By Juan Gonzalez
In our synod, grace shows up in many ways. It appears when communities come closer together for safety and solidarity, when we are present for one another in collaboration and consolation, and when we welcome those who seek belonging.
Juan at the Agora celebration
Grace has been at work throughout September in many congregations. On September 13, leaders gathered to celebrate AGORA, a program focused on equipping lay leaders from ethnic-specific and multicultural congregations, as the program came to a close. With San Pablo’s–St. Paul’s hosting the event, two of their leaders, Lizette and Delfino, providing a meal, and Tapestry bringing vibrant music, the Spirit filled the room with grace in the form of collaboration, helping us imagine possibilities for a more hopeful future.
That same Spirit is alive at the Minnesota Swahili Christian Congregation, where no one is a stranger for long. On September 21, the service paused to welcome every guest with an invitation to introduce themselves. During a baptism, the whole congregation gathered around the family, not just parents and godparents, as a living sign that God’s grace draws the circle wide.
Baptism at Minnesota Swahili
Grace, welcome, and community belong together. With grace, many of our Synod’s ethnic-specific and multicultural congregations are creating lasting impact. They weave belonging into community life, offering spaces that shine as guiding lights. In a time when fear and division so often dominate public life, these gifts are signs of God’s abundance among us.
The Family Faith program seeks to nurture that same abundance across generations. The next opportunity to connect will be at Candy & Carbone’s Trunk or Treat at Bethel Lutheran Church, with button-making, a prize wheel, and a chance to learn more about the program. All are welcome.
Grace is an invitation. An invitation into welcome, an invitation into community, an invitation into God’s never-ending love.