As humans, it’s easier for us to have empathy for those in our “in group,” people we consider part of our circle. Given that fact, if we want to bring more empathy and compassion into the world, expanding our circle is a logical step to take. This week, we’d like to offer you a way to do just that: by throwing a virtual dart at a map!

In the musical Cats, the plot takes a back seat to the spectacular choreography. Simplifying a simple story even further, cats are competing against each other through song. Sometimes a cat sings about their own positive qualities, but more notable are the songs in which a cat sings about another cat’s worthiness. And that’s what we encourage you to try – this week, sing someone else’s praises!

We created an incredible word cloud together through our “One Word About Desert Mission” survey! The finished product is posted here. The words folks submitted are a great way of checking in with our mission as a community: to improve people’s lives by becoming the best of who God created us to be. And speaking of improving people’s lives…it’s Labor Day tomorrow, and we’d like you to consider engaging with the holiday in a new way.

Today’s activity was inspired by an improv game, and while it does not require you to perform onstage, it does push you to think creatively and to release any “scripts” you might be leaning on when you pray. We’re calling it “Alphabet Prayer.”

In service of shaping Family Time into a more community-centered time, we will begin peppering in activities that focus a bit more specifically on ways to build connections within the Desert Mission church community. And the first one requires us all to utilize what may be a new skill for some folks – the ability to scan a QR code – in order to access an activity that is designed to help us create something new together!