A New Practice for Our Life Together: State of the Spirit

From Glen Thomas Rideout, on behalf of the Worship Team

Friends, we are beginning something new this fall, and I want to invite you into it with us. It’s called State of the Spirit.

We are living in a time when trust in shared life feels fragile. Communities like ours can show another way. Our covenant calls us to seek the truth in love and help one another. State of the Spirit is one way we will practice that covenant: speaking honestly about how it is with our spirit, listening deeply to each other, and letting what we hear guide us toward worship that feeds us all.

Three times a year, we’ll pause for one hour—our first on Wednesday, September 24 at 7:00pm—to gather in small groups and ask simple but meaningful questions: What’s stirring in your spirit these days? Where is worship meeting you? What do you long for? We’ll return together to share a few reflections, and we’ll close with gratitude.

This is not a survey. It’s not a focus group. It is something richer—a spiritual practice that honors our humanity and our covenant. When we show up and share with one another, something shifts. You’ll discover that what you’ve been carrying might be echoed in your neighbor’s life. You may hear words that reframe your own questions, or remind you that you’re not alone. And the worship team will take what is offered—not as data points, but as gifts of truth and care—to help keep worship real, grounded, and alive to the Spirit among us.

There is a deeper reward for us each here, too. Sharing your truth with others builds courage. Hearing another person’s spirit builds compassion. And being part of a circle that makes room for both is a reminder that your life is woven into something larger.

In a world starved for real democracy, these circles also strengthen our practice of it: every voice valued, every experience carrying weight, and direction shaped together in love.

Mark your calendar for September 24 at 7:00pm. Join us on Zoom, or in person if that’s best for you. Bring your spirit as it is, and come ready to listen and to be listened to. Together, we’ll practice the care that holds us—and we’ll grow worship that grows us in return.