Read and Discuss: “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson Book Review
Last fall, I participated in a cohort with some of my co-workers where we read and discussed Just Mercy together. It was our first round of these learning cohorts and really, for me, a first step into intentional community that involved education about racial injustice. It was shocking, eye-opening, and hard. We often sat in the room with no words to say. But it was important to take the space and time and truly it was transformative for me.
The Call to Persevere
This season of COVID-19, and social distancing, and working while being my kids’ cruise director has made me weary. The scary news headlines and heartbreaking stories of injustice have made me feel anxious and worried and sad. I’m trying to be brave and strong, but the weight of it all feels like too much. And then the guilt of feeling weary, when I know others have far more to complain about, sits heavy too. Can anyone relate?
Thanks, Daniel Tiger
I love gleaning little tips and tricks from other parents along the way. So, I reached out to some fellow Summit parents to find out what phrases they use in their households. What they shared with me is absolute parenting GOLD. A friend of mine told me that whenever she shares a life lesson or fun fact with her kids, she follows it up with “write that down!” Trust me, you’re going to want to write these down...
Decision Fatigue Got You Down?
As parents, we have been faced with a barrage of new and difficult decisions over the past few months. Do I feel safe sending my daughters back to daycare? Is it ok to play at the neighborhood playground? Can you actually use too much hand sanitizer? I’m a peacemaker by nature, so I put a lot of pressure on myself to try and make everyone happy. Add in a dash of perfectionism and it's a perfect storm of anxiety and decision paralysis.
Build Something Better: “The Minority Experience” by Adrian Pei Book Review
As Summit learns more about truths obscured from their sight, there is an opportunity to expand the depth of how we live out and are steeped in the gospel. How we love our neighbors changes as we see them more fully. We’ll love more completely. When they are in pain, we won’t be able to choose to look away and abandon them. As we learn about others, we’ll learn about ourselves. We have to honestly reflect on how we got here and if we are part of making things better.
Mourning and Restoration
Thousands dressed in black to walk down Church Street together in a time of mourning for Black lives lost due to police brutality and social injustice. The walk culminated near the Amway Center where the group took time to pray, repent, and have conversations about each person’s role in implementing change in our country.
Racial Justice Children's Book Recommendations
As parents, there are ways we can model and teach anti-racism to our kids, and children’s literature can be a powerful tool. The following books are ones we’ve read and recommend specifically as you talk with your children about individual and institutional racism. As children of God, we want to take a stand against injustice in all its forms and raise kids who will do the same.
Summer in Psalms Reading Plan
Along with preaching on various psalms this summer, we’ve come up with a 10-week reading plan in Psalms. Psalms is broken up into five books, and we will spend two weeks reading selected psalms from each book. Many biblical scholars find each book has a guiding theme. We’ll be reading one psalm a day for five days per week, and you can find the list here!
Rhythms of Community
The isolation that has come with COVID-19 has been hard for all of us, and especially challenging for our preschoolers who don’t have a clue what “six feet apart” means. But necessity is the mother of invention, right? Or, at least, doing-whatever-you-can-to-maintain-your-sanity is the mother of invention...
Rhythms of Celebration
It may be tempting to check the box and rush to put this school year behind us, but I believe a milestone like this calls for CELEBRATION! Now, more than ever, we need to take the time to reflect and rejoice with our kids. We need to affirm their effort, even if it was frustrating, even if we didn’t always get it right, and especially if it was hard.
Get Educated: Join the Conversation on Racial Injustice
In a time when images of racial injustice are opening more eyes to the magnitude of the problem, we know it can leave many evaluating (maybe for the first time) what their role can or should be in moving toward change. Fortunately, we also find ourselves in a time when reputable resources are more accessible than ever as well.
Love is What is Required of Us
This week, let's make sure to love. That is our requirement. To be certain, the kind of love Jesus modeled is rarely the easy kind of love. Right now, there are all kinds of social/political toxicity in our world. Loving with a sacrificial, action-oriented love may not be easy, but it is the only right decision.
Go Ahead and Write Your Letter
I don’t know about you, but the word “distance” has become a regular part of my vocabulary. I have no idea how often I used the word back in January, but I can assure you that my daily use of the word has at least doubled, if not tripled, throughout the spring. And while not only is the use of the word but also the actual practice of the concept of “distance” in my daily life pretty different now, there is one marked area of my life where it’s not such a new practice.
Risk Comfort
If you are anything like me, the sheer size of the problem can be paralyzing. I do not pretend to have all the answers, but here is a place to start. Start by talking about it with your family. Talk to your kids, in an age-appropriate manner. Kids of every color need to know that this matters. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Use your voice to talk about it at church, in your Connect group, with your friends. I’m asking my kids how they are going to use their voices. Boldly speak up and stand up when you see prejudice, hate, or injustice. Risk comfort and reach out to those who look different than you.
COVID-19 Update: What Phase One of Reopening Means for Summit
As Florida enters phase one of reopening, I want to give you a quick update as this pertains to our thoughts and plans moving forward. Our posture throughout this season has been to follow our local leaders, act wisely, lead by example, and do our very best to fully engage in living out Summit’s vision in whatever environment we find ourselves in. We will continue to forge ahead with these as our priorities.
God Uses All of It
In the past month, though, a global pandemic has changed the way we do church, which begs the question, “If part of being the Church means serving those around us, how do we do that when we’ve been asked to stay home? How can we be the hands and feet of Jesus to others when we’re supposed to stay six feet away from them?” Many of our regular routines and activities have been suspended during this season, but a foster family can’t press pause on caring for the kids in their home. In fact, as kids are home full-time from school and other activities, foster kids need the love and support of adults in their lives more than ever. No one knows that better than foster moms like Jackie and Shannon.
The Secret to Contentment
If our feelings of being “over it” drive our actions, then our actions will battle or deny the reality that “it” is not over. It is better for our actions to remain anchored in reality and that we learn how to train our feelings accordingly.
A New Way to Worship
There is so much bad news being circulated in this season, but this—that church can still happen—is really, really great news. There are still opportunities to fight to hope. There has always been, and will always be, good news circulating in every season.
A New Way to Worship
There is so much bad news being circulated in this season, but this—that church can still happen—is really, really great news. There are still opportunities to fight to hope. There has always been, and will always be, good news circulating in every season.
Hospitality at Home
The version of hospitality that I’ve grown comfortable with may not be an option right now, and I am looking forward to the day when hugs in the Lobby are permissible again, but hospitality is just as prevalent today as it was a few weeks ago. It simply looks different.