Good enough for now, safe enough to try…
This past week, I got to spend a couple of days in Arkansas, training United Methodist conference staff and pastors on how to lead neighboring work. I am passionate about this and it has led me to my work as a regional facilitator for the Neighboring Movement. As a kid who grew up with Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, I had high hopes for the kind of love I would experience in a community someday. As I got older, I was hoping for a bit of Cheers, too, a place where everybody knew my name!
But we know that that sort of neighborhood doesn’t come together by accident. It takes intentional work from folks to get to know each other, build relationships built on trust, discover the gifts that each person brings, and learn how to do life together.
The other facilitator shared a phrase that has stuck with me when we think about what we should do next, what should we try as we seek to build these relationships. He asked us to consider if our idea was “good enough for now and safe enough to try.”
As a recovering perfectionist, this idea is so freeing! Whatever I try, whatever we decide to try as a church, as one part of God’s beloved family, doesn’t have to already be perfect before we take the first step. Maybe it just needs to be good enough for now and safe enough to try.
I’m looking forward to our Town Hall on Sunday after worship. Our Church Council has been working hard to listen to our church family, pray for inspiration and discernment, and I am excited to have this conversation with all of you as we consider our church’s mission and vision, our budget for 2024, and the property proposal that was shared in worship this past Sunday.
I’m praying for you, beloved. I hope you are praying for me. This week we’ll continue our “This is My Body” series be remembering that Jesus took naps. Glory be to God!
peace,
Pastor Jessica.