Looking Back, Looking Forward

Transcripts are computed-generated and may not be 100% accurate.

[Jack] Hello, everyone. Hi, Jack. Welcome to The Table. My name is Jack. Today will be a special service led by the kids. If it's your first time, it's going to be a good one. Even if it's different from our usual service, I'll be tonight's text, which is a fun one to say: Deuteronomy 6:4-7. Listen, Israel, our God is, Lord our God is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, your whole self, and all your strength. These commandments that I have given you must always be in your heart; recite them to your children. Talk about them when you are sitting around your house and when you're out and about, when you are lying down, and when you are getting up. 

[Jae] Good job. Alright, thanks so much, Jack. Is this, can you all hear me? I actually didn’t do a sound check tonight, so I was just relying on our very skilled, uh, tech Alex back there. So thank you. Let’s thank him because he is gonna be doing some heavy lifting tonight as there's gonna be people getting up and down. Hey, my name is Jae. I'm on the team at The Table here. Um, but tonight is largely actually not gonna be run by our team at The Table here. It’s gonna be run by our kids who are part of our community. Um, and so thus tonight they are our team, right? Um, and so I’m just gonna kick off the night by just explaining a little bit behind this service. If you're new, a little bit about how we run our kids programs and how we integrate our young ones into our community so that you can kind of get an idea of why that is meaningful to us tonight. 

Okay, um, so I chose this text from Deuteronomy because it mentions right being able to, uh, imbue our new generations, our children, with um, the memory of what this commandment is, the greatest commandment. Um, and to be sure that our children recite it in their lives. And that not only do they recite it and know it, but that they live it, um, in their rising and in their setting and in their going and in, uh, their coming. And so, uh, that's why we chose this part from Deuteronomy tonight. 

And the reason we're doing this service where our kids get to lead, they get to be in the band, they get to share with us a message about how has been and how exciting is going to be to be part of this community. It’s not just because none of our preachers wanted to preach tonight. Uh, it is because for the last couple months we’ve been thinking, hey, this once a month, uh, kids in service and getting to help us lead with words of institution, with communion, um, and with the readings has been so awesome. What if we hand most of a service over to the vision and to the voices of our children and of our middle school youth? And so that’s what we’ve done tonight because here at The Table, uh, we really believe that children are not just sort of like in waiting to become part of this bigger church community, but that our kids are actually, uh, our church community. They’re not just waiting to be members. They are members. Um, and their voices matter and their contributions to us receiving the word of God matter. Um, and so that’s why we’re doing this service tonight. It’s gonna be awesome. 

Something we want you to know, whether you're a guest with kids or you're a kid or you're a parent who's been here a long time, we want you to know that we know the challenges that can arise during a service where kids are just sitting for a long time. And so we invite you to, if you need to take a couple laps in the back, go ahead. If your kid runs up and down the aisle, our other kids are not gonna be phased by that who are leading. Uh, you know, if you're our buddy Tom over here and you have some commentary too, don't feel weird if your kids are sharing their commentary on the night. That is the purpose of being a big, beautiful, and sometimes messy church community. Okay? So, um, if you do need to step out though, if your kid is overwhelmed, they're overstimulated, or if you are overwhelmed and overstimulated, we invite you to step out as you need. We will not be offended. All right? So that's how tonight is gonna go. If you're new, welcome to this fun and crazy new experience. And we hope that you can get a good sense of what our community does and why this space and this time matters to us. Okay? 

