The Resurrecting Church:

From Possibility to Practice

This past Sunday, after worship, I had the joy of sharing something that’s been stirring in my heart for many months—something that has emerged through all the listening, wondering, and courageous imagining we’ve done together as a church. We’re standing on the edge of a powerful possibility: a calling to become a place where justice, hospitality, and Spirit are not just Sunday experiences, but the very heartbeat of our shared life—every day of the week.

This moment didn’t come out of nowhere. It has grown from the deep roots of our journey—through Canoeing the Mountains, Being Church in a Liminal Time, and the honest, thoughtful engagement of our Community Perspective Project and SOAR Analysis. (Thank you, Amy Tobey!) All of these helped us recognize that our building, our relationships, our way of being church—it all points toward something bigger. Something needed.

I offered an idea, which is to become a Community Resilience Hub—a sacred gathering place where our building becomes a home for justice-rooted organizations, a space of radical welcome, and a living expression of our faith in action. A place where community partners work side by side, where needs are met with compassion, and where our ministries of care, learning, and worship grow even stronger because we are more deeply connected to the world we’re called to serve.

And now, we’re beginning to ask: What if this is our call—our mission for the future?

What if we became a home base for organizations doing LGBTQIA+ support, housing advocacy, refugee empowerment, and prophetic organizing for justice? What if our classrooms were buzzing with life during the week—groups gathering, sharing meals, teaching, learning, supporting one another in real and beautiful ways?

To help us hold this vision, I introduced three metaphors that I believe reflect the spirit of who we are becoming:

• The Rain Garden, where we filter the world through love, beauty, and intention.

• The Sacred Thread, where relationships weave together meaning and connection.

• The Place (Ilihee), a reminder that land and space are not for owning but for belonging—to each other and the sacred work before us.

I truly believe this is the work we were made for. Not a departure from our identity—but a deeper living into it.

What’s Next? Come Discern With Us.

On Sunday, June 29, we’ll gather after worship for a potluck lunch in Talkington Hall. There, we’ll listen, learn, and discern together. This won’t be a meeting filled with financial charts or votes—but a heartfelt time to ask, Is this the next faithful step for us?

Whether you’re feeling inspired, unsure, curious, or ready to dive in—I hope you’ll come. Your voice matters. Your presence matters.

All of the information from Sunday’s presentation—including the proposal, background, and metaphors—is now live on our website (The Resurrecting Church Project | UCC Salem) and soon to be posted on the bulletin board across from the church office. Take a look. Sit with it. Pray with it.

Let’s keep walking this road together. We are not alone. And the Spirit is doing something new in our midst. Can you see it?

With hope and excitement,

Pastor Robin