Greetings Friends,
As we consider what it means to belong together, I’ve been blessed this week by the stories many of you have shared — stories of community meals, answered prayers, God’s unexpected voice, moments of awe in nature, and even the occasional ghost story. This congregation carries deep wells of memory, faith, and connection. You bear witness, time and again, to the truth that we belong to each other, and we belong to God.
Many of these stories I’ve heard point to the moments in life when we feel most alive. The moments when someone’s eyes brighten or fill with tears. The moments where life feels the most real and holy through the sharing of worship, service, friendship, or silence. As the world feels increasingly chaotic, we yearn for these moments more and more, which prompts me to wonder: What helps us return to that place of aliveness together?
As we explored the story of young Samuel in Bible Study this week, we were reminded that “we don’t know how or when Spirit will speak…All that is asked of us is that we remain expectant” (Armas, Sacred Belonging 71). This expectant posture doesn’t demand certainty or perfection; it simply asks us to stay open, to pay attention, and to listen together for the quiet (or not so quiet) nudges of Spirit.
Whether in a conversation, a shared meal, a line from a hymn, or the tug to check in on someone we’ve been missing — Spirit is there. In all these things and more, God is still speaking, and we have to constantly ask ourselves, are we still making the space to listen? Are we responding like Samuel, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Sam. 3:9)? Or do we let the noise, the busyness, or even our own doubt drown out those quiet, beautiful nudges?
This week, I invite you to notice. Notice what stirs your heart. Notice where you feel most alive. And if something tugs at your being, however small, follow it. You don’t need to have it all figured out, just a willingness to say, I’m listening. Let’s continue making space for Spirit to speak — in our worship, in our homes, in our shared life together. Because the God who called Samuel is still calling.
In hope and gratitude,
Delaney
