“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”
– Annie Dillard
No Turning Back
There’s something unflinching about Jesus here.
Luke says he “set his face toward Jerusalem.” It’s the moment he stops wandering and starts going. Not drifting. Not hedging. But choosing the road ahead—come what may.
He’s honest about it. Bracingly so. He says following will cost you. He says you’ll have to let go of “but first.” He says you can’t plow straight if you keep looking back.
And it’s not cruelty that makes him speak this way. It’s love that refuses to lie. He knows the road leads through suffering. But he also knows it’s the only road that leads to life.
I think there’s mercy in that clarity. A grace in being told the truth about what matters most. Because when you know the cost, you get to choose freely. And love that’s chosen freely is the only kind that lasts.
I imagine us standing there together in that moment. Hearing his voice. Not with shame. Not with fear. But with a holy honesty that says: “Yes. Even this. I’ll follow.”
I wonder: I wonder what “but first” you’re holding onto these days. I wonder what you’d have to lay down to follow more freely. I wonder what you might gain on the other side of that choice.
Looking Ahead
As we prepare for worship next Sunday, I hope you’ll take time to read ahead in the Gospel—Luke 10:1–11, 16–20.
Jesus sends seventy others on ahead of him. He doesn’t weigh them down with baggage. He sends them lightly, with trust and purpose, to bring peace and healing wherever they go. He tells them to say: “The kingdom of God has come near.”
If this week is about choosing the road, Next week is about walking it—together.
And there’s hope in that. We don’t walk alone.
I wonder: As you read and pray this week, I wonder what it would mean for you to go lightly. I wonder how you might speak peace into someone’s life. I wonder where you might notice God’s kingdom drawing near.
May God grant us the grace to see clearly, the courage to choose freely, and the love to walk this road with one another.
Last Sunday in worship I shared a small piece by Frederick Buechner called Sacrament. It begins with these sentences: “A sacrament is when something holy happens. It is transparent time – time when you can see through to something deep inside time.” Something sacramental began on Sunday as we celebrated our shared ministry of over 45 years. We celebrated connection to God and to one another and we stood on the edge of time looking backward and fearfully beginning to peek forward.
I cannot thank you enough for 45+ years of shared ministry. We have walked together and sung together through joy and sorrow always looking to God for the way through. As I step away from “professional” ministry and the congregation steps into a time of change and discernment we can both walk boldly into sacramental time when our awareness of the Holy that surrounds us will guide us on the road forward. Last Sunday was an amazing experience of celebration and remembrance. Let it be a sacramental beginning for both of us
Thank you for sharing life and music in the service of God with me. The road does indeed lead on with God’s guidance. I can’t wait to see what is around the next turn.
“A sacrament,” Frederick Buechner once wrote, “is when something holy happens. It is transparent time—time when you can see through to something deep inside time.”
A Moment Worth Holding
And wouldn’t you know it, last Sunday felt like that. Not holy in a big, dramatic sort of way. Nothing flashy. Nothing staged. But holy in a way that you could feel in your chest. In the quiet that settled before a hymn. In the steady presence of people who knew this moment mattered. In the kind of moment you know you’ll carry with you.
Judy stood there—humble, clear-eyed, and fully herself—and guided us, as she always has, with the kind of wisdom that doesn’t need to raise its voice. She reminded us that Baptists don’t really “do” sacraments. But that doesn’t mean we don’t know when we’re standing on sacred ground.
“This is a transition,” she told us. “But more than that—it’s a glimpse. A thin place. Transparent time.”
She was teaching us to notice the holy humming beneath the familiar. To pay attention.
Honoring Judy
Last Sunday felt like one of those moments where the everyday and the sacred sit side by side, and you can sense something deeper just beneath the surface.
Music lifted us, stories grounded us, and a spirit of celebration reminded us who we are together. We honored Judy Fiske, Organist Emerita, for her years of ministry—decades spent faithfully stitching together worship and community in ways that have shaped us more than words can express.
We hold Judy, Eric, and their entire family in prayer as they step into this new season—a time to rest, reconnect, try new things, and enjoy being together in a different rhythm of life. We also anticipate seeing Judy in worship again in September—not in a staff role, but as a fellow worshiper. We’ll be eager to see her at the organ bench with some regularity, though we’re still discerning what that rhythm will be.
