Angelie

At the central intersection of our neighborhood sits a local coffee shop/restaurant/bakery. Over the past decade, this coffee shop has changed ownership several times, and has had several different names, but it has always been the neighborhood coffee shop. Today it is known as Groundswell, and is owned by two families who are part of Third Way Church. Groundswell has become “the” local hang out in our immediate neighborhood. And, it was here, while having coffee with a friend, that I first met Angelie.

I can still picture the scene. My friend and I were talking about how Third Way could become more embedded in our neighborhood when Angelie, who was sitting at the other end of a long, communal table, leaned over and said, “I need to meet you guys because you are talking about some of my favorite things.” After introductions were made, it was fun to find out that Angelie lived on our street, just a block or two down the road.

Over the next several months, we slowly got to know Angelie better, meeting over coffee, hearing bits and pieces of her story, and sharing parts of our own. It didn't take long to realize that we shared a similar love for the Church, and a desire to see fresh, new expressions of church birthed and nurtured. Angelie also joined us for our backyard barbecue and conversations that summer, where a handful of people gathered for a monthly meal and conversation about launching new churches and communities of faith.

Like the coffee shop, Angelie has been part of the fabric of our neighborhood for many years (19 to be exact), and has seen many changes. Having worked as an engineer for many years, she is now a spiritual director, life-coach, and master gardner. She was also involved in the leadership of a church plant, and was considering a position with her denomination – a process that had been going on for more than a year.

As I got to know Angelie, I could see how CRM could be a great fit for her. However, it was important for me to honor the process Angelie was in with her denomination. The focus of our team is not to make more CRM staff, but to help leaders live into their calling and passion more fully, whatever that calling happens to be. Therefore, we kept laying the relational foundation that would support a kingdom partnership with Angelie.

Eventually, nearly a year after first meeting Angelie, I felt the nudge of the Spirit to invite her to explore the possibility of coming on staff with CRM. After several conversations, I invited her to the CRM world conference, an event that only happens every four years. I figured it would be a great opportunity to get to know CRM as a whole, and an important piece in making a decision regarding CRM staff. At the end of the conference, I spoke to Angelie and she told me that she had finally found her “tribe”.

Angelie with her new teammates.

Although we felt like Angelie would fit well on our team, her call to a Spanish-speaking context near the US-Mexico border led her to explore other options within CRM. She has since joined ReNew, a team based in Southern California, who walk alongside pastors, ministry leaders, and their spouses, to help them experience rest, renewal, and restoration in the midst of the ongoing demands of life and ministry. Being part of this team will allow her to live in community with other ReNew staff in a predominately Spanish-speaking neighborhood of San Diego.

As we walk alongside leaders in the Twin Cities, we love helping them embrace their giftedness, and gain clarity in their calling. In the grand scheme of things, we played a small part, but for her, the ReNew team, and those she will minister to, it has huge implications.