Today some friends of mine are welcoming their daughter into the world, and will finally be able to tell people her name. They decided on a name a while back but decided to wait until the baby was here and named before sharing it with anyone. I thought it was interesting to not tell the name but I understood their reasoning...everyone has an opinion about names because they have meaning. It is important when picking a name to think about possible nicknames, the way the first and last name sound together, how hard will it be to get other people to pronounce it correctly, will a child be able to spell it, etc. Not to mention that names usually have meanings attached to them and in my experience many people's name define more that just what they are called but who they are.
So as I look toward the future of this growing congregation and community, I wonder what our name should be? What will define us as an creative, hospitable, relational, intentional, sustainable, and transformational community? What name will tell people that all are welcome to belong and serve?
It is very similar to welcoming a new human being to the world...we begin from the very start to create an identity that will grow with us into the community that we are becoming and hopefully always finding ways that honor the love of God that calls us into community and that sends us out in service to love the world!
Here's to claiming an identity that honors our past, speaks to our present and sets us up for God's amazing future!
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