We’re deeply grateful for the many hands and hearts that planned and facilitated such a meaningful day—thank you for helping us mark this transition with so much love and care. The beauty of that moment continues to echo in the life of our church.
This Sunday’s Gospel: Luke 8:26–39
This Sunday, Jesus steps off a boat and into the chaos of a man’s life. The man’s name is Legion. That alone tells you plenty. He’s a walking crowd of pain.
But Jesus doesn’t flinch. He sees through to the deep inside. And in that seeing, there’s healing. In that moment—terrifying and tender and beautifully human—there is mercy.
Not the kind that says “I’ll pray for you” and keeps walking. The kind that stops, listens, lingers. The kind that stays.
Jesus sends the man home, not just well, but whole. With a story to tell.
A Request for Prayer
Like him, we too are walking forward with a story to tell—grateful for healing, grounded by mercy, and reminded that our calling is not just to look back with thanks, but to look ahead with hope.
That’s where we are, church. On the edge of something new. Listening to the Spirit who whispers, “Now go tell what God has done for you.”
We invite you to be in prayer for our pastoral and music staff, and for our congregation, as we take up the shared work of worship planning and leadership. These next few weeks will be a time of transition—filled with both memory and discovery. Let’s ask God’s Spirit to guide us gently and clearly through each step.
And together, we will keep walking—grateful for what has been and expectant for what is still to come.
This is a sacred season in the life of our church—one filled with gratitude, memory, and the faithful work of transition. While we have walked with others through retirement before, we have never experienced a transition quite like this—Judy Fiske retiring after 45 years of continuous ministry within the life of Tabernacle. That reality calls for deep care, deliberate attention, and shared grace.
First and foremost, we are grateful for Judy—for her decades of faithful, life-giving ministry, and for the humility and strength with which she is walking this transition. We also extend our deep gratitude to Judy’s family, who have walked alongside her and made sacrifices so that she could serve, lead, and thrive in ministry here for so many years.
We are also deeply thankful for the staff, the Personnel Committee, the Deacons, the many individuals who serve within the music ministry, and the countless others who have helped guide this process in quiet, faithful ways. And we are grateful for you—the congregation—for your flexibility, support, and commitment to this community.
Let’s continue to move forward in trust—trust in God, trust in one another, and trust in the unfolding future that awaits us. This is a moment to listen well, to show up generously, and to extend the same grace we’ve received. Together, we make the road by walking—and we do so as a people shaped by love, memory, and hope.
When Will Judy Retire from Staff?
Judy’s final day as a staff member will be Sunday, June 15. That morning, we will gather for worship as usual, followed by a church-wide celebration and reception in recognition of her 45 years of ministry.
We are indebted to Terry and Nathan, along with others, for their leadership in planning this celebration on behalf of the congregation.
After June 15, Judy’s staff email and Basecamp account will be deactivated as part of a healthy and respectful staff transition. We encourage you to remain in touch by using her personal email or phone number.
Why Is Judy Stepping Away This Summer, and What Will Her Reentry into Church Life Look Like?
With Judy’s staff role concluding on June 15, we have committed together to a 90-day period of intentional space (June 15–September 15). During this time, Judy will step back from participating in worship, attending church events, and engaging in the structured rhythms of church life.
This decision wasn’t made lightly. It reflects a shared desire—for Judy, for staff and church leaders, and for the congregation—to move through this transition with intention and grace. After 45 years of faithful, life-giving, and deeply rooted ministry, Judy’s role has become inseparable from the day-to-day fabric of Tabernacle. This pause is a necessary invitation to everyone involved—to acknowledge what has been, and to begin making room for what’s next.
Rather than trying to hold onto familiar patterns, we’re choosing to create space. This gives Judy a chance to breathe, reflect, and rest. It also allows the staff and church leaders to settle into new rhythms, and the congregation to begin embracing this significant shift in identity and practice.
