Today we completed The Walk. I am sure that tomorrow morning when I wake, I am going to have a sense of longing for the experiences we have had along the way. 

But. 

Tomorrow will bring its own special adveture, discovery and beauty. What I need to do is to be open, be engaged, and to connect with others. 

Along the way we have passed through over 100 communities served by United Methidist Churches.  We have been joined in walking by clergy and laity, we have had clergy come to our aid, folks who have caught up to us to offer a cold water, friends who have driven long distances for a chance to catch up and share a moment, we have been sheltered and fed, we have been cheered on, and we have prayed for and been prayed for. We have experienced ther body of Christ in an amazing way. 

We have only been able to be in about 12% of the UMC communities within our Conferenece. We have shared time together with only a small portion of our clergy, and even smaller group of the people who make our church’s ministry possible. After all of these days and miles we have travelled, I am in awe of how much more there is to experience. We have not even scratched the surface of the communities we are called to serve…there are simply thousands upon thousands of experiences and people for us to touch. 

The reality is this…we cannot encounter every community in Western PA alone. 

But if each and every one of us took a little time, took a little walk and shared a moment with folks in our community (even folks from our church on a day other than at a meeting or worship), God will do great things. 

Maybe you don’t have a place you can imagine walking. Maybe you have other obstacles to overcome. But, we can all connect with the people God places in our life. People in the store, the doctors office, at work, at school and at church. The list could go on and on. 

The sense of community that we seem to miss is right in front of us.  All we need to do is open ourselves up to engage and be connected with others. 

Thank you all for being with us and helping make the walk possible in so many ways! 

Grace and peace,

Scott