May 23, 2025
Dear Church,
This past weekend was the St. Paul Area Synod (SPAS)’s annual Synod Assembly, where lay leaders, rostered leaders, and guests come together from all 106 congregations that make up our synod. Synod Assemblies are like annual meetings, where we celebrate all that’s gone well over the past year; discuss and vote on memorials, resolutions, and a synodical budget; vote on committee members; and they are where the Bishop sets a vision for the year(s) to come.
This year, the theme for the St. Paul Area Synod is Called to Invite. There are many people in our community who are part of Grace because a friend or neighbor thought they would find a place of welcome and connection, and invited them to join on a Sunday, or come to a potluck or event. Our nominating team extends invitations each year to serve on committees at Grace, noticing and naming the gifts and talents that help support this community.
And while we are building and strengthening a culture of invitation at Grace, a statement stuck out to me from Synod Assembly, repeated by a few speakers: we’re great at God’s work, our hands, but are less good at God’s work, our voice. Living in a culture where Christianity has been coopted by Empire and nationalism, where the concept of evangelism has strayed so far from a genuine sharing of the good news of Christ, and where there are so many embodied Christianity’s (with profound and impactful theological differences), inviting someone to come and see what God might be doing can feel (and can be) risky.
I’m excited and curious to see where this theme takes our synod over the next year, and how being called to invite can strengthen our mission at Grace of being a welcoming and justice-seeking church that joyfully lives out Christ’s love in the world!
In Christ,
Pastor Reed
Every Friday, we send an email to the congregation and any others who would like to learn more about the Grace community. The last four Friday emails are posted below.