Importantly, stepping back from church life does not mean stepping back from friendship and community. Judy has been part of this congregation for decades, and many of her closest relationships are with people in this church. It’s entirely natural—and welcomed—that she may continue connecting personally with friends over the summer. She is also looking forward to some well-earned freedom and rest—worshiping with her husband, Eric, at First English Lutheran Church, spending time worshipping with other friends throughout Richmond, and simply having the ability to choose how to spend a Sunday morning—something she hasn’t had in all of her adult life.
While Judy will not be participating in worship or formal church life over the summer, she will have access to the building and the organ for private practice. This access supports her ongoing musicianship and respects the deep connection she holds with the instrument. These moments will be personal and not connected to any public or staff responsibilities. They are also in keeping with the spirit of the 90-day period of intentional space.
In September, Judy will reenter church life first as a fellow worshiper—taking her place in the pews and worshiping alongside others. From there, she and church leaders will thoughtfully discern what further involvement might look like, including musical leadership or service in new ways.
There may also be rare and meaningful moments during the summer—such as baptisms or ordinations—where Judy’s presence may feel appropriate and welcomed. Any such invitations will be approached with great care and in full alignment with the spirit of this transition.
Key points:
Judy will not participate in worship, events, or structured service roles during the summer (June 15–Sept 15).
The 90-day period is a deliberate pause that honors both the depth of her ministry and the need for healthy transition.
This pause does not exclude personal connection—Judy may continue informal time with friends in the congregation.
She looks forward to worshiping with Eric at First English Lutheran, connecting and worshipping with friends around Richmond, and simply having the freedom to choose how to spend a Sunday.
In the fall, Judy will return first as a fellow worshiper; additional involvement will emerge through shared discernment.
What Does the Title ‘Organist Emerita’ Mean, and Will Judy Play the Organ Again?
The Deacons have unanimously affirmed the decision to honor Judy with the title Organist Emerita, a permanent and honorary designation offered in deep gratitude for her 45 years of faithful, creative, and spiritually grounded leadership. The title reflects the congregation’s enduring appreciation for the role Judy has played in shaping the worship life of Tabernacle Baptist Church.
This is not a staff position and does not carry expectations related to responsibilities, compensation, or weekly participation. Rather, it is a visible and lasting tribute to Judy’s legacy and continued presence within the church community.
The Deacons will formally present this honor on behalf of the congregation during the worship service or luncheon on June 15. Judy’s name and honorary title will also appear in places where staff names are typically listed—such as the church bulletin, website, and other communications—as an ongoing public expression of appreciation.
Looking ahead, Judy and church leaders will enter into a mutual dialogue this fall about the possibility of her serving in a part-time or contractual organist role. That conversation will unfold with care and clarity, shaped by the needs of the congregation and Judy’s own sense of calling. It is important to note that Judy will first return in the fall simply as a fellow worshiper, reentering church life gently and without expectations.
Key points:
The Deacons have unanimously approved honoring Judy as Organist Emerita.
The title is permanent and honorary, not a continuation of staff responsibilities.
It will be formally presented during the worship service or luncheon on June 15.
Judy’s title will appear in the church bulletin, website, and other formal communications.
A mutual dialogue between Judy and church leaders will begin this fall regarding any future organist role.
Judy will first return to church life as a fellow worshiper, without formal responsibilities.
Who Will Plan Worship and Lead Music Following Judy’s Retirement?
Beginning June 16, Pastor Sterling Severns will take primary responsibility for worship planning, at the request of the Deacons. He will work in collaboration with a team of staff and congregants to shape meaningful, theologically grounded worship for the months ahead.
Judy will no longer be involved in worship planning after June 15. Her contributions in this area have shaped the spiritual life of Tabernacle in lasting ways. We are deeply grateful for her years of pastoral musicianship and faithful preparation.
The worship team recognizes that this next chapter is one of discernment and adaptability. While the organ will not be used every Sunday, it will continue to be a valued part of our worship life—used less frequently in the summer, and more regularly in the fall.
The church is also exploring the possibility of contracted musicians to support worship. These conversations are ongoing and are rooted in care for spiritual depth, relational health, and financial sustainability.
Key points:
Sterling Severns will lead worship planning, in collaboration with staff and congregants.
Judy will no longer plan worship after June 15.
Worship will continue to grow through creativity, prayer, and shared leadership.
