Building Up Scaffolding

By Pastor Jen Collins

Since God chose you to be the holy people God loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. ¹³ Make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. ¹⁴ Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵ And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.By P

(Colossians 3: 12-15, New Living Translation)

 

In October and November, I’ve had the opportunity to engage in many 1:1 conversations, building relationships in a variety of ways, from congregants to churchwide staff leaders, to local leaders and folks along the way. This is part of my role as a pastor and as a Synod staff member. The deep investment in relationships allows me to continue to find support, to learn and grow, and to uplift our value of being Church Together. These conversations with our Minneapolis communities and beyond show me that I need the support, continued learning, and growth so that I can too support, teach, and grow with others! In the prophetic and truth telling words of Maya Angelou, “Do the best you can until you know better, then when you know better, do better.”

In a specific 1:1 conversation recently, scaffolding was used as a metaphor to speak about the continued support, learning, and growth for us as people. Scaffolding by definition is defined as a temporary structure used while building, repairing, or cleaning a building. I really appreciate this imagery as I think of our faith formation journeys and commitments to building a sense of community and collective work for common good.

 

I attended the first ELCA Churchwide Synod Racial Justice Leader Gathering the last weekend of October. Racial Justice work in the Minneapolis Area Synod is a part of the portfolio I hold as Assistant to the Bishop for Congregational Vitality. At the gathering, we centered our time on relationships, rest, and reforming! The tagline for the weekend was: “Braver conversations, bolder witness…for such a time as THIS!” This time spent was so valuable. It was scaffolding for me.

This time at the gathering provided support to help one another learn new skills and be renewed and empowered for this lifetime journey. I acknowledged that we’d gradually be removing the supports, heading home, and coming back from Chicago to our home synods in order to walk with our communities, to be Church Together, and to flourish as we practice entering braver conversations and becoming bolder witnesses. I give thanks to all our leaders that weekend: ELCA Director of Racial Justice in the office of Presiding Bishop, Jennifer De Leon, and Racial Justice Manager Rev. Christina Montgomery (ELCA Racial Justice Ministries). Our keynote speakers were Robert Smith and Aja Martinez (authors of The Origins of Critical Race Theory: The people and ideas that created a movement), Kyle Williams and Kamal Carter (A Long Talk), and Rev. Lucille “CeCee” Mills (the newly-elected Secretary of the ELCA).

 

This concept of scaffolding applies in so many areas of faith formation. It is my hope for you — in your places and space and as followers of Jesus — you are encouraged. Whether you are a person who needs the scaffolding or you are the one putting up the scaffolding in order to guide another. May we strive wholeheartedly to continuously be learners, teachers, and mentors, where we help one another develop resilience. This takes time…

I love the space to wonder about scaffolding in this upcoming season of Advent. We have time individually and collectively to imagine the work that needs to be built, repaired, or renewed. We can enter these new days as reformer — strong, bold, committed to building a sense of community, and an active a part of the collective work for common good. “God chose you to be the holy people God loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

 

I will end with this blessing for rest and renewal from Black Liturgies by Cole Arthur Riley

Go in courage to lie down, in sacred defiance of a world that would rather own your body than protect it. May you say, “no” and “I’m leaving” and “I’m not saving this,” your boundaries never predicated on apology. In a time of frenzied activity, may you choose stillness, and this breath, and this silence… and sleep, that you might dream. Amen.

 

To learn more about Minneapolis Area Synod Racial Justice work, visit the Racial Justice page on our website. You will find information about the MAS Racial Justice Team, resources, and dates for upcoming gatherings.