Friends,

Yesterday, Dave Larson preached a powerful sermon that wrestled with his 'childhood preachers' and their focus on sin. Unpacking the Genesis story of temptation and the story of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness, Dave shared that "this isn't a story about sin. It's a story about love." Listen here.

That love is real good news - not just for our relationship with God but for our relationship with our neighbors. So many of us have been praying, demonstrating, feeding and protecting our neighbors, and joining in other forms of political action in response to Operation Metro Surge. That operation, which purports to be over, has definitely not actually ended: ICE, CBP, and other federal organizations have moved operations into the suburbs, changed tactics, and gone underground compared to a few weeks ago. The news media may have moved on, but our neighbors and friends who felt targeted before would be right to wonder if they are yet safe to go to work, to the grocery store, to doctor's appointments. Volunteers are wondering when and how to taper off.

As much as we'd like the situation to be definitively over, there is going to be a 'long tail' of residual effects, compounded by the lost trust in official communications.

As those impacts linger, what will it look like for our city and our state to 'recover?' All of us will be asking this question in the coming days.

I'd love to hear from you on this question: What does healing (or even just getting back to normal) look like when the harm might be continuing in a new form? As individuals, as a congregation, as a wider civic community? What resources do we need to tap into to practice the way of Jesus in this season?

If you have thoughts to share, hit 'reply' and let me know. If you give me permission to share your words, I'll include in next week's email.

With love,
Susan+


[ photo credit ]



Lent 2026 at Grace: The Welcoming Prayer
The Welcoming Prayer is an embodied, contemplative practice that helps us enter the present moment, in the presence of God.

Here's what it boils down to:
I let go of my desire
for security, affection, and control,
and I embrace this moment just as it is.

As we navigate the extraordinary challenges of these days in Minnesota and across the country, the Welcoming Prayer can be a powerful tool to help us ground ourselves in God’s loving embrace so that we can respond, rather than react, to the instability and uncertainty around us.

Once you’ve learned the practice, it can be a tool to connect with your body, your soul, and your faith anywhere you go, in any moment, no matter what you’re feeling. Find out more.

Tags: Rev Susan, Recovery, neighbors, Healing, Love, Lent