Messy and Glorious

The PARC is a place where people come together, searching. Searching for something deeper, something better. All of us on level ground trying to find a better version of ourselves. Trying to find God. The PARC is not a program. It is church. I believe that it is church in perhaps one of the purest and rawest forms.

I love that the PARC has been a place that lets me know people I would have never known. My life is richer and I am better. It makes me better. I have learned to love more and to love bigger. I have learned acceptance without judgement. I have seen opinions different than mine that are worth pondering, and might actually be right. I have learned scripture through the eyes of those who have lived a far different life from Me. I have seen and heard hard things. I have seen God.

Sometimes there are people who come to the PARC who act TERRIBLE. They truly act terrible. It is in those moments, and then afterwards as we reflect, that we must remind ourselves that these are holy people in whom the divinity of God truly rests. It isn't easy but I must search for it. It's about finding God in people I don't know. People that I don't trust. People that sometimes act terrible. It isn't easy.

It is true that one of our core values is that our members never run out of chances. We debate this one often. It is perhaps our hardest one to stand by. That doesn't mean that there aren't consequences. When we as a staff make decisions about an individual (who has acted terrible) we always ask ourselves, what does love look like in this situation? That's hard. Sometimes it takes prayer. Sometimes it takes a few days of prayer of us, as a staff, seeking God without our feelings or agendas involved. Then when we come to unity, that is our decision. Those are the 'consequences' when they want to return. 

I wouldn't trade 'this' for anything. I often say that I LOVE it. I wouldn't recommend it, but I love it. It isn't for the 'weak of heart'. Our staff and volunteers are truly called by God. They put aside their egos and humble themselves to show God's love in every circumstance. To see God in every individual. And because we do that, we have seen God. We have seen a wider and broader version of Him. We have gotten to know things about Him we would not have known. And I am grateful. The PARC is indeed an amazing and glorious place, where life happens and God is God. We experience Him every day, and for that I am grateful. We covet your prayers and are grateful for you being a part of this wonderful, glorious and messy place that we call the PARC.