Building an Intentional Church: Growing Together

It started with a complaint. 

In the early church—still young, still tender, still figuring itself out—someone noticed something wasn’t right. Some widows weren’t getting fed. Voices were being missed. Lines were being drawn. And just like that, the church had its first internal conflict. 

But instead of crumbling, they got brave. They listened. They told the truth. They named what needed to change. And they acted. 

In the book of Acts, that’s how Stephen enters the story—not as a preacher at first, but as someone the community trusted to show up with love, equity, and care. A deacon. A servant. A bridge-builder. 

But Stephen didn’t stop there. He stepped up. He told the truth about power and injustice. He dared to imagine something bigger than the systems that tried to silence him. And when they came for him—when the stones flew—Stephen didn’t throw anything back. He forgave. He looked toward heaven. And in his final breath, he saw the glory of God. 

I think about Stephen, and I think about all the brave, overlooked people still speaking up. Still serving. Still getting pushed aside. Still telling the truth even when it costs them.  

And I think about us. Here. Now. 

We’re still building church. Not just a building, but a movement. A place where people feel seen. Where power shifts. Where love leads. Where truth is told with compassion, and grace isn’t just a word—it’s a way of life. 

This Sunday, we’ll gather to hear that story come alive again. Not just as something that happened, but something that is happening. Something we’re part of. 

If you feel weary, if you’re hungry for justice, if you’re aching to belong—you’re not alone. There’s a place for you here. Bring your voice. Bring your fire. Bring your soft, resilient heart. 

Let’s build something real. Let’s live into something holy. Together. 

Peace, 

Pastor Katie