Uh, so I am gonna kick us off with just a quick update about—we’re gonna go through kind of our updates of the highlights of our kids' communities. So I'm just gonna start with our middle school program. We have a new and bustling middle school program. We have been doing tons of stuff this year. We have been baking with Marta. Marta, raise your hand. Woo. Um, Marta in her free time loves to cook—to bake. I mean, cooking is different than baking. I'm sure she also is a great cook, but she loves baking. She said no. Okay. She does not love cooking. But what has been amazing is that because baking is not just a hobby to Marta, baking is also a spiritual practice in some ways in her own free time. And so Marta, a couple years or last year, got to share with our kids when they were younger how that's a spiritual practice. And with our middle schoolers this year, did the same thing, and they got to bake some buns, but also talk about what spiritual practice is and how it can expand just outside of reading the Bible or praying. And the bread was good, right? Yeah. Um, we're also getting to do Bible study on things more than just the typical text. We did one Halloween-themed one on, I think it was like dragons, witches, and sea monsters. Uh, and it was all about kind of those really weird supernatural sci-fi moments in the Bible. And, but what do they actually mean to our world today? And what do those symbols really mean? Why do they matter? So that's what we're doing in middle school. We're doing a mixture of Bible study, but also spiritual practice and conversation and socializing. So I'm gonna invite up really quick, Zayn, to tell us a little bit about what happens in our nursery community and why it's meaningful beyond just a place for folks to put and trust their babies. 

[Zayn] Hi, this is very—okay, that was very loose. I, uh, as he said, I am Zayn. My pronouns are he/him. I'm the nursery lead here at The Table. And, um, every week we have, um, so we have this new curriculum that we just started in September and it has been awesome with our babies. We have been able to see all the different ways that our babies and toddlers have been connecting to the word of God. So we have a story each week, um, how we deliver that story changes every week. And we also have a craft that does a bunch of different things that different kids can be interested in. And then we also have a memory verse that, uh, has movements in it that the kids just love doing the movements and it's been so cute to see them mirror them. So it's been awesome. 

[Jae] What's your favorite memory? 

[Zayn] And you made this have more parts than he originally told me, because my favorite memory was going to be seeing all the ways the kids can—the kids have connected to the curriculum. And now I've already told you all the ways that the kids have been connecting to the curriculum. 

[Jae] My bad. All right, so, uh, we're gonna invite, uh, Caitlin and Audrey up to just give us a quick rundown so that you all know, uh, what's going on downstairs with our kids, pre-K through first grade. 

[Caitlin] Thank you. Hello all. I'm Caitlin and I get to hang out with the preschoolers on Sunday nights. Um, and I'm just gonna tell you a little bit about what goes on downstairs. So our goal is that all kids feel safe, known, loved, and learn about, um, Jesus and kind of the structure. We always start off with a little choice time as kids are gathering where they can play different toys and manips. Then we get together for a circle time where we do some sort of greeting, sharing, get to know each other. Then we have an interactive hands-on Bible story, and then some sort of supplemental, usually, um, craft or game that we do. And then we bring everyone up here, um, for communion. Or there's also the option for kids to stay on there. Um, we pick up at the end of the service by you if that works better for you and your child or your family. 

So, like Zayn said, we started some new curriculum this year, which has been really exciting. It's very engaging, hands-on, developmentally appropriate way for us to learn about Jesus in the Bible. Um, this is, so every month there's a new theme. So for January it's all about, um, how Jesus is a friend and he is a good friend, whether we're happy or sad, lonely or excited, and that, um, he will never leave us. So there is a bottom line and then a memory verse that, um, the kids act that we learn every week of the month. So this kind of half pink sheet is something that will go home, some sort of bright-colored half sheet at the end of every Sunday if you're in pre-K through first grade. Um, that's a parent sheet and kind of tells you a little bit about what we've been learning about and how you can practice and enforce that at home. 

So some of the ways my highlights for and the way I've seen God at work is just seeing the kids be excited to come. Um, excited, want to come to Sunday School, get excited to see their friends, meet new kids, like run around after the service with someone they just met for the first time. Um, I love, I've heard stories from parents saying, "Hey, you know, they didn't really wanna come, but now they're excited, you know, to be with you and their friends." I've had parents talk and say, "Hey, they were reenacting the Bible story in the bathtub, or they really wanted, um, to like, 'what's that song you were playing today?' They wanna sing it before bed." So that's some really cool, um, things that I've seen this year. And then looking forward to. I'm just excited to keep it up. And it would invite you all to volunteer if you haven't or if you wanna, oh, we got lots of kids. We need five volunteers every Sunday. So nursery pre-K, first and second for K-1 and second through fifth. 

