Instilling and Infusing Hope, Together.
We've been in the season of Ordinary Time since early summer, and I'm still wondering how we've all managed the past eight months. In July, I reflected that I wasn't sure Ordinary Time has ever felt quite so out of the ordinary. Still true! Every month throws us a new curveball, and it's a win in my book just to be present with family and accomplish a bit of each week's to-do list. Maybe you've been feeling the same?
Since this season began, there's been a lot going on for our team!
- We've been focusing on connection this month, which seems appropriate since we've added two new team members to the bunch just in October. Welcome, Chris and Kayla, and welcome back, Bethany!
- We launched our Daily and Weekly 2021 Liturgical Planners on September 1st and half of them already have a home. (Pssst: if you had your eye on an Earl Grey Weekly Planner, you might want to get on it. We've just got 36 left.)
- We opened the Sacred Ordinary Days Planner Fund to partner with you in putting planners in hands of more people who need them. We've had over 50 people nominated so far. (We're going through them as quickly as possible!)
- Grant and Chris, our new warehouse manager, have worked to get our space organized and set up for your holiday shopping and ongoing spiritual formation.
- Thanks to Kayla, we've got a new season of the podcast in the works for you. We've already recorded three episodes. The first will drop December 1st, just in time to walk with you through Advent.
- We're already working on our 2021-2022 Academic Planners and 2022 Liturgical Year C Planners. (Spoiler alert: there will be new limited edition covers.) There are also some new signature products on the horizon, so stay tuned.
Chelsea reflected in an Instagram post yesterday that conversations with friends can be integral to our spiritual formation. I think that's why we've felt like connection is a topic worth focusing on this month, kindred. Without connection—whether that be connecting with friends, family, creation, or even a random masked person in Target—it can be too easy to lose sight of the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Connecting and sharing with one another, as Stephen A. Macchia says, "instills a sense of hope for the future as children who are dearly loved." So I want to ask you today, what connections have been life-giving for you this year? Where have you felt hope infused into your sacred, ordinary days?
Alongside you,
