Reflecting on Marathon Sunday

Hello church -

This past week was such a beautiful display of the ways our church exists in our community, within the sanctuary walls, and in Cornerstone Center! The Chicago Marathon brought thousands of runners and spectators from around the world up LaSalle Street and then down Wells, where LSC staff and volunteers cheered, supported, spoke life over the megaphone, directed to bathrooms, and handed out tissues to runners. Not to brag, but I personally gave away ten boxes of tissues, which I am pretty sure is a record :). What a joy to be part of it all!

Then we gathered for worship together in the sanctuary, where we welcomed Rev. Alicia for her first in-person Sunday, prayed and worshiped with Minister Brandi Sanders, heard the Word about being a Generous Community, took communion, and then concluded with greeting and enjoying one another. Many of us then migrated over to Cornerstone to enjoy a meal in Leslie Hall, say hello, introduce families and friends to one another, and simply enjoy food and fellowship for Banquet Sunday. Church - what a beautiful gift to have each of these spaces to gather, witness, celebrate, and be the Body of Christ together!

We have a few important things coming up that will continue this invitation of being an active part of the diverse Body of LaSalle that I want to be sure you know about. First - to echo a bit of the sermon from this week, our pledge season is coming up in November and is a time for each of us to discern and pray about how God is calling us to be generous in this season. How are you being called to give - whether with your time, expertise, presence, voice, or finances, to LaSalle? What kind of generous posture could we each take in this season - because when we’re rooted in a More Than Enough God, we are freed up to be generous and gracious with all that God gives us to steward! More details on pledging will come in November, but keep this in mind for this season as the generous community that we are.

Second - I want to make sure that the whole church is feeling connected and empowered in this season. Thank you to all of those who have spoken up, shared excitement or questions, ideas or your prayers, as part of this fall launch season. Another way to add your voice and presence in this season is to share your gifts, time, and service with the church. On October 22, our next Serve Sunday, we will be hosting several options to learn, train, and jump into serving the church in the coming year. Whether you’ve wondered about reading scripture, singing on Sundays, volunteering with Breaking Bread or youth, joining the prayer team, or more - we will be sharing several entry points for the whole church to get involved, serve, and be empowered this year. Plan to join us and know that all ages - kids, youth, adults - and friends or students you may want to invite to join you - will have places to connect, sign up, and feel part of the community of LaSalle.

Lastly, note that there are various gatherings (Zoom calls, after-church meals, meetings being shared, etc.) that are all meant to create places to join others, speak into the direction we’re going, and meet others in the same age/stage you’re in. Watch for ongoing places for our parents/caregivers, for musicians and creatives, for the Racial Righteousness Journey Leadership Team, for folks of color, and more - and if you have an idea for a meeting, let us know that too! We truly need one another, and we all belong to each other, at LaSalle. I am looking forward to walking into the season of learning from and with one another in even deeper ways as we empower the whole Body of Christ, together.

Thanks be - to the One who is able to do more than we could ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us - RevDoc

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Remembering, Our Identity, and Staff Refresh Phase 2

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Fall - Rhythms - Atmospheres