The Gift of Showing Up Together
A reflection for the Holy Spirit Lutheran Church Newsletter
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.” – Ecclesiastes 4:9
If you’ve ever served on a committee, you know it’s not always glamorous. Decisions take time. Coffee gets cold. And sometimes, we have the same conversation for the third time because someone missed the last meeting.
And yet, through all of this wonderfully human mess, God shows up.
The Church doesn’t always move quickly, but it does move faithfully. And that’s exactly what we saw at our recent congregational meeting. In the face of a significant budget shortfall, this community didn’t flinch or flee. You leaned in. You listened deeply. You asked thoughtful questions. And above all—you showed up. That is no small thing.
This congregation reminded me of that familiar proverb:
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
We are in this for the long haul. Not just to keep the lights on or the bulletins printed, but to be a community that blesses the world beyond our walls. As Archbishop William Temple once said:
“The Church is the only society that exists for the benefit of those who are not its members.”
That’s who we are. That’s what we do.
So thank you, for your faithfulness, your hopefulness, your generosity, and your presence. Whether you’re on a committee, just joined the congregation, or have been here since pews had ashtrays (yes, that was a thing in some places), your presence matters.
Let’s keep showing up. Let’s keep the humor alive and the coffee warm. Let’s keep listening for the Spirit’s whisper, sometimes in spreadsheets, sometimes in silence, and often in one another.
Because two, ten, fifty, or a whole congregation are always better than one.
In gratitude and hope,
Pastor Gretchen