Organ music will remain a part of our worship life—less frequent in summer, more regular in fall.
The use of contracted musicians will require thoughtful review.
What Is Judy Focused on During Her Final Month on Staff?
In this final month, Judy is focusing on the significant and necessary task of preparing her materials for transition. After decades of ministry, she has gathered a substantial collection of worship resources, books, music, and discipleship materials. These have long supported the life of the church.
A staging space in the former youth room is being used to sort these items. Organ music is being moved into a set of filing cabinets near the choir loft. Several spaces are being cleared so they can be cleaned and refreshed, including:
The choir loft
The front pews of the sanctuary
Judy’s office
The former music library, which the youth will begin using as their meeting space in June
In the choir room, Judy’s personal items will be moved to the staging room prior to departure, while materials that are already organized—such as those under the risers and on the bookshelves—will remain in place and be reviewed at a later time as part of the church’s broader facilities discernment process.
Other small storage areas throughout the building
Seeing familiar spaces cleared out offers an emotional and visual cue—reminding us that Judy’s transition is real and significant. This makes room for gentler expectations around her return and helps us all move forward with grace.
All clearing and organizing that needs to happen before Judy’s departure will take place between now and June 15. This includes removing materials from several key spaces and relocating items into the staging room. Once Judy retires from staff, she will not continue this work over the summer. The contents of the staging room and remaining materials in the choir room will be left as they are until after the 90-day period of intentional space, at which point Judy will resume sorting and decision-making in those areas—beginning after September 15.
Key points:
Judy is sorting worship, music, and discipleship materials in preparation for retirement.
A staging room is being used; organ music is moving to filing cabinets.
Several church spaces are being cleared to support this transition.
In the choir room, personal items will be addressed; other organized materials may remain.
The work of gathering and placing items in the staging room will be completed by June 15.
Judy will not work on this during the summer, but will resume after Sept. 15.
Volunteers are needed—with and under Judy’s guidance.
What Is Judy’s Role in Music Camp or Clue Camp This Year?
As part of her transition, Judy will not be attending Music and Worship Arts Camp at Eagle Eyrie or Clue Camp in New York City this summer. She has offered some behind-the-scenes support for Music Camp, including supplies and encouragement.
We’re grateful for the many members of the congregation who are stepping into leadership and helping continue these important ministries.
Key points:
Judy is not attending Music Camp or Clue Camp this summer.
She has offered behind-the-scenes support for Music Camp.
We’re grateful to those leading and continuing these ministries.
How Can I Help During This Transition?
There are many ways you can support Judy, the staff, and the church during this important season. With a great deal to do in the next month, your help is both needed and deeply appreciated.
Here are a few meaningful ways to get involved:
Volunteer to help move and organize music, books, and personal items before June 15.
Let Nathan and Terry know if you’re available to help with the June 15 retirement celebration.
Offer encouragement to Judy and others walking closely with her during this transition.
Pray for wisdom, tenderness, and spiritual clarity for all involved.
Be present on June 15 as we celebrate and give thanks together.
Hold space for one another—this is a tender time, and your grace matters.
Tabernacle is one of just thirteen churches nationwide invited to participate in Building for Hope, a two-year, grant-funded initiative designed to help congregations reimagine how their buildings and land can better serve their communities—and, in doing so, help sustain the mission of the church.
This isn’t a side project. It’s a purposeful process that invites the congregation to explore how we might use our space more fully for the common good, while also building a more sustainable financial future for our ministry.
Rooted in faithful economic practice, this work centers on social enterprise—a mission-led approach to using what we’ve been given (our space, our location, our creativity) to meet real community needs while generating income to support long-term ministry. Social enterprises aren’t about profit—they’re about purpose. Churches across the country are doing things like:
Turning unused classrooms into art studios and business incubators
Offering coworking spaces and after-school programs
Inviting food entrepreneurs to use commercial kitchens
Developing affordable housing on church property
Partnering with nonprofits to create gardens, clinics, or community spaces
In all cases, the mission leads. Any project we pursue must reflect our calling to love, serve, and seek justice.
