A Church is not a building, but...

Email newsletter article this week:

It is often said, and it's true, that a church isn't a building. A church is people, and it doesn't matter where they meet. But having a building makes a difference for us.

Obviously, it gives us a ready place to meet for worship, meetings, classes, socials, and more. But having a building also makes it possible for us to extend our mission. Lot's of people from the community use our building. An AA group meets there; the Dakota County Green Party holds its monthly meetings there. Various other groups from scouts to support groups to families have regularly used our building since we have been there. For a time we even had a group of concerned Christians outside our building every week praying for our deliverance!

Since its inception mnpACT, a progressive non-partisan political group (that some of us at church participate in) has met there. mnpACT has brought MN Supreme Court Justice Alan Page, MN Attorney General Mike Hatch, and numerous other local dignitaries into our building, and with them lots of other people who have been introduced to Open Circle.

Last month six south metro legislators gathered at our building to talk with constituents about how to move single-payer healthcare legislation forward in the state.

While I was on vacation last week a representative of the Sierra Club called and asked if our building would be available for one of their Cool Cities training events. You can see the details about it below. They called us because we are known in the community as a hub of progressive activity in the south metro. And we have a building that is avalable to use.

It's not a perfect space by any means. But it has become an important part of our mission to be a progressive Christian presence in our community. And I think it is well to remember that our contributions to the church not only support our congregation's direct mission, but make it possible for us to be a progressive presence every time one of these groups uses our space. I think of this every time I see the parking lot full for an event that does not have our name on it. I am glad we are here and glad our building is here.