It is not hard to diagnose the level of distraction we face in our cultural moment. Endless feeds that scroll and scroll by, Advertisements everywhere we turn, Cultural voices saying “buy this and you’ll be happier!” “consume this and you’ll feel better!” And perhaps we’ve gotten so used to the “24 hour news cycle” that we don’t even feel its power of distraction in our lives. This next season at Pillar we want to return again to the promises of Jesus. We want to pause, rest, be still, create space to BEHOLD.
What if by beholding Christ we become captivated by Christ, either once again or for the first time? Captivated by his grace and beauty and goodness, so that it might find its way into our whole lives as a captivating witness to the world. Let’s behold together.
In this issue of the Pillar Journal, you will find 4 essay reflections from the pastoral team. Each one exploring an angle of our life captivated by Christ. Throughout the journal there is original art from Erin Drews and Ruth Stravers that was displayed at Pillar in summer 2024.
And in the last section, you will find 4 prayers from a variety of sources within the Christian tradition to guide as you reflect and pray this season.
Peace to you!
Jonathan Gabhart
