Last night was a bundle of emotions. It was joyful and celebratory, deeply reflective and full of gratitude, and there was a healthy dose of sadness. At times I found all of these emotions swirling at the same time. No matter what emotion was rising to the surface, every bit of the night was a beautiful reflection of this community and the work God has been doing here.

We opened with a journey back through the liturgy of our very first Practice gathering. Aaron reminded us of the road we traveled, and the one and only Father Michael guided us in an Examen focused on the last three years of The Practice. Then we shared our reflections.

My friends, thank you for sharing so honestly and vulnerably. This time was a deep expression of what church should be. We entered into the stories of our community and allowed them to lead us into celebration and worship. Thank you for the way you entered in last night, and the way you have entered into this journey in the last three years.

Then we carried our celebration to the table. The table has been the high point of every single Practice gathering, and it is the place Alexander Schmemann called “both the source and fulfillment of joy, the very sacrament of joy, the Eucharist.”

Finally, we celebrated Aaron. There was something so right about this moment. It is absolutely true that the glory is God’s. Any impact The Practice has had on our lives was because of the work of the Holy Spirit, yet Aaron had to be faithful to God’s calling. Aaron created a space in both the form of the gathering and the liturgy to help us open ourselves to the work of God’s Holy Spirit. And for that, Aaron, I know I speak for everyone in this community when I say, “Thank you.”

Kingdom Practice
Our final kingdom practice for this season of The Practice is a reminder that God never moves in our lives for the sake of moving. God’s work in us is never an end, it is always a beginning. So while we do not know what the future will look like, wherever we go, let’s carry the work God has done with us. Let’s bring the love and grace and peace and joy of Christ with us and pour it out for the sake of the world.

Discerning the Future
The Practice as we know it is ending, but we are in the process of discerning where God might be leading us next. We don’t know where the future will take us, but one thing we do know, community will be a central part of our future. That means we will continue Practice Tables. Whether you have been a part of Practice Tables in the past or not, if you would like to be connected with a table, will you please sign up here. Tables will not be meeting in July, but we will resume in August, gathering together to pray, read scripture, and share the Eucharist in community.

We are also committed to including the community in the discernment process. To do that we are going to begin a new email list. If you are a part of the local Practice community and you would like to be a part of The Practice’s future, will you join this email list (sign-up below)? On Friday, I will email an overview of the discernment process. And then we will gather back together in community at the end of August and lean into the future of The Practice together.