I have seen the magic manifest from thin air thousands of times this summer. I have heard it echo from the mountains surrounding us and bounce from one tree to another. I have smelled the magic, one perfectly toasted or burnt marshmallow and smoky campfire at a time.

We begin the transformative process by stepping out and into new experiences like our weekend family camps and weeklong youth camps. Under the cathedral of trees, we can allow nature and God to nurture us.

by Rev. Gretchen Roeck

Over the past eighteen months, in the middle of the pandemic, 30 young adults, ages 18 to 24, gathered over 200 of their peers. In small groups, in person and online, they came together to talk about life, love, calling, and discernment about God, faith, identity, and belonging.

Young people today face a loneliness crisis. Seventy-five percent of American adults report they experience moderate to severe loneliness — and that was before the pandemic. As followers of Jesus, we know that God’s dream for us is Beloved Community, not social isolation. All human beings deserve to flourish in a community where their giftedness can bless others.

by Rev. Linda Brown and Jesse Brown

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Office of the Bishop organized “Affinity Groups” to meet regularly via Zoom. Composed of both clergy and laypeople, these groups were organized around common interests and ministries in the church: for example, clergy of small, medium, and large congregations in addition to bishop’s wardens. senior wardens, and deacons. The intent of these regular gatherings is to help clergy and lay leaders — even during isolation — stay connected with one another and encourage each other in their respective ministries. As the Episcopal Church, we were all learning how to use technology to help us meet despite the boundaries of our isolation and barriers inherent in the plains, mountains, and plateaus of Colorado geography. With diligent effort, we are staying connected to make church and be church.

As someone who guides faith communities and institutions in the work of discerning how to follow God’s call, and how they can best steward their resources to serve their mission in a given context, this question has long held relevance. As we think about raising money and leading congregations — especially when we know that the “now” is riddled with grief — this question feels more relevant than ever.

What does it look like to give voice to this experience of grief and lead in light of the changes and losses our collective grief points toward? My experience tells me that deep questions like this need answers that meet the real world challenges faith communities and their leaders face. So it is the question, “What do we do now?” that shows up and is articulated out of the real dirt, the down to earth, lived experiences of ministry.