Weekly Rector's Note: Caring for a Place, Cultivating Community

Hope

then belong to your place by your own knowledge
of what it is that no other place is, and by
your caring for it, as you care for no other place

- Wendell Berry

Dear Saints,

In the book Slow Church: Cultivating Community in the Patient Way of Jesus, the authors talk about how in our fast-paced, highly mobile society, we have lost some of the benefits that come when we have longevity with places. By contrast, committing ourselves to the slow cultivation and care of a place, like a church, can be part of how we build community, strengthen social ties and practice the generous hospitality of Jesus. As our church takes the next steps in a renovation process, we have an exciting opportunity to engage in this kind of work.

This Sunday, the Church Renovation Committee will be hosting tours after the 10:15 service to walk people through the renovations we are looking at. Some of the enhancements are about responding to critical issues, like our 70 year old HVAC system. Others are about increasing accessibility to our space through ADA enhancements. Others about making the church plant financially sustainable. Others are about how our physical spaces can better support the ministry and mission of All Saints.

In addition to the tour, the committee is asking for the feedback of all All Saints parishioners, and have created this survey which outlines a proposed Phase 1. Paper copies will also be available on Sunday. The committee is hoping for 100% participation. Please complete the survey by April 2. Committee members will begin conducting follow up calls after April 2 to make sure we have heard from everyone.

Thank you for the high engagement we have had in this process so far. It is exciting to think about taking these next steps together.

In peace,

Andria+