“Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” -Colossians 2:6-7

Roots are important… to plants and to people. Wandering as a stranger in a strange land can make you feel uprooted. It is exciting and interesting to meet new people and see new places, to try new foods, and learn new languages. But it is essential to our mental and spiritual health to always have a place which is “home”.  For many of our young people, First Pres is more than just their church, it is a place where they are loved and accepted. It is “home”.

We are relational beings and we all have a need to be connected to each other and to God. I love this verse from Colossians that we are “rooted and built up in Christ, strengthened in the faith… and overflowing with thankfulness.” We grow deep roots through connection. We grow deep roots in fertile soil. We grow deep roots with adequate space and attention, water and nourishment. In a desire to create opportunity for deep roots and connection, we are creating a dedicated “coffee shop” space at church. The hallway between the Narthex and the First Pres Center will be our coffee shop. (We are still working on a name… He Brews or Common Grounds are the front runners at the moment.)

The coat racks are now in the closet just around the corner in the First Pres Center (where the ball cart used to be kept). The ball cart is nearby, but not as easily accessible. New LED lights and paint, furniture and fixtures are going in this week and we hope to have the space ready for connection and growing roots before the school year begins.

When people have a place to stop and stay for a while, we can strengthen and build one another up in Christ. It is our desire that we would be “overflowing with thankfulness” because of the amazing work God continues to do in us and through us. With the mental health crisis our young people are experiencing I believe that now, more than ever, we have a need for this dedicated space to spend time with one another, share our lives, connect with the Body of Christ and build one another up. Let’s grow some roots in Christ as we spend time over a cup of coffee and a great conversation.

Loving God, May we see you in the faces around us. May we know your love and be rooted in Christ. Give us a desire to build each other up and share the gift of our time, our selves, and our faith with one another. Amen

In Christ,
Hanna P. Shearer