When you are beginning something new, you can’t always see where you’re headed with it. You have to be okay with not knowing exactly how things will turn out. In knitting, you cast on your first stitch and follow a chart – a series of letters and numbers that to a non-knitter might appear cryptic and unreadable. The chart tells you which stitch to lay down in what order, but it takes a while before you can see anything adding up – before the pattern itself becomes visible in the yarn. Until then, you just move your hands and follow the steps. In this way, it’s kind of an act of faith. – Michelle Obama, The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times (2022)
Recently, I started listening to the audiobook of Michelle Obama’s The Light We Carry. I wanted to read this book because I liked her first book so much. Admittedly, I think I am only on about chapter 3 at the writing of this newsletter. But, I had to wait to listen to this audiobook. It wasn’t available when I wanted to start it in May. It just became available a couple of weeks ago. And I think that timing matters. I think I am reading this book at just the right time.
Michelle Obama wrote this book as we were coming out of the worst of the pandemic and grappling with the issues that we face today. She wrote this book, not because she has all the answers, but because she believes that it is important for people to work through fear, and find strength in community, and live with boldness. And just in the first few chapters, it has given me a new sense of hope.
Beloved, we are a community that believes in newness. When Jesus died and was resurrected, that was the beginning of a whole new world. Nothing was ever going to be the same after the resurrection. I imagine that was scary for Jesus and the disciples, but they continued on, not knowing exactly what the outcome would be. The outcome is the Church Universal that we still have today.
We are at the beginning of something new. Soon, the parts of the church damaged by the fire will be taken out and new things will go in. Our space will look a little different than it did before. And, that’s okay, because we look a little different than we did before, too.
Newness is scary. Newness is hard. But newness opens up a whole lot of possibilities to us that we may not have had before. Like Michelle Obama says, we can’t always see where we are heading, but we have to be okay with that. It is an act of faith to begin something new. And we can do it if we continue to work together and follow the call that God has placed on each of our lives and follow the call that God has placed on Bridgeport Christian Church.
Continue to pray for our church and community. Something new is about to happen.
Peace,
Ann