by Steve Matthews

Are you familiar with the Cactus League or the Grapefruit League? Well, it’s the time of year when professional baseball teams (and usually their fans) flock to Arizona (Cactus) and Florida (Grapefruit) to train and play in these regional short-term leagues in preparation for the real games later in the spring.  I’ve never been to spring training, but I understand it is a fun and exciting time and a unique time to see your favorite players up close (and maybe get an autograph or two).

What is your congregation training for these days?  Are you having any fun?  Where is the excitement?  For over a year we have spent a lot of time in reaction mode trying to recalculate and adjust based on new realities.  I wonder what we have learned about agility, adaptability, new technology, communication, patience, and negotiation. In the months ahead we will continue to adapt to Covid’s new realities.  The skills we have learned will continue to be part of our training, and what proactive training do we need to be incorporating into our communal life?  Who knows what the season to come will be like for us, but the call to co-create a playing field where God’s justice and joyous communion is primary and “the dignity of every human being” (and all beings) is honored never ceases.