Where do we go from here, together?

Sometimes it’s easier to know what we don’t want than what we do want. As we think about gathering together again face-to-face on Sunday mornings, here are some of the desires I’ve heard:

   “I don’t want things to just go back to the way they were.”
   “I don’t want to gather every Sunday. It felt like too much work.
   “We’ve been on zoom long enough. If we don’t go back to face-to-face worship on Sunday’s soon, I’ll have to go elsewhere.” 

The question “Where do we go from here, together?”, holds our personal preferences (as valid as these may be) alongside those of others in our community. It is this collective grouping of needs, desires, fears, longings, levels of enthusiasm and weariness, that shapes the ever changing kaleidoscope of our community. “Where do we go from here, together?”, takes all of this into account.

It also takes into consideration our assets–the space, skills, finances, time, and energy God has provided us–as well as our readiness to use them. We name all these realities within the kaleidoscope, trusting that God is with us, shining through this collective togetherness, in powerful ways, preparing the way.

Naming what we don’t like is an easy entry point into thinking about the future. However, focusing too long on what we don’t like drains our collective energy and decreases momentum. It’s more energizing to appreciate what IS meaningful as a clue to where to put more effort and attention.

This Sunday we will divvy up and meet in three separate locations to explore this question, “Where do we go from here, together?”, as it relates to our Sunday morning gatherings for worship.

We will begin by remembering what has proven meaningful and nourishing to us in the past.

Here are a few questions to ponder in advance of our gatherings:

* What held meaning and significance for you in the way we gathered for worship…
   * before Covid? 
   * during Covid? 
* What curiosity is emerging in you about where we might go from here, together? 

Use these prompts to get you going: 

I wonder…
* what it would be like to for us to _?
* if we could _?
* how we could continue cultivating _?
* if we need to let go of _?

Deep peace and blessings.

—Anne

Rev. Anne Baxter Smith
Pastor of Church at Southpoint