Family Fellowship Week (FFW) turned out to be amazing! I don’t say that out of complete surprise, given that you all are pretty fantastic folks, but I was taken aback by how many of you came throughout the week. Spanning Monday to Friday, we had around 225 people come together and sing, play, learn, laugh, and listen. There were a few moments when I just sat back and thought to myself, “This. This is what community looks like.”
We had people ranging from eight years old to …mature adulthood. We had long-standing members of the church and people who’d never set foot inside. We had serious moments (not too many), faith moments (quite a few), and fun moments (mostly), that all came together to create a REAL moment of, “This is my church, these are my people,” for not just me, but for many of the people who came and spoke to me, afterward.
I’m grateful for this place and its people. We’re starting to groove here, finding our way into a genuine identity as a growing and thriving parish. FFW was one of many highlights I’ve witnessed in the last months. Anytime this church does something, I think to myself, “I hope we have at least twenty folks…that’ll be successful,” but then I’m ALWAYS caught off guard by that number being much, much higher. For instance, the baseball game coming up. Did you know that we have 53 people going to that? Folks, my first Sunday here we had 47 people in church. Amazing.
The reason I tell you this is to encourage you to tell all of your friends, to spread the word about the resurrection at Resurrection. This place provides a sense of belonging that very few churches in my past have created; and no, I’m not just saying that, I MEAN it. The overall sense of acceptance and joy, love and comfort, faith and fun that this place exudes is nearly palpable—I feel it as I witness all of you together.
We’re going to have a BIG EVENT in September and I’d love to welcome new faces and make new friendships that day and every day after. In short, tell your friends and family about what’s happening, here. Invite them to come and join in on the wacky, mysterious, soul-growing and meaningful life here at ECOTR. I’m so proud of this place. And I’m unspeakably humbled and grateful to be here with you. Let’s continue to invite, enfold, and engage those around us, giving them a chance to experience the raw and riveting power of Jesus Christ in our beloved community.
Faithfully,
Fr. Sean+