What The Mayor Said

A week ago, our friends at Unhinged Coffee held their grand opening, complete with comically oversized golden scissors and the mayor of Knightdale to boot!

You can see a small part of the crowd that came out to support in the reflection behind them. Bonus points if you can spot me.

Before the official ribbon cutting, Cody Vaughn (owner) and Mayor Jessica Day both shared a few words about what they saw as important in this celebration. And if I had to sum up those speeches in a single word, it would be CONNECTION.

For Cody, this coffee shop is the culmination of a lot of hard work from many different people, all bringing their resources to the table to create a third space for the community. For Mayor Day, this new gathering place embodies what she hopes for all of Knightdale — an investment in the community for the sake of the community.

This moment reminded me of a scripture that’s been working in my heart for several months. Jeremiah 29:7 says, “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

If this promise was true for the Hebrew people in exile, I believe it can be true for us too.

Which led me back to part of our vision at KUMC: helping people feel connected.

As I looked around at the different people who showed up because, for one reason or another, they felt connected, I found myself dreaming about our future. How will we invest in our community so that it prospers? What will we create? What will we start?

And most importantly…

How will we invite people into a new relationship with God?

New as in new believers.

New as in new ways.

At the end of the event, I spoke with Mayor Day and told her about our church — how we hope to become a force for good in the community, how we hope to partner in building up this city, and how we pray for this community and its leaders in all they do.Moments like this help me see how God is already at work in Knightdale. Have you seen God moving in your community? I’d love to hear about it!

From my heart,

Rev. Steph Margeson