Deep Roots Capital Campaign Reflection by Lauren Greenwade
As we continue to raise the funds required to build our new church with the Deep Roots Capital Campaign, members of the campaign Prayer Team will be blogging on subjects like gratitude and giving, Christian stewardship, why St. Julian's is an important place in their lives, and why then they are participating in the campaign. We hope this reflection will inform your own choice to participate in the campaign. Our success will come from everyone joining in together. Our third reflection is from Lauren Greenwade. Enjoy!
"I have been at St. Julian’s since I was attending Seminary of the Southwest back in 2012. I asked one of the professors which church she would recommend for me, and she told me of the startup, St. Julian’s. She said I would probably like Miles. I had been attending St. James and loved it, but the change of church leadership was no longer a good fit for me. That is why I was seeking suggestions for a new church. When I walked into St. Julian’s, it reminded me of my church in Los Angeles that I attended. This is only seen through my eyes, but it felt like All Saints,’ Beverly Hills. Then sitting through the service with Open Space really felt familiar. After the first service, I asked Miles, if he knew the Rev. Jimmy Bartz, who I worked with at All Saints, who is from Texas. He said yes, I told him his service made me think of Jimmy’s new start up in Los Angles, Thad’s. Miles smiled at the compliment. Miles and Ashley and the original core of All Saints have created an inviting and welcoming place that I love to call home. I have loved greeting folks and welcoming them into our amazing family. I love sitting on the back row and watching the love that takes place between families – dads stroking their daughter’s hair, daughters giving their mom a back rub, brothers trying not to kill each other, and supporting each other. I love the “washing of feet” service on Thursday of Holy Week. The children washing adult’s feet, and vice versa. It is so tender and sacred. I love sitting at a service for teenagers, who were all friends of Caroline Bindel’s, to be able to open their hearts and share their sadness, and their joyous memories of their fun, sweet, thriving friend, who was no longer with them/us. I love the Easter Egg hunts that invite the neighborhood and end up teaching folks about St. Julian’s and all that it has to offer. I love serving meals with the folks who live at Community First Village as an outreach event. I love being an older gay woman, who is accepted and loved tremendously by this congregation. I love greeting at a very packed house on Christmas Eve, where we are filling up every inch of the place. This place and these people fill up my heart completely, and I know I am sitting in God’s House. However, God’s house at our current location is busting at the seams, so we need to grow to invite and welcome even more folks to join this compassionate family. This is why the Deep Roots campaign is sacredly important to our future of serving each other and others. I know they are looking for 100% participation from all of us to make this work – even if we commit a $1/day (Miles might kill me for that low of a suggestion…this is Miles’s insert…the power of being the editor...it’s all gift and every dollar matters!) – however, we will be helping us grow into the phenomenal House of God St. Julian’s is meant to continue to be, but on a larger scale. It going to be a glorious and exciting adventure for all of us!"
For more info on participating in the Deep Roots Capital Campaign, click here.