About our June 2021 theme and not about anything else. What kind of church do you think this is? From the newsletter:

Everyone loves a good soft opening. For the person having the soft opening, it’s a first step into something that feels exciting, but risky; a chance to experiment with someone(s) you already trust. For the people invited to a soft opening, it’s an honor to be allowed into that tender space, to know you’re on the inside, that you’re one of the first to see this thing that is so personal and sensitive for your friend. And later, when folks come out gushing over how good it was, you get to say, I was there first.

You’re invited this Sunday (and all month) as Gilead has a soft opening. It finally feels safe(r) to be together again. (Although we’re still asking you to wear protection.) We’ll see if we even remember how to do this thing with someone else around. It feels a little scary, but we think we’re ready. 5pm this Sunday on the lawn at Bethany UCC (4250 N. Paulina St). And if you just want to watch, that’s an option too, though we can’t promise it will be as good. Also, if you have stories of your soft openings that you want to share, by all means, let’s get into them!

We trust you. We love you. Come on over, and we’ll just see what happens. Help us prepare for something bigger. It might be a disaster. But it could be really good. Just remember we didn’t promise you anything grand.