This Week from Mitch

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Happy Muses Thursday! Muses is a women's only Mardi Gras krewe. Their parade is known for political satire, beautiful designs, and great marching bands. They are also known for the decorated shoes they hand out as special throws. I was thinking about today's parades, about some friends who are currently getting ready to participate, and about the beads and shoes that will be thrown.

The shoes themselves are almost worthless. The women who ride on one of the 30 floats, scour the city and even call relatives to find broken, worn-out shoes. Once gathered, the riders paint and decorate them. What gives the shoes value is the effort, the design, the love, and the time spent.

The same is true for Mardi Gras beads. The beads that are thrown have almost zero monetary value. When I rode in a parade, I stood on multiple 50-pound sacks of beads, and was instructed to throw until my arms hurt. I chucked thousands of them, sack after sack until I was standing on the wooden floor of the float. What gave the beads value was when I made eye contact with a kid, my family, or a friend, and was able to throw directly to them. When they caught the beads, they would cheer. It was a fun, flashing moment of joy. The value was in the exchange, not in the product.

The value of our faith is in the exchange, not the product. Yes, we try to create beautiful worship! Yes, we try to offer great programming! Yes, we try to offer ways to live out the gospel! But our ministries, service projects, and worship are not products that can be consumed. Rather, they are ways of facilitating interactions of love with both God and our Neighbor. They are the shoe given directly to you by a masked friend, the beads that fly through the air right into your waiting hands.

Next week on Tuesday, come join us for our Mardi Gras Potluck. Bring a dish and your appetite. Cook a Cajun dish or, well, any dish. It's going to be amazing! Also, this Sunday, come to church ready to roll up your sleeves. The Daughters of the King are hosting a blood drive.

After these things, let's dive into Lent together, focused on our interactions with the divine.

In Christ,

Mitch