Rooting for Both Teams
As a sports fan, I am not difficult to impress.
Paul and I enjoy attending Blazers games at the Moda Center. He is a diehard basketball fan, down to every player’s stats, personalities, contracts, the philosophy of the game, and the strategy of a team in each era. Despite the frequent wearing of a Seattle Super Sonics sweatshirt (undefeated since 2008!), the Duke Blue Devils and the Houston Rockets are Paul’s #1 teams. If either of them is playing, every part of him is invested in their game performance. Nowadays, he is a good Portlander and suitably cheers the Trailblazers.
I, on the other hand, climb the stairs to the 300s section for the vibes and the snacks. If someone has possession of the ball and scores, I am delighted- no matter the jersey. If they foul, gosh what a bummer. It’s easy for me to enjoy any game (despite how badly the Blazers are ultimately defeated), because at some point during the game *someone* will have scored, and they will have earned my applause. If the game happens to be close, what an exciting heart-racing bonus.
Regardless of the outcome, the players worked hard, points were scored, snacks were eaten, the halftime show was entertaining, a team won, and (hopefully) a team learned how to do better next time. Above all, it’s a whole lot of fun.
As you can imagine, I am somewhat insufferable for a section of diehard fans like my spouse.
However, First Church folks should know that despite my highly questionable sports fandom, make no mistake: I am rooting for you.
Before you go on and say, “But she roots for every team- she just said so!”
You’re not wrong. But you aren’t just any team, and this isn’t a throwaway game at the end of a losing season.
While the first years of the decade made it feel like we were back in the development league, these last couple of years have brought us back to the top of our game. We are on the up and up, with a greater connection to each other and a more focused passion for ministry.
There are two big plays (campaigns, really) that we’re rolling out this fall: Stewardship and Visioning.
Stewardship is part of our 80th Minute series- 5 weeks focused on our membership vows: prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. During this time, each household will estimate how much they can give to our shared ministry in 2025. We’ll collect these giving estimates (also known as pledges) by Sunday, October 20. All households should receive a stewardship packet in the mail and via email over the course of the next week.
Visioning will start up right as we finish Stewardship- I mean that very moment. Starting October 20, the Vision Task Force commissioned by Parish Conference will invite the congregation to Imagine the Possibilities of our ministry in a process that will culminate in clear core values and a faithful vision for the future. These two elements will come alongside our three pillars of faith and will set the stage for strategic initiatives.
If it feels like nearly every series, letter, and off-handed comment we’ve made over the past two years has been building up to a visioning campaign, that’s because it quite nearly has!
I implore you to read the invitation from the First Church Vision Task Force in this week’s email newsletter. This campaign will be swift and thorough. There is no preconceived notion of what our core values should be or what our vision should sound like. This process will distill the essence of the congregation’s passions, energy, and faithfulness, all of which will guide us in every future team strategy we play. Above all, it will be a whole lot of fun.
The success of both Stewardship and Visioning are critical to our team’s thriving in the next season. As we get our heads in the game for both, I am thankful for a community that roots for one another (just as God roots for you)!
Goooooooo team,
Pastor Karyn
P.S. I apologize to any sports fans who have been negatively affected because of my sports-related writing. It will continue for several more weeks.
