In between. That’s where we find ourselves: in between summer and fall, in between COVID restrictions loosening and tightening, in between projects as part of our Share the Light capital campaign, and more! Thank you for standing in this liminal space with me and praying for our congregation and community during these days of looking ahead.
The word “liminal” comes from the Latin root, limen, which means “threshold.” Richard Rohr says,
“Liminality is a form of holding the tension between one space and another.” It is the space in between, a crossing over.
As I write, one of my favorite artists, John August Swanson (www.johnaugustswanson.com), is in a liminal space between this life and the next. Following a time of hospice, he is standing on the edge of returning to God.
If you have ever been in my office, then you’ve seen his vibrant painting “Festival of Lights” hovering over my desk. Swanson writing about the painting comments, “It is a dark night with a star-filled sky. Tiny lights are seen on the distant hillsides, gradually becoming figures carrying candles as they come closer to the foreground of the painting… I thought about liturgical processions I had seen. I remembered walking with groups in candlelight for peace in Central America. The symbol of candles shining in the dark night is powerful to me. Star-filled nights are images that help give me a sense of the place we are in the universe.” Our little lights are magnified when the Spirit of God draws us together to love and care for our neighbors and world.
Each year, the ELCA hosts a convention for all those who work in youth ministry. The four-day event includes everyone from full-time youth workers and pastors to volunteer parents and young adults who are passionate about sharing the unconditional love of Jesus with children and teens.
Last winter, youth ministry veteran, Tiger McLuen, offered a session named, “11 Phrases that May Save Your Ministry.” His list included:
Hope is Not a Strategy
Vagueness is Killing the Church
Get Curious
Slow Down
Name the Issue
Love the One You're With
Change is Never Neutral
Make the Circle Bigger
Fight Casual Holiness
It's a Lifestyle - Not a Job!
Always believe in the significance of the insignificant
I’ve been sitting with these phrases for six months now, trying to implement them into my ministry and life, but also keep imagining what the world would look like if we adopted them beyond our church. Think of the transformation that would happen in our own lives, homes, and communities if we enabled these in every facet of our days and stepped deeper into knowing and loving one another?
As we stand at this liminal moment, I pray that we can be fearless bridge-builders. During this season of already, but not yet, this threshold is exhilarating for some and anxiety-inducing for others. We don't know what the coming days hold, but we trust that God has brought us to this moment and promises to walk with us into the uncertain future. To sweeten the deal, God gives us the gift of one another. Let’s stand together in faith, hope, and love.
Living, sharing, and celebrating boldly with all,
Pastor Lowell