Sometimes, the Pauline epistles feel like we’re picking up in the middle of a conversation or perhaps an email thread. Whatever came before or after, we get only this one snapshot of the stories, events, and questions that exist between the author and the community. Today’s passage gives us more information than most, though, about the community itself. Paul pulls back the curtain and tells us not only about the Colossians’ reputation as Christ followers, but also names Epaphras, a minister who lives in Colossae and writes to Paul about the church there.

Do you ever wonder what your people might write to someone else about your church? Would your lay leader send an email to the district superintendent about meetings full of discernment and listening for God’s direction? Would the octogenarian in the front pew write about delightful moments of joy in worship? Would your trustees' chair write to a family member about the woes of keeping the building afloat? Would the missions’ chair send out a note about all the ways the building gets used during the week? Would your volunteer pastoral care team tell about a year full of funerals?

During this series, we will offer a prompt each week to help those gathered write down the story of your church—not the history, mind you, but the story—or maybe the stories. The little things that demonstrate where the church is faithfully following and where it’s still a work in progress. You could put the prompt on social media earlier in the week or present it after the sermon, giving everyone paper and a pen and holding space with quiet music for people to write their responses. Invite them to keep the paper to themselves or to place it in the offering plate if they are willing to share it with the community. Gather any shared responses during each week of the series and find a way to share them with the church, either on social media, in a newsletter, or even incorporated into the sermon the following week.

For week 1, the writing prompt is: Where do you encounter hope in this church community?