[Audrey] Hey guys, I'm Audrey. I've been working with the K through first graders, um, this year I'm new. So a lot of these—so a lot of these kiddos have been here longer than I have, which is a bit daunting going into the room. Um, but for me, my highlights were getting to know the kids and also getting to see the connections they're making from week to week. Getting to see that they're connecting the Bible message from last week to this week to the week before, and yada yada. And it's been so cool to see, um, them getting excited, them making new friends, them extending a hand going, "Hi, you must be new. My name is X, Y, Z." And that's just been so inspiring and them kind of welcoming me in here. 'Cause you know, they're the veterans. I'm, I feel like I'm a little bit of a student and they're a bit of a teacher here, but it's been so nice and I'm really excited to keep working this year. 

[Caitlin] Audrey has been an amazing staff to add on this fall. She is great at building relationships with kids and their families and teaching them about Jesus. So, thank you. All right, we are gonna move on. We wanted, um, it time for some kids to be able to share what they, some highlights they've had this year. So in a minute I'm gonna, um, invite Li and Meadow up after I'm done. 

But first we asked a pre-K, um, kid about their favorite memories. And, um, so I asked Elsie, she's three and a half. She didn't wanna come up here right now, but she said I could read them. So when I asked her what her favorite part about The Table is, she said the cookies and the snacks afterwards, um, said, "Well, what's your favorite part about going to the pre-K class?" And she said, "Seeing my friends and learning about Jesus." And she's looking forward to, in doing more art projects and singing. So there's a glimpse from Elsie and now invite would like to invite Lil and Meadow up to share. 

[Lily] Thank you. Oh, okay. Cool. It's on, right? Cool. Okay. I think you should go first because I was just rambling. 

[Meadow] Hello. Um, so, oh, my name is Meadow. That is my name. Um, so what The Table has meant to me this year is I thought it was a very nice place to come and express myself and talk to new people. 'Cause I don't really like to talk to new people all that much. But it was fun to come and see new people and engage in different conversations and different things that I don't usually talk about at home. And also it's a very comforting place if you're ever feeling down. 

[Lily] Hi, I'm Lily. Um, my favorite part of the year, so this is before the very, very short speech I wrote. Um, my favorite part of the year is getting to volunteer at the Pride Booth because in years past we've gone and my parents have volunteered, but this year, going into sixth grade, I was able to, and I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed doing it with Meadow, my friend from church and from school, which is nice to have friends from both. Um, uh, and I, I just feel really lucky to have a space like this. When I'm at church, I really feel like I can be myself. I know that a lot of people don't get to have that experience, and this experience is similar to this, so I am so grateful for that. When I walk into The Table, I feel like there are people, kids, and adults who are genuinely happy to see me, and I know that's not true at all churches.

[Jae] Thank you. Good. Awesome. Those were great. And I really like, wanna, I can't emphasize enough how when I asked people this week if they were gonna share something if you wanted to, and then when they replied, the theme across all of it was, this is a place I can go where I'm known, where people care about what's going on in my life, and where I'm safe to be completely like every part of who I am. So that's awesome, and we're gonna hear more of that from Tommy. 

[Tommy] I'm Tommy, and The Table means a safe place to be myself, be with friends, and to learn about God. That's what The Table means to me. 

[Jae] Thanks. Awesome. Um, another theme was friendship, was friends, right? And so I wanna hear from—I don't—you know, you're not gonna have to come up here and talk, 'cause I know it is very daunting if you didn't plan to do that.

But if you are a kid in our community, or even if you're an adult, I want everybody to raise a hand or make some loud noise if you've had a great chance to make a good friend here at church. Raise your hand, make some noise. Yes, I have. Yes. Sam, you have, high five. Good job. Do you have some friends here at Church Tom? Yeah. Yeah. Do—oh, do you wanna say something, Sam? You can just say—why don't you say one thing that you love about having friends at church?