Where We Are Now
This past week, two of our team members—Sterling Severns and Ryan Corbitt—joined cohort representatives from twelve other congregations for a national Zoom call to share updates and learn from one another. In just a few weeks, three members of our team will attend the second offsite cohort gathering in Alexandria (May 15–17), returning with new insights and energy for the next phase of our journey.
Before that, the full Tabernacle team will gather on Tuesday, May 13 to complete Session 3 of the Good Futures Accelerator. This session, titled Community and Context, centers on listening: to our neighbors, to our history, and to where God might already be at work. We’ve also partnered with the BGAV to launch a demographic study that will help us better understand the people who live around us—and how we might come alongside their gifts and needs.
Who’s Involved?
Our current team includes: Ryan Corbitt, Jay Hartman, Donna Soyars, Kathy McGraw, Sterling Severns, and April Kennedy. A few others have recently expressed interest in joining the team, and we anticipate welcoming additional members in the coming weeks.
This is an active working team, guiding the process and helping shape how and when the broader congregation is engaged. Importantly, the team does not make final decisions on behalf of the church—it stewards the process, creating space for all of us to listen, discern, and imagine together.
We also want to share a leadership update: Donna Soyars, one of our three coordinating leaders, is stepping back from that coordinating role to focus more fully on her responsibilities as Chair of Building & Grounds. She remains a committed and active team member, and we are deeply grateful for her wisdom and dedication. In the coming weeks, a new team coordinator will step into that role alongside Ryan and Sterling.
What’s Next?
We anticipate hosting the first churchwide gathering in early June, opening the process to broader congregational conversation, input, and imagination. These sessions will continue throughout the year and will be essential in helping us discern what expressions of social enterprise might take shape at Tabernacle.
This isn’t about fixing a problem. It’s about following God’s Spirit into what’s possible—rooted in our story, shaped by our neighbors, and open to where hope leads.
Let’s keep listening. Let’s dream together. Let’s build for hope.
Saturday morning, around the breakfast table, I sat with a neighbor and told stories about someone we both knew. He was a man full of beauty and struggle. He had lived without stable housing for a long time, survived being hit by a car, experienced seasons of healing, and even more seasons of deep hardship.
The neighbor spoke with tenderness, telling stories of care and connection. Their bond was so strong that on occasion she would go out in the middle of the night to check on him, and other times gave rides, or brought food. She showed up with love and compassion, over and over again, even caring for his family after his death.
I shared how our relationship with him at Tabernacle had also shaped us. During the pandemic, it was his presence that compelled us to open the showers to neighbors—even when the rest of the building remained closed. I still hear his voice in my mind, surprised when someone called him by name: “You know my name!” Such a simple, sacred moment. And finally, I told the neighbor about his last morning. He took a hot shower, pulled on a pair of corduroy pants he had asked for, and with the biggest smile, said he felt like a new man. Later that week, I stood with his family on the sidewalk of Meadow Street, and we mourned together.
As we remembered, I realized how holy it all was. The care offered through car rides, kitchen tables and church showers, the calls made in the middle of the night, the love shared between neighbors—these are glimpses of the kingdom of God. This remembering reminds me that kingdom work isn’t confined to institutions. It’s found in the ordinary, sacred moments of life.
I am a different person because I knew him. I caught a glimpse of Jesus in him. And I believe the neighbor would say the same.
Who is someone whose presence—however brief or complicated—has helped you have a glimpse of Jesus?
It’s the loudest part of Saturday morning’s Community Ministry—neighbors talking to neighbors, greetings at the door, warm hellos at the welcome desk. It’s not just noise; it’s a symphony.
Voices rise in layers—excited tones, weary tones, grateful tones—each one distinct, yet somehow blending into a beautiful harmony. In those opening minutes, the room fills with a kind of music that reminds us: we belong to one another.
It’s a moment that helps us see more clearly—each person not as another in need, but as someone beloved. It inspires us to extend that welcome even further, to be the kind of community where everyone feels seen, known, and loved.
We were made with bodies that sense—eyes to see, ears to hear, hands to touch, tongues to taste, noses to smell. When we have been sitting at Jesus’ feet, like Mary, growing close to him, those everyday senses become sacred instruments. We hear the sounds of the morning becoming the voice of Christ saying again and again, “You are loved. You belong. You are not alone.” We see his presence in the faces of our neighbors. We taste communion in the food and fellowship we share with each other and with Jesus. As we learn to sit close to Christ, we recognize the transformation of the ordinary into holy.
