February 25 Update from Tali Hairston
Seattle Presbytery
Dear friends,
Many thanks to all of you who were able to attend our online presbytery meeting this past Tuesday. We had a powerful Holy Conversation around the work the presbytery’s executive board is doing around equity, diversity, and inclusion. We all know that this subject requires way more work than one conversation. Or even one book or one talk. But I do want to update you on our progress on one item and strongly encourage you to attend another.
The Thriving Congregations program is in full-swing. A total of twelve congregations decided to go through the program, which is more than was expected. Many thanks to the Advisory Board for their guidance. There is great excitement and probably some anxiety about the journey ahead. Each congregation has their own story and creating space for them to learn from each other’s story can feel outside of our cultural norm. Congregations are stepping into that awkward space in response to this grant opportunity and we covet your prayers for each of them.
This is also an opportunity to break new ground in congregational and community development. Congregations will participate in a facilitated learning cohort that will assist in exploring, discovering, and catalyzing their approach to the changing social and cultural realities. Some will develop innovative partnerships and others lean into more practical ministry opportunities. We are excited to learn and grow together and to share those learnings with all of you.
Lastly, we strongly encourage you to attend the NEXT National Gathering on March 5-7 (online) if you want to immerse yourself in the hard but sacred work of race, privilege, power, and justice. The Rev. Lenny Duncan, ELCA minister in the Portland area and author of Dear Church and United States of Grace, will be giving the opening keynote talk. His words are compelling, challenging, hard, and Gospel.
There are many other wonderful offerings at this gathering: powerful preaching, helpful workshops, and loads of resourcing and connections. I hope you’ll join me and we can continue on this journey together of doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with our God.
Rev. W. Tali Hairston
Director of Community Organizing, Advocacy, and Development & Thriving Congregations Program Dir.