We pause here at the onset of this newsletter. Wherever we are. Whatever else we’re holding. We lay it down. And we quiet ourselves. And we exhale. And we welcome the gravity of grief in Palestine and Israel to touch us. In whatever capacity we have to hold it here and now. We choose to stand. Or sit. To wail with words and tears. Or simply sway with wordless groans.

And we cling to a Christ that stands in the middle of it all. Open arms. Scarred hands. A Jesus who wept. And still weeps. A Spirit, not removed. But One who moves. Toward. Upon. Within. Among.

May Shalom have her way, church. Somehow. Some way. She may not scream the loudest word in this moment. But may She sing the last word. A word of peace. And protection. Liberation and love. Healing and hope.

As I’ve sat in the agony and ache of a world at war this week, here is a link to what I’ve written and shared on social media. May my small offering of words simply sit in concert among many more voices needing to be heard and upheld this week.

Beloved, we will stand together on Sunday. Sit together on Sunday. Sing together on Sunday. Cry together on Sunday. Pray together on Sunday. Rest in the Word together on Sunday. And share the table together on Sunday. As a Beloved Community, moved by the Spirit, to follow the life, love, & justice of Jesus. And we will do so with an honest faith that holds it all. The wretched, raw reality of violent trauma and tragedy. And the ringing, centering story of a God named Immanuel. One who is with us in it all.

This past Sunday, we had the privilege of hearing our beloved sister and teacher, Meleca Consultado, share her heartfelt migration story in celebration of Filipino-American History Month. What a word! If you know, you know and If you don’t, you gotta watch HERE.

As I have continued to process Meleca’s testimonio, there was one moment that totally wrecked me and struck a nerve. It was the moment Meleca lamented how her Filipina mother was told by her American Pre-K teacher to stop speaking to her in Tagalog, her native tongue, saying “You don’t want your daughter to have an accent.” This resulted in Meleca’s mother fearing for her migrant daughter’s future growing up in America, that she stopped speaking to Meleca in Tagalog and her family’s specific dialect. My heart sank when I heard that, because my family has also suffered the loss (and eradication) of language at the hands of a dominant culture. And I would guess that this might be true for others within our church familia.

The mutual grief of this moment brought to mind a powerful spoken word that we co-created at PAX as a part of our Migration StoryArc publication. This piece was written and performed by Zambian Poet, Jean Nangwala. In her poem titled “Constant Outsider,” Jean explores her own migration story through the lens of language, eloquently articulating the continuous awareness of being labeled an outsider in the United States. I invite you to listen to her words as she confronts the harmful narratives imposed upon her and actively resists the pressure to forsake her native tongue—which is a sacred part of her beautiful God-given culture, ancestral lands and lineage.

As you listen to Jean’s testimonio through poetry, what might you notice? Maybe her story aligns with your own lived experience? Maybe her story echoes the story of someone you know? Maybe her story echoes some of the stories you have heard within our church familia? Ask yourself, how can we allow our Divine Abulita, the Holy Spirit to spiritually form us through these testimonios this week?

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

Last Three Things

Call for Volunteers

We’re looking to connect our people in this season to serve opportunities that match their gifting and passion. If you’re up for finding community as 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 join us!

Like Scary Movies?

We’ve been telling you about a horror film screening coming up on Friday, Oct 27th, from 6:30-8pm. Well, here’s the trailer. And like we’ve said, it’s brilliant. beautiful. freakin’ terrifying! And definitely only for adults! You’re gonna wanna be there for the film and the Q&A after!

Birthing Moment

We are so happy to announce the birth of Magnus Alexander Galen born on Tuesday, October 10 to Nicola and Alex Patton. Magnus weighed 7 lbs 8 oz and was 20 ¼ inches long. Nicola is our Program Director for our Calvin grant and we rejoice that mother and baby are healthy and well! If you would like to send a food gift card or deliver a meal to the Patton family, Pastora Inés has has created a MealTrain for them so that our familia can love on them as they heal and bond.