You don’t land, you ocean.
From the beginning, The Well has been shaped by the idea of church as a journey (or movement) vs. church as a destination. Instead of church-shoppers who are searching for a well-oiled machine with the best music, preaching, and programs in town, we tend to draw people who are ready for something a little less polished & a little more stripped down & scrappy. We tend to draw those who value questions and can tolerate unfinished stories - people who are learning that healing and change come more often through discomfort, not through tying everything up with a bow.
Church as journey has looked like experiments and missteps and moving around a lot. It has also looked like navigating a ton of change. Not only have we changed locations, rhythms, and ways of gathering, but we have endured the constant comings & goings of our hypermobile culture. I have lost track of the number of people who have moved away by now - I only know that despite my best efforts, my capacity to keep in touch with all of them has dwindled!
It has been a journey for sure - we have truly been making the road by walking it.
Last night at our Neighborhood Commons dinner, a neighbor stopped by the farm and asked “Is this the latest iteration?” She was referring to the many forms this group has taken since we began. We have hosted pop-up community, dinners, focus groups, parties and most recently a neighbor-led caregiver workshop. I felt myself getting defensive, but then quickly looked around to see the familiar faces who keep showing up to eat together, and to make community happen. Yes, this is the latest iteration.
The truth is I have been wanting to arrive at a place where we can land, too. For our scrappy little community, putting down some roots on Overalls Farm 3 (literally) feels like this could finally be “it”. And at the same time, if we continue to embrace change and be shaped by Spirit & by our neighbors & each other, we will continue to evolve.
On a recent walk, I was only half-listening to a podcast while processing The Well’s transition from brewery to farm when Richard Rohr’s words stopped me in my tracks. On this episode of Everything Belongs, he and Brene Brown were talking about how we navigate the inevitable changes in life and faith. Rohr said this simple line that I will never forget:
You don’t land; you ocean.
It may sound simple, but I needed the reminder. Maybe you do, too. Learning to “ocean” is counter-cultural. It’s human nature to be restless for a place where comfort and predictability cushion us. Even as I hope & pray we can put down some very real roots in this next leg of the journey, I must accept that Change is the constant and be prepared to go with the Flow.