By Bishop Jen Nagel
This summer our family spent a week at Holden Village, deep in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State. One evening as we gathered for worship the lights were turned down and large sand-filled boxes and bowls with flickering candles centered our focus. During the service, we were invited to come forward to kneel around the cross, lighting candles and praying. I love these Prayer Around the Cross services with their stunningly simple music, their quiet beauty, and the movement of the community.
Every so often it wasn’t just a few people coming forward or returning to their seats, but a rush of a dozen or more gathering from every direction. You see, the worship leaders had been clear: while many come forward individually to kneel or stand in prayer, when someone comes to one of the corner stations, that is a sign that they seek others to gather close and to pray for them, to pray with them. And that’s exactly what others did: they came close in prayer, perhaps laying a hand on a shoulder, embodying solidarity, showing up. I find this act of showing up incredibly moving to experience and to witness. Really, what else in this life can we do for each other, if not show up?
“Jesus took on flesh and showed up, and we share this calling to show up.”
People often ask about my vision for Minneapolis Area Synod. Over these next months and years, I trust that this vision will arise from the gifts and the needs around us and the clarifying of the Holy Spirit. This means that much of my ministry in these early days as your bishop will be showing up and listening – showing up and listening to leaders, showing up and listening to congregations, showing up and listening to the wider community and our partners.
OUR STRENGTH AS a synod – our power as Christ’s community – is grounded in relationship and our willingness to show up with and for one another, and with our neighbors. Jesus took on flesh and showed up, and we share this calling to show up. Sometimes this means showing up for big synod-wide gatherings (think synod assembly or the installation on September 21). And just as much this means showing up day by day closer to home:
- Showing up to worship
- Showing up to celebrate an ordination or installation
- Showing up to give thanks at an anniversary or in a time of transition or farewell
- Showing up to grieve or console in the face of a loss
- Showing up to learn and grow, play and change together
- Showing up to uplift in prayer and care, … because we don’t walk alone
- Showing up in vigil and solidarity, together witnessing to pain, violence, and injustice in the neighborhoods and beyond
- Showing up around the table and at the block party, sharing bread and time
- Showing up at the Minnesota State Capitol or your local city council meeting to engage the broken systems of immigration or housing or the climate crisis
- Showing up to pool our resources and address a need or mend a relationship
- Showing up with our messy, vulnerable God-blessed selves; trusting that we are enough, that God’s grace holds us, and God works through us
Beloved Church, it’s tempting to assume we must “have it all together” before our vision becomes clear, before we can show up, before God can use us. I need to consciously resist this temptation, perhaps you do too; it’s so strong.
“What else in this life can we do for each other, if not show up?”
Remember the dimly lit prayer service and the flickering candles? When someone knelt to pray, people showed up in an inspiring and timely solidarity. I want to be that kind of synod where we show up for one another and for our neighbors in body and in spirit, side by side, Christ’s people together, … because God always shows up first. Thanks be to God.