[Sam] I love Caitlin and Ellen and Kate and Marta and Brad and Soren and Benny and Millie. 

[Jae] Awesome. Thank you so much. And Tom, can you take a seat too? We have one more thing to do. Okay. Thanks, Tom. Again, right? Like that's the—that's the beauty of tonight is that we don't have to feel self-conscious. I'm sorry, Tom here. Tom, can you say the name of what—what—can you say the name of one person that you love at church? 

[Tom] I love church!

[Jae] You love—you love—you love church. Tom loves church. Okay. Um, alright. Could you have Tom, I—the last family that wanted to share was, uh, the Johnsons. So I heard back from Andrea this week, and, um, she just wanted to share that her kids really felt that church is a place that they are so excited to come because they know that they have good friends that they can trust and that they love hanging out with here at church.

Um, and the Johnsons, both Phil and Andrea, said that for them, their family, this is just somewhere that does feel like home in a lot of ways or family. Um, and that this is a community that they know that, um, not just them as adults, but that their kids are gonna be able to find support and trust, right? So, um, we're so glad that our kids could share that good message of what it means to be part of a community.

And I've lost my little script here, 'cause let me tell you, there's usually not this many moving parts in a service. Usually, you just get up and talk for minutes, and then it's over. Um, yeah. So our kids just shared with us, like, what did this year mean to them? Why—why does church matter to them? What do they get out of it, right?

Because in a lot of churches, people are dragging their kids kicking and screaming to church, and surely I've seen plenty of kids kicking and screaming inside of the church because they're being asked actually to leave the church. Okay. And I think it's—I think it's wonderful that kids are having so much fun hanging out with the people that they've made relationships with that, um, I have seen parents have to pry their children off of the church, kicking and screaming to the car to leave it, right? Um, and I'm sure there are days when—uh, and I, because I wouldn't know, I'm not having to bring any children with me—but I'm sure there are days, parents, that you do feel like it's a fight to get your kid in the car. But I hear a lot less of that because I think there's—there's an amazing thing to be said about when your kids feel a genuine sense of connection and place. And you all, as adults, even if you don't have kids, are part of making that community. So, um, because our kids mentioned that it's not just the other kids that they feel trust with or connection or God's presence, it's also the adults that they've met here.

And so just know that even if you're not volunteering downstairs necessarily every week, or you don't have a kid yourself, um, this service is intentionally including you because you are part of the kids' church experience as well. Um, they just reflected on the year. And now what we are gonna ask you all to do is to turn to one another and reflect on what being a part of The Table has meant to you in. If you are new and this is your first time, um, coming and you feel like, oh no, this was a weird night to visit, I have nothing to say.

We actually would just love to hear from you and have you share with the people around you, even if it's just, uh, your friends and family you came with. Like, what does being part of a community mean to you? Because at the end of the day, the core central part of "what does being part of The Table mean to you" is really just "why does being part of a community matter and why do you love it?" Um, so we'll just ask you to turn to one another now for, uh, just a little bit and just talk about either, you know, what was the favorite memory, what does it mean to you to be part of this community, or if you're new, just like why does community matter to you? So, uh, let's do that right now. Just turn to one another. 

[community discussion]

I don't wanna—I don't wanna interrupt any deep meaningful conversations, uh, so continue to talk lightly under me, 'cause honestly, my voice just really—it doesn't matter as much. But one thing I will mention is that if you are sad that your conversation has to end or you would like to share a little bit more or a physical representation of what you said with the people around you, um, I don't know if anyone noticed, but we have this huge whiteboard that Maggie actually had to stand on a pew to be able to write on the top of. Um, and we are inviting you to share what your favorite table memory was in 2023. Um, and write it on the board. We wanna see it. We wanna know it. Um, there's already plenty of memories on there, so we'd love to see, uh, what you write.

