2.9 [TEACHING] The Ministry of Ordinary Places

Shannan Martin - This week we heard from author Shannan Martin on the power of living close to the ground and close to our neighbors, following Jesus by loving the people and places in our ordinary, every day lives.

She closed our gatherings with this moving benediction:

May you go out into this cold day
warmed by the fire in your own bones.
May you come to see walking shoes, soup spoons,
mini vans, and wrinkled hands as worthy tools for the kingdom.
May you crave low places—the messy, the boring,
the overlooked, the complicated.
May you grow comfortable with grit in your teeth.
May you see God’s presence in the moon,
God’s glory in the clouds,
and God’s goodness in the faces around you.
And may you find your shelter in the untamable garden of community,
God’s kingdom on earth, right where you are planted.
Grace and peace be with you.

-----

If you’re a part of the growing digital SBCC community, we’d love to hear from you! Drop us a note letting us know how you found us and what keeps you listening at: info@southbendcitychurch.com.

You can also support the ongoing work of SBCC by giving at: southbendcitychurch.com/give. Just select the “podcast” option from the drop-down menu to let us know how you’re participating in the life of SBCC. South Bend City Church is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. All donations are tax-deductible.