A Passion to Guide Us Through 2024
Individually, we may be guided by our Star Words. As a community, what will our guiding passion be for this year?
On Sunday we celebrated Epiphany and received “star words.” It’s a fun way to approach spirituality and spiritual practices in the new year. There are a few star words left for those of you who missed Sunday. (And stars are in the mail for those who were on Zoom and requested them.)
In the sermon I suggested that we should choose, not a star word exactly, more of a guiding passion of the Living Table community for 2024. How do we want to use our resources this year? What do we want to invest our time in and for what purpose?
For a small community we are involved in many organizations and causes. Could we use our resources better if we were more purposeful and focused in our efforts? Social justice is, of course, an overarching passion for Living Table. Is there a specific aspect we could be more intentional about, recognizing that most issues of social justice are connected?
Our Social Justice Team tried to get some information via a survey, and the response is less helpful than they had hoped. So I am asking you to write your responses in the comments. If you don’t want to put your ideas publicly in the comments, feel free to email me.
My hope is that if we focus our energy and resources more intentionally, amazing things will happen in and through our community. Perhaps there would be clear signs that we are following Jesus’ way of love, and leaving behind some of the more challenging aspects of Christianity.
What’s your dream for our future? What can we begin doing now to help bring that dream into a reality?
It’s the season of Epiphany. May the transforming power of God’s love be revealed in and through all of us.
About Rachael Keefe
Rev. Dr. Rachael Keefe is the pastor of Living Table United Church of Christ. She was called to Living Table in 2015 after serving in many varied ministry settings since her ordination in 1992. She holds graduate degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary and Andover Newton Seminary at Yale (formerly Andover Newton Theological School). Her ministry and leadership often center around advocacy and accessibility. Her writing has been published by Chalice Press, The Christian Century, Red Letter Christians, Working Preacher, RevGalBlogPals, and others. She is grateful to be in ministry with Living Table today.
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I like our involvement with Beacon and affordable housing and addressing homelessness.
I keep thinking of the issues the other faith communities are having with the parking lot and secretly would like to suggest mini homes for the homeless. Something tells me the neighborhood would object!
Jill, I’ve had similar thoughts!
I need to learn more about Beacon. But I like that LT is involved with an organization that is addressing housing.
I recently read a post on the “NextDoor” app in the Philips/Longfellow neighborhood from someone who complained, “How come the churches aren’t doing anything about homelessness and the camps?” My response was, ohhhhhhh, don’t get me started. Immediate, direct charity is very visible and it is quick. Longer-term solutions are less visible, and churches like Living Table ARE involved.