Church of the Present, Past, & Future

By Kate Long, Christ Church Macon

Sitting back at my desk in Macon, Georgia (three full days after General Convention’s end) I realize most of life here in this geographic place has not changed. People are still poor. People are still angry with the government. People are still being judged for factors out of their control. People are still living without love in their lives.

But I have also realized that I am called to be a part of the Episcopal Church to welcome people into the beloved community we are born into. I have more discernment and years ahead of me to live this out but here is what an intense ten days began to outline the needs humanity has:

• Let’s be storytellers so we can give the gift of our lives’ journeys and the gift of hearing their story because without each other’s perspectives we are blind to God’s love He created in each person
• You are enough just the way you are so stop trying to fix yourself.
• Just be with someone in their moment. Do not always try to fix them either.
• We can no longer stand at the church door and say “you're welcome to come in”. We must take the church to the world, meeting it where it is at instead of expecting immediate conformity to our expectations.
• Every organization needs anti-racism training and safeguarding God’s people training or else someone is being hurt and/or excluded.
• We need to play in the “Mud of our Baptism”. Jesus stirred up some mud in the Jordan River and did not say “eww this is gross”. He reveled in it and let the Spirit descend on Him while He was dirty (this goes back to not trying to fix ourselves before accepting God’s love).  
• Humans are not products to be commoditized. Church is not a factory it is beloved community.

Young Adult Ministry and Campus Ministries have a special welcoming opportunity. They get to welcome people to the community for the first time. They get to welcome back people to the community that get to choose our church for themselves. Intentional networking can connect everybody and help people find others they relate to because loneliness is the most common feeling in this age range. College creates thousands of choices and paths; I know it was super challenging for me especially the first six months. I cannot imagine going into the military or workforce as a young adult which is all the more reason young adults need to know how much they are part of the beloved community.