Some weeks, everything feels surreal. New experiences, new possibilities, new ways of seeing the world. This week was one of those for me, as I spent my time in Los Angeles with a group of clergy people learning about communication. We went to visit Homeboy Ministries, a re-entry program for men and women exiting the prison system. We learned from Mel McGowan, designer of much of Disney Land. We visited First UMC LA, a church without a building, and toured Skid Row. It was an intense, beautiful, sacred week that has me thinking constantly about the way that we tell our stories.
On Sunday, we talked about how gratitude helps shape our stories and that we need to be intentional about sharing those stories with the world so that it can be transformed as we have been transformed by the love of Christ. This week, we will continue to hear stories of gratefulness and how those stories teach us to express and be changed by being grateful.
This week, I’m grateful for the chance to rest and to learn, and to reflect on all of the wonderful stories that our church has to tell. I hope you’ll join us to hear some of those stories as we work together to tell those stories in our lives and on our platforms. Let’s learn together!
I love being your pastor! I can’t wait to see you on Sunday at 9a for the study I’m teaching (Happy? What it is and how to find it) and for worship at 10:30am!
Your pastor and friend in Christ,
Jenna