It was so sweet to see so many of your faces this past Sunday. And so many newer ones as well! It feels like God is doing a new thing among us as we venture into this new space together. And I’m keeping my eyes open to see it. To behold what the Spirit may be shaping in and among our community here and now. And also, to simply receive the goodness of God moving in our midst.

This coming Sunday we’ll be turning our attention to Filipino American History Month! And we’re so excited about all the tangible ways we’ll honor and celebrate as a church! We’ll also continue in our focus on migration and movement. And in that spirit, we’re introducing something called “Migration Moments”, where our brother, Armando Scott, will be curating a section of these weekly newsletters with content that we believe will be deeply formative for our familia.

Throughout our existence, humans have always been in motion, constantly migrating from one place to another, in search of food, shelter, resources, and opportunities. Within our sacred scriptures, we find numerous accounts of individuals and families who sojourn with YHWH. At times, it’s a mystical experience that beckons them to leave the familiar and embrace the unknown—an embodiment of unwavering faith and obedience in the midst of uncertainty. On other occasions, our Biblical familia of old were unjustly extracted, forcibly uprooted from their ancestral homelands, and placed in captivity. In these moments, we witness God’s divine intervention by challenging oppressive rulers and empires, escorting Her people toward liberation. Furthermore, the singular moment that really changed everything is revealed in the “God who became made flesh, to migrate among us” (John 1:14 – my translation). Jesus becomes the Icon of divine mystery, where God incarnates Godself fully in the human experience of movement and migration.

With all this in mind, along with our new teaching focus, Field Notes: Movement with a Migrant God, our hope is to enrich our communal gatherings with inspirational stories, resources, and artistic expressions to help nourish our collective formation throughout the week. For the next 9 weeks, we will be partnering with PAX (my organization), by featuring material from our StoryArc Publication, which includes an issue on Migration.

In honor of Filipino-American History Month, we start by featuring Filipina Artist, Emily Fernando and her piece original “Maze Walkers.” This artwork was paired with a poem by renowned Black Theologian, Willie James Jennings, titled “Accompany”. Both of these artistic expressions center movement and migration around our sacred and sometimes complicated journey with the Bible, faith, and our inherited and/or constructed ideas about God. As so many of us know, most often, the place we start this journey is not always the place we discover along the way. Can I get an Amen?!

As you look and listen, consider how these two distinct yet harmonious forms of artistic expression might intersect with your personal journey through the scriptures, your faith, and your comprehension of the Divine. What revelations or insights might you notice in the visual elements, the curves or colors, the spoken or written words, or the cadence and melody?

May you be kind and compassionately curious with yourself in this moment.

Last Three Things

Casa Grande Design Team: Amy Harrison is putting together a design team focused on helping this house become our home, practically and aesthetically. If you’re interested in imagining and implementing design elements for our new church – specifically the sanctuary, lobby, & kids area – reach out to Amy at kids@thechurchwehopefor.com.

Call for Volunteers: In this newest transition, we’re looking for people to sign up to serve in any and all areas! If you’re up for being part of a volunteer team, here’s a form you can fill out to let us know you’re interested! We’d love to have you jump in and partner with us!

Like Scary Movies? Join us Friday, Oct 27th (6:30-8pm) for a special Halloween weekend event! We’re partnering with our friends at Uncommon Voices and Kinship Collective for a screening of UVC’s short horror film, Refuse. I’ve seen it. It’s brilliant. And beautiful. And freakin’ terrifying! So much so, this one is definitely only for adults! You’re gonna wanna be there for the film and the Q&A after!