On Sunday, June 21, Harpeth Hills begins to host modified in-person gatherings on our campus and at homes around the community.  So that we can make preparations and not exceed building and space restrictions, we ask all attendees to RSVP for the in-person worship gathering of their choice.

Dear Harpeth Hills,

Lean in. This phrase, particularly used by generations younger than mine, sounds hip, which I am most decidedly not.

But for our times now, it is a great phrase. The phrase reminds us to not retreat, stonewall, back up, throw up our hands in despair, or become defensive.

Lean in. Lean into the tension that surrounds us. Initiate conversations with people different than you. Read material that challenges your preconceptions. Talk to your kids, from toddlers to adults, about their thoughts and feelings. Attend a peaceful protest. Volunteer to distribute food to those in need. Participate in an online webinar on race. Email your law enforcement friend and tell her you are praying for her. Start a book club.

Lean in as you listen to a real live person sitting in front of you, not some talking head on television. As LBJ said one time, “You are not learning anything as long as you are talking.”

These are contentious and tense times and three months on a deserted island sounds pretty good about right now. But that is not a serious option for a follower of the Nazarene.

So lean in.

I love you.

Chris Smith