This Holy Week, we continue listening deeply, reflecting honestly, and walking together through the sacred story at the heart of our faith. One of the great gifts this year is the opportunity to reconnect with our longtime friends at Pine Street Baptist Church — a congregation with whom we’ve shared more than a century of mission, prayer, and mutual encouragement. This moment of reconnection feels holy, and we’re grateful to walk this stretch of the journey side-by-side once again.
Please Note: The Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services were originally publicized as starting at 6:30 PM. Both will now begin at 6:00 PM.
Maundy Thursday
Thursday, April 17 @ 6:00 PM Location: Pine Street Baptist Church 400 South Pine Street, Richmond, VA 23220 (Service will last approximately 1.5 hours)
Maundy Thursday invites us into the tender and intimate moments of Jesus’ final night with his disciples, as found in John 13. It’s a night marked by table fellowship, foot washing, and Jesus’ command: “Love one another, just as I have loved you.”
We will begin the evening together in the Sanctuary at Pine Street Baptist Church, then transition into their Fellowship Hall, where we’ll gather around tables for guided conversation, a light meal of hummus, bread, carrots, and fruit, and a time of communion. Through shared space and reflective practice, we’ll explore what it means to love one another in the way Jesus has loved us — sacrificially, humbly, and fully.
Parking is available in the church lot or on the street. Accessible parking is also available. Greeters will help guide you to the Albemarle Street Entrance or the accessible entrance at the back of the building.
Good Friday
Friday, April 18 @ 6:00 PM Location: Tabernacle Baptist Church (Service will last approximately 1 hour)
We are honored to welcome Pine Street Baptist into our space for an experiential Good Friday service. Through storytelling, guided reflection, and quiet moments, we’ll consider the grief, confusion, and hope experienced by those who witnessed the crucifixion.
Please plan to eat prior to arriving or prepare for a later supper following the service.
Community Ministry
Saturday, April 19 @ 7:30 AM Location: Tabernacle Baptist Church
Join us in serving our neighbors through tangible acts of care and presence — a living response to resurrection hope.
Egg Hunt & Cookout
Saturday, April 19 @ 5:00 PM Location: Fiske Home
Celebrate new life with an evening of food, fellowship, and fun. Kids can enjoy an egg hunt, and all are welcome at the table. Hamburgers, hot dogs, and drinks will be provided. Please bring a side dish to share, and bring a picnic blanket or portable chairs for seating.
The egg hunt begins at 5pm sharp, so don’t be late. Dinner will follow at 5:30pm. Contact a staff member or church leader for the Fiske’s home address.
Easter Sunday
Sunday, April 20 Location: Tabernacle Baptist Church
Easter Breakfast @ 9:00 AM Celebrate Resurrection morning with a warm, shared meal.
Easter Worship @ 11:00 AM Join us for a vibrant service of music, prayer, and proclamation. He is Risen! Together, we’ll celebrate the hope and new life found in the resurrection of Christ. All are invited to bring fresh flowers to adorn our Flower Cross — a beautiful tradition that symbolizes the transforming power of Easter morning.
As we move through this Holy Week together, may we find space for God’s voice, room for holy mystery, and hearts open to the grace that is always unfolding.
A few years ago, a friend and I were talking about faith—what it means to keep going when so much was unraveling.
His voice got quiet, and he said, “I need elders in my life.”
Something in me opened as he said it—like hearing the faintest notes of a song I’d forgotten. He was naming something I needed, something I longed for.
But what unsettled me most was this: others were looking to me to be an elder.
I was helping usher others through their crisis of identity while in the midst of my own.
Then Came the Wave
The kind that unsettles everything, that pulls you under.
These moments return, stripping away what cannot hold—making space for something deeper.
Failure itself becomes the invitation.
What Holds?
The truth is, anything we build our lives on—self-sufficiency, institutions, even other people—will shift beneath us.
And when it felt like everything was giving way, I wasn’t left with answers.
I was left with silence.
But the silence wasn’t empty.
It held something I had forgotten.
