The past two Sundays we've journeyed into the Letter to the Colossians through teaching and creative practice.
Our hope in this journey is not to simply learn new information but to shift and change in response to the gravity and grace of Christ, that we might experience "Christ in us, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).
The Christ Hymn in Col 1:15-20 is a provocative invitation to enter the gravity of the one who holds all things together, the one who has reconciled and is reconciling all things, the one who is the image of the invisible God.
How might we reflect the gravity of Christ this week?
If you've missed the last couple of weeks, catch up on the podcast and join us as we continue the journey!
teaching podcast>
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Welcome & Commission
Open Door invites and celebrates a leadership focusing on training and mobilizing those within our community. As we enter the season ahead, we are excited to have a staff team in place committed to Open Door's continued formation in the way of Jesus!
On Sunday, we welcomed Samantha Trimble into her new role as the Director of Kids & Family Formation and, after several months serving in an interim capacity, we commissioned Jayne Kappesser into her role as our (non-interim!) Pastor of Worship.
We'll be sharing more stories and introductions from our staff team in the days and weeks ahead, but join us in celebrating God's faithfulness through our discernment, transition, and hiring processes!
more on staff and leadership at Open Door>
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Join a Fall Circle!
Circles are Open Door's mid-week spaces cultivating connection and formation. From family-friendly outdoor adventures, contemplative practice, engaging the scriptures, and entering into practice around housing and immigration, our Fall Circles are convening around pressing questions and experimental practice in order to form us to follow Jesus in the world.
This Fall, we're offering a Circle each week and we invite you to join one or two!
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Calendar Snapshot
Oct 29 & 30: Ballots & Brews (Election Dialogue)
Nov 1: Open Door (re)orient
Nov 3: Family Wonder Walk (Tilden)
Nov 8: Creative Spiritual Listening
see the calendar>
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Join a team! Lend a hand!
in one of the following opportunities
- Sound & Tech Team
- Gathering Hospitality
- School Investment Champions
- Prayer Team
- Everyday Storytellers
more about each of these on the OD blog>
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Everyday Stories
This story is part of our series exploring
Who are we? What are we doing here?
Join in & share your story HERE!
My name is Kate. I live in Oakland.
My work involves serving as the Bay Area Executive Director for a non-profit organization called GreenLight Fund. Our mission is to provide economic mobility for local low-income families. It's incredibly complex and challenging work...and the best job I've ever had!
For fun, I like to eat every meal at the restaurants in our neighborhood, create art with my daughter, tickle my little son, watch terrifying post-apocalyptic shows with my husband (Handmaid's Tale, anyone?), and go to Tahoe any chance we get - both summer and winter!
One question I'm asking about myself or the world is:
How can I live in such a way that others feel free to be completely at ease and totally themselves with me?
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As a community of storytellers, we tell everyday stories - moments, learnings, and snapshots of the sacred and divine in everyday life. Join in & share your story HERE!
I joined the "Talking with Kids About Race" Circle because I was interested in learning from Matt and Faye and hearing their perspective and experience. I had recently read the book "I'm Still Here" by Austin Channing Brown and was riveted by her story. My whiteness became apparent to me in new ways. My defensiveness was proof that I had a lot to learn, especially in order to teach my kids a new/different perspective.
Growing up, my mom spoke largely to churches and youth around the subject of sex. One of the main points she always highlighted when talking to parents was the idea that 'if we (as parents) don't talk with our kids about sex, they'll hear it from someone else, perhaps with incorrect or skewed information'. At circle, I was presented with the same idea, just replace "sex" with "race". Wow!
Since the circle I've been asking these questions of myself: Who taught me about race? Was this information accurate? Was it skewed? When (if ever) do I feel like the minority? Where can I enter into spaces that I am the minority?
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