Who makes “the church” what it is? Spoiler: it’s not just the staff, or the people with the mic. It’s all of us. This week, we’re reflecting on what we heard at the “What’s Up with Fabric?” conversation back in April, and naming the power of shared ownership in shaping church that doesn’t just exist for us, but because of us. What if church isn’t something you go to… but something we all create?

There’s a phrase the kids are using these days– to be “ten toes down” is to live and act with integrity, standing firm on what one believes. For over 18 years, Fabric has been experimenting with what it means to be church closer to the margins (read: in the ecotone!). Who’s in the sandbox with us, and what walls might we benefit from analyzing a bit further?

What might we find when we dig in the sandbox? In this episode, Ian McConnell welcomes artist, educator, and author Dave Scherer (AKA Agape*) back among us to share some reflection and frameworks for really getting in the sandbox and planting our toes in it. How do we acknowledge fear without letting it get in the driver’s seat?

When you hear the word “interfaith,” what stirs in you? We’re curious to learn more from Peter Digitale Anderson, Executive Director of Peace Catalyst about the gifts of “playing in the sandbox” with those of different perspectives and cultures.

Have you ever been repulsed by that sludgy, weedy zone between land and water? We’re going to dive into the ecological concept of “ecotones” to walk a bit closer to the edges of what may feel comfortable… it turns out, there’s some pretty rich soil in those borderlands.

The Mandalorian seems like a great way to explore how the walls created by traditionalism separate us from others, and even from ourselves. It turns out, “This” may not be the only way… 

There’s so much talk of division these days, and so much justified fear present in our minds and bodies. It seems like when fear is present, walls are built. It’s as true in churchy spaces as it is in politics, cultures, neighborhoods, and families. What would it be like to recognize that we’re all still playing in the proverbial “sandbox?”

This past Sunday during our Easter gathering, those who were gathered in person wrote out our visions for a future toward justice and tangible love as a part of our celebration and acknowledgement of resurrection. If you listened in to the podcast from this past Sunday and wondered what Ian was referencing, this [long, dreamy] episode is for you!

Listen in as Ian McConnell and Melissa Lock read the many beautiful and varied signs created by this beautiful in-person community.

What does it mean for a person, an idea, or a movement to have life beyond a death? It’s inspiring to witness when scraps and threads are picked up and lived out in a way that inspires not just new life, but widespread transformation. What part of the Jesus movement feels worthy of picking up and risking relative comfort to make real in our communities? This may be a good moment for us to really ask ourselves this question…

It’s one thing to talk about the virtue of vulnerability and another entirely to live it out. In this episode, Ian McConnell helps us wrestle a bit with the same thing Jesus’ disciples did: that gentle, tangible love acted out through us is as subversive and impactful as anything. It turns out, what Jesus was teaching isn’t somebody else’s job.