Greg's Weekly Word: "imagine"

Well...not really Greg's weekly word. At least not for these next couple of weeks.

We've already gotten to hear a few people's star words, and they are certainly worth sharing. So we thought we'd highlight them here! Enjoy!

Rich Hefty shared a reflection on his star word - imagine - this past Sunday. And it was brilliant, if I do say so myself. (See what I did there?) Check it out for yourself...

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Although I grew up in a Christian home, attended a Christian school, and went to church with my family almost every time the door was open, I had never heard of star words before this year. Sure, I’d chosen “words for the year” before, but those were usually more focused on self-development or professional pursuits.

So when I saw “Star Words” in the bulletin on the first Sunday of Epiphany, I had no idea what to expect. But as someone who loves language and writes for a living, I’m always looking for opportunities to engage in a little wordplay. I may not have known what a star word was, but I was eager to find out.

When the plates were passed around, I reached in, selected my star, flipped it over, and saw my word. Imagine.

The word resonated with me as soon as I read it — but I wasn’t sure why. So, after the service, I did what any good word nerd would do: I started trying to figure out what made the word "imagine" so special.

I knew the dictionary definition, which was: “to form a mental image of something not present.” But there was more to it than that. Instead of searching for additional meanings, I turned my attention to the word itself.

With its short “i” at the beginning, a soft “g” in the middle, and a silent “e” at the end,” the word seemed peaceful and welcoming.

For someone who was raised in religious settings focused on rules and regulations and had more recently spent time in churches built around best practices and growth strategies, "imagine" felt less like a command and more like an invitation.

An invitation to let go of legalism (easier said than done for a life-long perfectionist and rule-follower like me) and live a life inspired by love.

An invitation to stop insisting on answers and certainty, and find the beauty in wonder and mystery.

An invitation to see God at work all around me, especially in places and people I tend to overlook.

Now, when I think about the word “imagine,” it makes me grateful for the church family here at Augusta Heights. Not only for introducing me to star words, but also for showing my family and me what it looks like for a group of people to come together and imagine new ways to show God’s love to each other, our community, and the world around us.

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Thanks to Rich for sharing, and for inviting us all to imagine God's new possibilities!

- GJD