Dear saints,
The ancient Greeks had two concepts for time. Chronos is the understanding of time that our busy lives are most accustomed to. The other, kairos, speaks to the sense that there can be openings of time, opportune moments, when something significant or new breaks in.
For the past five years of chronos time, a steering committee for the future of our block have been wondering if they can break the record for the longest serving steering committee in All Saints' history. In the fall of 2018, Michael Gragnani and seven other tried and tested leaders in the parish embarked on a process to help us all discern what God calls us to with regard to the future of the complete city block, which we have owned since 2016.
We spent 2019 learning from our Midtown community and sharing our findings with the parish about what was happening around us in Midtown. We also shared the ways that other churches near and far reimagined their buildings and grounds for the future. In 2020, with those learnings in mind, we geared up to begin our parish engagement process—then the world turned on its head that March. Our process was put on hold and we turned our minds to more immediate needs and concerns.
On Sunday, we relaunch this discernment process with a forum led by Michael and the future of our block steering committee. A good amount has changed in Midtown since 2019 and even more is in the works. We believe that this is our kairos time to discern a future for our block. While the parish engagement process will begin in the new year, now is the time for us to seek the Spirit's inspiration and guidance as we imagine a future for the next two generations of saints in this place.
I invite you to join us this Sunday as we begin this phase of our journey together. We want to hear every voice. We need your insights and vision to discern the future God beckons us to realize. I can't wait to see where we are led.
Peace,
Simon+
