Lenten Conversations - God in the Grey: Listening with Curious Hearts

Dear Saint Stephen’s, 

I want to share with you some important conversations that will happen during Lent. On Wednesday nights from February 21 through March 20, our church community is invited to join in dinner and a program we have named, “God in the Grey: Listening with Curious Hearts.” One of the hallmarks of the Anglican tradition is that we are bound by common worship and not by common belief. One of the greatest gifts of the Episcopal Church is the diversity of thought that we share as we honor our inclusive commitment to gather as the body of Christ. 

In talking with parishioners and community members, what seems universally shared is a deep sense of loss with what feels like an absence of civil public discourse. Many of the places we inhabit are echo chambers that confirm what we already believe. With a national presidential election on the horizon, it is important for the church to model respect for the dignity of every human being, including our treatment of those with whom we disagree.     

 During Lent, we will have a Wednesday night program with dinner that includes five conversations on potentially controversial topics. I’ve invited Tom Robertshaw and Paul Goepfert, two parishioners who share a deep friendship, care for each other, and often see solutions to our problems differently, to model faithful and respectful dialogue for us. Each Wednesday, one of our clergy will introduce a topic, and then the speakers will have five minutes each to share why they care about this issue and their beliefs on what should be done. After thoughtfully listening, each will respond to the other with what stood out as helpful or meaningful. The clergy moderator will draw out theological themes and then invite the congregation to comment on the process. This is neither a debate, nor is it an attempt to change people’s opinions. Instead, it is an exercise of growing in our capacity to be in relationship with each other. The topics will include immigration, the government’s role in mitigating climate change, K-12 education, abortion, and healthcare.   

 Saint Stephen’s is an open, welcoming, and affirming church where every person who walks through our doors is greeted with hospitality and inclusion. There are as many opinions of what it looks like to live out our baptismal identity as there are people in our church. Jesus was not partisan, and our practice of healthy discourse can be a model that is desperately needed in the larger world. 

 I hope you will make plans to join us on Wednesday nights, beginning February 21. Our normal programs will continue, and we will serve dinner from 5:30pm to 6:30pm. The “God in the Grey” program will begin promptly at 6:30pm and run for about 30 minutes. I give thanks to Paul and Tom for being willing to model for us a commitment to listen, and to help us deepen our capacity to be in relationship with each other. 

Faithfully, 

The Rev. John B. Burruss