We are now moving into care and hospitality reflections, and so I'll invite Maggie up. [chanting “Maggie”]

[Maggie] Just kidding. Okay. My name's Maggie Keller. So glad to be part of the team here at The Table. Um, and I'm loving the energy tonight. Um, I wanna share with you a little bit about what care and hospitality looks like at The Table because it's one of our stated values. Um, we believe that we are called to be a community that practices tangible hands-on, um, care and hospitality, and it looks a bunch of different ways. So a couple of the things I want to remind you all that happened this year:

We had meal trains because there have been a slew of babies born to this community this year. Yes. And we put together meal trains, um, and not just for new babies; we also put together meal trains for folks who were, um, having surgery or in the hospital or just needed a little bit of a lift. Um, and that is one of the ways that this community loves each other practically. 

Um, another thing that we offer here at The Table is called the Bethany Fund. And it's a fund that is funded, uh, for us, by us. It's for taking care of each other. And there were a few times this year that the Bethany Fund was able to be utilized to help people from our own community who needed a little bit of a boost, uh, an emergency, um, situation. And that is another way that we practice that, um, tangible care and hospitality for each other. Um, there was also, um, and this is more recent, but, um, we all rallied with the Morsches, um, through the end of George's life and during his funeral. And, um, that was another feature of the, uh, the care team here at church. 

Um, and then in kind of a new way, we sort of, uh, revitalized and revamped the care team, and we had a training. And, um, in the summer this year, um, it kind of took a little bit of a lull during, uh, COVID. And this was kind of like a, a refresh. And so we, um, I gathered with, um, Debbie, with, um, Sam Manning and Andrea Johnson, and, um, we dreamt about this, this team training, and we wanted it to be rooted in the ways of Jesus and also intensely practical. And we didn't know; we just threw it out to the whole community. If you wanna do this, come be with us this night. And we had like a handful of RSVPs, and I think before it officially started, Debbie turned to me and was like, "How many people are gonna come tonight?" And I was like, "I don't know." And 30 people showed up to Debbie's house, and I left that night. So we heard from, we heard from Nikki Murray about God's heart for hospitality. Um, we talked about practicing compassionate listening, um, and we dreamed about what it means on a Sunday night for this place to be welcoming to people who walk in the door for the first time. And I left that night with such a full heart because I felt like that this is what our community is called to; it's what our community is meant to do.

Um, and, and then again, in October, the hospitality team met again. This time we were guided by Pastor Cody Sanders, who's here. There you are, Pastor Cody. Um, and Cody talked about how we can take, um, at-the-door welcome and translate it into hospitality, and then how to take hospitality and deepen that into belonging. And boy, if that is not the mission of the church, I don't know what is. 

Um, and so I want to end this kind of brief reflection with an invitation. And that is that if you are a person who has a warm smile and you like to make connections between people, um, come and greet with us. If you are a person who likes to make meals for folks, um, we can get you on the email list for the meal trains. If you are a person who has been told in religious spaces that either because of who you are or who you love, you can't be upfront in a church, come and serve communion here at The Table, my friends. I would love to, um, talk with you about some of the opportunities available to you, and I'm speaking to the kids as well because, as you have seen, our kids are incredibly gifted, and so we welcome them to lead worship with us. And so if you're a kid and you wanna do some care or some hospitality, you can come and talk to me afterwards too. Um, and next, I would like to show you just a few memories. It's not complete, but a few memories of things that happened here at The Table in 2024. 

[Jae] Hello. I'm gonna sneak past you. I don't wanna step on you. That's always my biggest concern actually. It's not even that kids are gonna distract me. I don't wanna hurt you. Um, how are you doing? Good. Good. Okay, so there were a couple Easter eggs dropped of, of his name already, but does anybody know the name of the newest pastor on The Table team? Can anyone shout it out from any kids? Do you know Cody Sanders? Cody Sanders Sanders, Cody Sanders? Did you know that? Did anyone else know that? Great. Of course, Grace knows that you didn't know that. Well, now you know. That's okay. You guys are newer, and so he's also newer. You were here; you came and visited and visited last year. Well, you've been coming more consistently lately, and so has Cody. Cody is new to our team. Um, and Cody is just gonna transition us into talking about the past year into talking a bit about the next year. 

