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Last Sunday, I said in my sermon that we are starting Advent at the gates of hope. There are so many reasons to be hopeful about our ministry together.

Not least among those reasons is how you all rise to the occasion, when needed. Many of you showed up on Saturday morning when I was unavailable to get the church ready for Advent. Your work was on display on Sunday morning and so valued. I heard many comments and questions about who had done all this and how it looked so amazing. If you still aren’t sure the answer to who, you can find their pictures in this newsletter. Then Sunday we had many unforeseen circumstances and because of your help and flexibility, we were able to meet them with grace, persistence, and a smile. When my normal 20-minute drive took almost an hour to detour around the marathon, I arrived to find people already busy and calmly preparing what needed to be done and Pastor Cole just stepping in as needed. When the auxiliary heat in the sanctuary failed come on, you found blankets and space heaters and diagnosed thermostats and moved on. When a visitor showed up who hadn’t been at church since he was 15, which was 30 years ago, he was welcomed heartily and on leaving even said he’d be back next week. When hot dogs weren’t quite ready and potluck items were forgotten in the kitchen, you were happy with carrot cake until the main dishes appeared. When musicians arrived for a rehearsal, you welcomed them to stay for lunch afterward. When microphones wouldn’t connect to the Charge Conference zoom, you pulled out the patience that you had packed up for the occasion until we could find a solution. When the debate about leftovers began, a quick pivot was taken to send our officiant home with cookies for his three young children. During the Charge Conference when you were asked what you celebrate about our ministry, you had so many joyful answers. Throughout the day, whenever I asked anyone to help with anything, the answer was always a quick yes. I am so thankful for each of you. I am filled with hope that on a day like that, we finished the day with all the Charge Conference forms filled out and submitted (Thank You, Nikki!), new conversations were started about possible collaborations with a neighboring church, everyone who came in person was well-fed, and even a few math facts were reviewed. A church that rises to the occasion gracefully is a church at the gates of hope, for sure. And at the gates of hope, we are beckoning and calling for others to find hope with us, as well.

Another reason for hope that wasn’t so visible on Sunday is taking place as we search for a new AV tech team member. Many will remember that we bid good-bye to one of our AV Techs, Mattie, a couple of weeks ago. This week, we heard of two people interested in joining the AV Team and we hope that at least one of them will be able to be with us this Sunday to start learning the system. Both of them found us through the networking of our congregation. People knew there was an opening and they inquired and learned of young people who might be interested in such an opportunity and they connected us. This kind of networking speaks volumes about how our church community is integral to the wider community beyond current church attendees and members. Many of you see ways that your friends and colleagues and neighbors would find value in what happens at church and you invite those persons to an experience of our community in ways and times that work for them. Your witness is growing the kin-dom of God through our church and that is a hopeful sign.

Further, I’m hopeful because we don’t always agree but we keep coming back together. Maybe that sounds funny but I think it’s a hopeful sign that we trust each other and God enough that we can be honest with each other, and also open to listening to another’s perspective. The mode of disagreeing within ongoing relationship that I observe among our congregation gives me hope that we will find ways forward through most anything.