Everyday Saints and Struggling Well
Josh Nadeau writes about heroes—but not in the way we usually think of them.
Not those who have mastered life, but those who have lived it in a way that calls something deeper out of us.
The same is true of how he speaks about saints.
Not distant, untouchable figures, but ordinary people whose lives reveal something holy.
I keep coming back to the idea of struggling well.
Not avoiding hardship. Not numbing it.
But moving through it with faithfulness, with honesty, with an openness to what might be revealed.
This is what elders, sponsors, and everyday saints do.
They don’t hand us easy answers, but they show us what faithfulness looks like in the questions.
And this is why we need them—not just once, but again and again, at every major crossroads.
Sponsors need sponsors. Elders need elders. Disciples need disciples.
Lent Isn’t About Rushing to Transformation
It’s about what happens when the running stops.
It’s about sitting in the silence long enough to realize we are not alone.
It’s about noticing what is real—not forcing change, but allowing something to surface.
It’s about learning not to escape Sheol, but to listen there.
What’s Crumbling—And What’s Being Renewed?
The structures that once upheld the church’s power have crumbled.
And whereas it doesn’t feel very good, that doesn’t mean it isn’t.
The houses of faith we’ve built are crumbling because that’s what happens when we build on what cannot hold.
When we build on power instead of presence, on status instead of faithfulness.
But Jesus builds the church. We make disciples.
And in place of what has fallen, a familiar way is being renewed—one that can withstand the weight of love, truth, and grace (Matthew 7:24-27).
And we don’t find our way alone.
The People Who Show Us the Way
The voices of elders—both living and gone—help lay the foundation.
Cecil and Charlotte are just two among a long line of the great cloud of witnesses, guiding me in ways they’ll never know.
I think of Boyle, Nouwen, Palmer, Brooks, Buechner, Colbert, Lamott, Brown-Taylor, McLaren, Rohr, Friedman, Kaur, Thurman, Willard, Weller, and so many others—voices I encounter in books, in podcasts, in stories passed down. Their wisdom steadies me.
But more than anything, we need people we make eye contact with, people we walk alongside. In their eyes, we see recognition—the quiet knowing of someone who has been here before. We see steadiness, not because they have all the answers, but because they’ve learned they don’t need them.
We see grace. We see the way forward.
And the pattern continues.
Sponsors need sponsors. Elders need elders. Disciples need disciples.
Those who guide us are also being guided.
Those who pour into us are also being poured into.
This is the way wisdom moves, the way faith is formed—not in isolation, but in relationship.
We need those we can trust—who remind us, again and again, that grace is real.
Who are the voices shaping you?
A Question for Reflection
Who are the voices shaping you?
Who are the everyday saints pointing you toward life?
Lent is a season of remembering. A season of learning how to let go, how to be held, how to be raised into something new.
It is not a season of escape, but of transformation.
And somewhere along the way, in the silence, in the stillness, in the presence of those who have walked before me and those who walk alongside me now—
I rediscovered my faith in Jesus.
Maybe we don’t need all the answers.
Maybe we just need to pay attention to those who are showing us the way.
As a pastor, I’m constantly aware of the weight people are carrying—both in what they share with me, in what I see, and in what I’m experiencing in the world. I feel it too. It’s rough out there. The pressure, the exhaustion, the constant noise of life—it’s a lot. And I know many of you are seeing it, feeling it, and carrying it in your own way. We’re all longing for peace.
Next week, Lent begins—a season that invites us to slow down, reflect, and make space for what matters. Not by trying harder, but by making room for something deeper.
So here’s what I’m wondering:
What if holiness isn’t about striving but about paying attention?
What if faith isn’t something to master but something to wake up to, right in the middle of our ordinary lives?
What if Lent isn’t about what we give up, but about what we make space to receive?
We’ll begin next Wednesday, March 5—one brief reading a day, skipping Sundays, through Saturday, April 19. I’ll post a daily thread where you can share a thought if you want, or you can just sit with the words on your own. Or maybe you read along and never tell a soul—including me. That’s fine, too.
If this sounds like something you’d like to do, grab a copy in print, on Kindle, or on Audible so you’re ready to start next Wednesday.
Let’s see what happens when we make a little room for peace.
