We do this through a number of ways, all of which help us to live into our vision of being “a community in the heart of the city called by Jesus to practice bold love of God and neighbor and boundless compassion for all people.” The leadership of our Communications and Outreach Ministry Team in partnership with church staff create a landscape for meeting people right where they are. Participating in annual events in downtown Winston-Salem like the Pride Festival, the Bookmarks Festival, the Shalom Project’s Big Chill, Habitat for Humanity’s Hammerbird 5K connect us meaningfully and joyfully with our neighbors. Hosting gatherings at our church house, like Fall Festivals in October and carols and cocoa on the front lawn during December gives us the chance to practice hospitality and extend a wide welcome.
But beyond specific events or our regular patterns of gatherings throughout the week is the commitment we have to providing resources and community online. Live-streaming of our Sunday worship is just the start. Monthly Zoom gatherings specifically for online worshipers aims to provide the horizontal space for folks to find each other, not only the worship service. A growing number of friends of the church find our presence on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to offer a steadying pause in the midst of busy lives.
All of these spaces – online and in-person – are simply the containers for sharing stories with each other: stories of hope amidst despair, of new life in the deadest of places, of good news and a Good Shepherd whose life sets us free, of Love above all else.