you read through this interview, consider the beliefs that you hold about community. What is the importance of community to you? Why do you believe that community is important? How do you live out those beliefs and how do you think that you could live them out better? |
RSS Feed