What if we are The Church of Faded Dreams? I know I know. It doesn’t quite have the same ring to it as The Church We Hope For! But hear me out. On Valentine’s Day, I was nerding out and reading a theological commentary on Love as it traces its way in various forms throughout the Scriptures from cover to cover. Not my normal February 14th behavior…but I felt inspired!
As I worked through Patrick Mitchel’s book, he focused on God’s great dreams for the people of Israel in the Older Testament. And as he noted how that story seemingly ends in heaviness and doubt, he offered this line: “When dreams fade, hope hibernates.”
I began to think about my own story. And the story of so many of you. And as so many of us carry stories of crushed dreams (and spirits) and broken hearts (and bodies), I began to see how in the midst of all of it, hope has been hibernating within our familia.
In this coming Lenten season, may you find yourself becoming more in tune with the hope in you that may feel dormant or even dead, but is in fact resting. recovering. refreshing and restoring. I believe the day is coming. Hold on. Hold hope. We are growing stronger, even in silence and stillness. I believe it. From faded dreams. To holy, held hope.
As we look ahead together to the next week, here are some ways we can gather in community in meaningful ways:
Church Familia Hike!
We will be exploring a new hike this Saturday! It’s 1.1-mile downhill to an ocean cove in Rancho Palos Verdes. You’re gonna wanna bring a camera. The views will be stunning! The hike is family-friendly but no doggies on this one.
As for parking, there are a few free spots on the street if you find it but there is also a parking lot that’s 2 hrs for $6. Here’s the address: Abalone Cove Park, 5970 Palos Verdes Drive, South Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275. We’ll meet you there at 10 AM!
All the deets and registration info are right here!
Black History Month Parade & Events
For those staying local around Pasadena on Saturday, we want to encourage you to attend one of the largest and longest-running Black History parades in all of Southern California! This Saturday from 10AM-12PM, over 80 parade entries will highlight this year’s theme, “Celebrating our Excellence—The Legacy of Councilmember John J. Kennedy.” The parade begins at Fair Oaks Avenue and Mountain View Street and ends at Robinson Park, where the festival takes place from 12-4 PM. All the parade info is here! And you can also find other Pasadena Black History celebration events info here!
Ash Wednesday Services
On Feb 22nd, we’ll be holding two Ash Wednesday services. We will be meeting via Zoom from 12-12:15 PM for those who want to gather online over their lunch break. You can find the Zoom information here. We’ll also be gathering in person from 6:30-7:30 PM at Missiongathering Pasadena. Our Younger People’s Church will be joining us in the sanctuary for the evening service.
These times together are such a meaningful way to enter communally into the Lenten season. And so we invite you to join us as we take these steps of faith together.
Bobby
Save the Date!
Because Inés’ Soul Rhythms workshop on developing a Rule of Life was such a success with our people, we’re going to try another Soul Care workshop with another focus. This time, I (Bobby) will be walking us through a framework called Sacred Pathways that helps us discover the distinct ways we each connect to God. I believe it’ll be especially meaningful during this Lenten season. So go ahead and save the date for your lunch break on Friday, March 3rd at 12 PM PST. You can RSVP here to receive the Zoom link and additional info!