“I am concerned about the future of this tree.” - Sarah the Arborist
Dear Beloved Keystone Community –
This morning, I walked the grounds of Keystone with Sarah, an arborist I asked for a consultation. As the signage team prepares to design a new sign for the front of the church, I am making sure the sign itself will be visible to all: Blooma Tree Experts will prune back some of the branches which are obscuring the view of the front door. Sarah clearly loves trees; she reluctantly advised us to take out the walnut tree, as well as a “volunteer” cherry tree which has grown up by the neighbors’ garage. She was very concerned about a red cedar growing behind Battson Hall—she said it doesn’t have room to grow and flourish because of the concrete which surrounds it, and she actually recommended removing it. I told her we would leave it for now, but I thanked her for her advice and her vision.
We at Keystone have been seeking similar advice and guidance about our beloved community—what to prune back, what to plant, and perhaps what to eliminate entirely. Why are we doing this? Because we want Keystone’s legacy to be as broad and deep as the roots of an ancient tree, reaching beyond the walls of Keystone, deep into the soil of the community. Keystone proclaims the Good News that the Realm of God is breaking through, here and now. We make this proclamation every time we organize for justice, every time we speak up against oppression, every time we bring kindness and support to folks who struggle. Our worship is only the beginning of the legacy of peace, justice, and hope which we freely offer to our communities and to our world.
I want to thank you for your comments during the mid-term designated pastor evaluation. I will be discussing my evaluation with the leadership team this week, and will do my best to respond to your assessment by adding, pruning, adjusting. I also want to thank you for asking me to preach a sermon series on the book of Revelation this summer. I learned a tremendous amount about the book, about apocalyptic literature, and most of all about myself as a preacher. It was difficult at times to lift the veil that shrouds the powers and principalities of empire, but at the end we all gathered at the river of hope, of Spirit, that flows from the heart of this – and every – loving community.
With love and gratitude
Pastor Adina