[Cody] Thanks. This is such an energetic and beautiful service. Simon Weil says that prayer, or rather attention, is the highest form of prayer attention. I think one of the gifts of being a new interim pastor in a community is that I get to spend a few months—I've been here three months now—really paying attention to what's happening here, to really slowly and carefully observing everything. It's all new to me; nothing is normal, nothing is routine.

What I've been thinking about, what I've been observing this year, and how I could summarize the last three months of being here at The Table, I kept thinking about this little poem by Margaret Wheatley. I wanted to read this poem and use it as a point of reflection on what I've seen and where we might be going. It's called Turning to One Another. There's no power greater than a community discovering what it cares about. Ask what's possible, not what's wrong. Keep asking. Notice what you care about. Assume that many others share your dreams. Be brave enough to start a conversation that matters. Talk to people you know. Talk to people you don't know. Talk to people you never talk to. Be intrigued by the differences you hear. Expect to be surprised. Treasure curiosity more than certainty. Invite in everybody who cares to work on what's possible. Acknowledge that everyone is an expert about something. Know that creative solutions come from new connections. Remember, you don't fear people whose story you know. Real listening always brings people closer together. Trust that meaningful conversations can change your world. Rely on human goodness. Stay together.

I think the kids that spoke already said all the things that I've observed this year about what kind of community this is: a community that cares for one another, a community that holds one another amid tragedy and loss. I've heard so many of those stories that preceded my time here. And a community that can celebrate good times together and the goodness of life together. Those things are a gift. There was a yearlong Harvard study that looked at all sorts of factors about human health and happiness. It's still going on, plus years now. Do you know what the one factor they found was more important than any other factor in people's health and happiness? Community? Yes. Good relationships—more important to health than diet and exercise, more important than whether you were a smoker, more important than whether you had enough money or not. It was what kind of relationships you had. So the gift of a community like this cannot be undervalued.

When we think about this time that we're moving into, it's a community of deep care for one another, a community that has a sense of purpose, a sense of what you are about. It comes out in the ways that you get together. And as we move into this next season in our life—in the world, in our life in the country, and our life together in this place—I think it is a time for us to turn to one another and ask what's possible. There are plenty of answers to the question, "What's wrong?" and we will hear them daily. But when we come together, I hope that what we can ask is, "What's possible?" and what is possible with this community and the unique gathering of these people that might not be possible anywhere else.

Part of what we're doing to lean into that journey of possibility in these next days is starting a sermon series next week called The Ways of Jesus. In this sermon series, we're not going to be talking about the things that Jesus said or the things that have been said about Jesus. We're going to be looking deeply at the gospels—at what Jesus did, what Jesus did to bring people together, what people did to provoke what Jesus did, to provoke imagination, what Jesus did to heal people in community. I hope that in these next eight weeks that we're together, we can really lean into this season of possibility, following in the ways of Jesus. It is a deep privilege to be here with you doing this together. Thanks.

[Jae] Thank you so much, Cody. As Cody alluded to, we were going to have y'all discuss what your greatest hope is for . I think I'm just going to shift a little bit so that we have time to not rush you all through the communion line and have anybody choke on the body of Christ tonight. I'll just invite you to instead reflect in yourself: What is one hope you have for 2025? Not a New Year's resolution, but just a hope. Reflect on that, maybe share it with someone after service. In an effort to move us into words of institution, I'll just ask you to do that privately. Perfect. I'll invite Debbie and Soren up for words of institution. Yeah. Awesome. 

[Debbie] Soren, you want to come over here with me? Can you grab the bread, and I'll get the cup? See it right over here? Yep. You grab that bread, and I'll grab this cup. I love what Cody said about possibilities. I sure want to be a community that holds hope and is talking all the time about possibilities. I think those possibilities happen when we keep our eyes on Jesus. One of the things that we aspire to be is a community that is practicing the ways of Jesus by creating space for all to belong and all to be loved. Part of that is a rhythm that we hold every Sunday night when we share in the bread and the cup. Soren, do you remember what the bread represents? 

