Our stories matter.
What a gift God has given us in being narrative creatures! Our first gathering of The Offertory at St. Rita’s was led by Diana Jorda, who reminded us that our stories not only allow for Christ to enter our lives, but also for us to enter into each other’s lives.
One of the goals of the Offertory is to build community and relationship - part of this is being able to share our stories with others. Several people were willing to share their story of an encounter with God. This was a powerful reminder that God reveals himself through many moments, great and small, in our lives. We also broke into small groups and shared our stories in a more personal way.
This gathering was held on a rainy, dark January night. This is a hard time of year for me in the Pacific Northwest, and it has also been a challenging phase in life overall. But during this dark and rainy time, this gathering inside the small church was warm, and carried the spark of hope and renewal as many faces, both familiar and unfamiliar, shared their presence and openness to engaging in their story.
My hope is these gatherings serve as the spark for those who come, whether they are in the dark and rainy or bright and sunny chapter in their narratives. I pray that the sparks will turn into blazing flames and ignite those around them. And I invite anyone reading this reflection to join us at our future gatherings to engage in your story.
