It almost seems a tad cliché to say this but the CHURCH is the people–not a building–and this past Sunday, we demonstrated this unequivocally. How did we do this, you may ask? Because even though we were physically located in a very different space than where we were used to meeting on Sunday mornings, there was no mistaking the fact that the vibe felt in this space was still genuinely Grassroots!

Maybe this doesn’t need mentioning but to be honest, I wasn’t sure what the vibe would be like at the Avila Centre. It has pews and we’re used to comfy chairs. It’s an actual sanctuary and we’re used to, um, a gym space. There’s a balcony, which is weird to think that there are other humans worshiping directly above us. And it’s also squarely located on the university campus in the the midst of university residence which alone makes it unique in many ways. So there were some very different elements to the meeting space at the Avila than what we were used to.

And yet.

When I walked into the Avila’s sanctuary this past Sunday, standing amid the cacophony of humans before the service began, I don’t think I’m alone when I say there was this undeniable sense that this was, in fact, “Grassroots.” And as the service began and we sang some songs and worshiped together, it was clear that the vibe of our community we know so well was clearly present here. This shows, at least to me, that in many ways, it really doesn’t matter so much as to the location or space that our community ends up meeting in long term. It became clear that what makes our church family so special isn’t tied to a specific room or a set of chairs. Instead, it’s the relationships, the shared purpose, and the spirit of togetherness centered on Jesus. This past Sunday taught me that no matter where we gather, we’ll carry “Grassroots” with us.

Whether this space becomes our new home or just another stop on our journey, one thing remains certain: we are the church, and wherever we gather, God is in our midst. The heart of our community is not confined to four walls; it moves with us, shaping every space into something sacred.

And so with that, I hope we’ll see you at “Grassroots” this coming Sunday!