[Soren] The body of Jesus. 

[Debbie] You're exactly right. Thank you. And the cup—do you remember what the cup represents?

[Soren] Blood of Jesus. 

[Debbie] You are exactly right. So every Sunday when we gather, we break the bread. Can you break that bread for me? Yeah. This is the body of Christ broken for you. And then we hold up the cup. Do you think you can hold it, or we could dip that in a second? And this is the blood of Christ shed for you. We're going to invite you up during the song, and you can do it now. You take that bread and dip it into the cup. Thank you. Oh, and he's going to show you how to do it. You put it right in your mouth just like that. Hopefully, in that moment, you can remember that you are a beloved child of God, that you belong to God, and we belong to one another. That's what we have here at The Table, and it's a beautiful thing.

So if you're able, could you please stand as together we pray the prayer? Do you remember who Jesus taught that prayer? 

[Soren] His disciples. 

[Debbie] To His disciples: Our God who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. It's always important, I think, to look back, to be present in this moment, and to look ahead a little bit.

I have to tell you that for me, I teared up during the run-through as I watched Savona and then Gracie prepare for the songs they were going to sing because I've known them since they were like Millie over here—I mean, babies. So much has happened in the life of this church over the years. I just gave a hug to a dear friend who lost a son years ago today, who was part of this table community. There have been deep, deep sorrows and loss, and there have been beautiful joys and celebrations—a lot of life.

You know, this last year has been a hard one, and it's been a really good one. Here we are, together, because we all come together around this idea that following Jesus is important. It's core to who we are as a people, and it's such a beautiful thing. As we look ahead to next year, we're excited. I wanted to update you if you haven't been around this week. Myself and part of the church search team will be meeting on Friday with the group over at the Center of Belonging at the Aldridge Church to finalize a hopeful move. I say hopeful because it's not quite finalized, but we're hoping in mid-March to be meeting on Sunday mornings in a space where we can build deep partnerships with people doing day-to-day ministry. That's really exciting to us.

If you were with us on Christmas Eve, we had people in that space, and it was full. Despite the sanctuary kind of falling apart, it's a good space for us because what it feels like when you're in there is that we are in it together. We are community, we are family, and it is beautiful. There’s going to be an ask. For anyone who has a desire or talent for rolling up their sleeves and helping us fix it up a little bit, we’re going to be doing that in the next couple of months. We’ll put the word out. I’ve had people approach me saying they want to be part of that. We’ll be cleaning up the lower level and the upper level, where the kids’ area is remodeled and ready to go. We’re going to do some work on the first floor, and we’re excited about what’s going to happen there, the partnership, and being the church. Cody touched on the "doing." We want to be a church that steps into the neighborhood, that partners with people. We’re excited about that. 

Coming up in February, we’re having an "all at The Table" event. Not just women or men at The Table, but everyone. We’ll meet the day before Super Bowl Sunday, on Saturday. Kids are welcome. We’re going to have sledding if there’s snow, gather for fun, connect, and probably have some good eats. We’ll also do a little vision casting for who we hope to continue to become as a community of faith practicing the ways of Jesus.

We’re excited about that, about community meals, about Pride in June, and about our next co-lead pastor. A talented team has been working since last August to put together a profile and interview questions. They’re starting the interviewing process now, and we’re excited about who God is calling to pastor this community alongside the rest of our table team.

We’re also excited about the growing kids program, with all these young families. It’s so encouraging and exciting to see how involved all the kids are, how they know and love each other, and how they’re learning to do life together, all knowing they are deeply loved by God just as they are.

With that, I’m turning it back over to Jae or Savona who will do our benediction. 

[Savona] No matter who you are or what you’ve done, who you love or what you’ve lost, where you’ve gone or where you’ve stayed, there will always be a seat for you at The Table because you are a beloved child of God. Beloved, you belong. Have a nice week!