“We have all known the long loneliness and we have learned that the only solution is love and that love comes with community.”
—Dorothy Day
WHAT’S GOOD
Community Blood Drive
South Texas Blood & Tissue will be hosting a Community Blood Drive on Sunday, November 22 from 10 AM - 3 PM in the Chapel Classroom. Donors who participate that day will receive a $10 H-E-B gift card. Limited time slots are available, and advanced registration is recommended. Register in advance here.
Slow Down Club
We had a great time during our first Slow Down Club gathering last month, and we’ll be back again this week! Join us in the Sunset Ridge Church courtyard on Thursday, November 12 from 6 - 7:30 PM for a chill evening of unplugging and being present with one another. The One Another Coffee trailer will be open for drinks throughout the evening, including a special caffeine-free menu. Bring a book or a project you've been meaning to finish, play a game, make something, or meet someone new. Come as you are and stay as long as you'd like. Let's slow down together.
For the Birds
Elizabeth Stephens, Managing Director, Sunset Ridge Church & Collective
Well, it's official. I have entered my mid-40s bird-watching era and I am THRILLED.
I recently became the proud owner of a Birdfy bird feeder, complete with a camera that sends videos and notifications straight to my phone. I have wanted one of these for over a year, and I cannot adequately explain the level of excitement I felt setting it up. Apparently, this is who I am now. Some people check their phones for breaking news. I check mine for cardinals.
I found the perfect spot on a sturdy tree, filled the feeder with what I assumed was a five-star bird buffet, and waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Where were my birds? Did they not like the location? Was the food subpar? Had I somehow managed to make my backyard inhospitable?
And then came the doves.
First one. Then two. Then what appeared to be the entire greater San Antonio dove population.
Mourning doves. White-winged doves. So. Many. Doves.
They came. They ate. They conquered.
And they were, quite frankly, terrible hosts.
These birds had discovered an all-you-can-eat buffet and apparently decided they would not be sharing it with anyone else. Every time I opened the app, there they were, perched on the feeder like they owned the place, completely unbothered by the absence of literally any other species.
Don't get me wrong. I love a dove. Symbol of peace, significance, all the things. But I was hoping for a little diversity! A cardinal! A wren! A bluebird!
So, I decided to make a change. I moved the feeder from the large, sturdy tree to a smaller tree with thinner branches. Nothing particularly dramatic. Same food. Same backyard. Same invitation.
And wouldn't you know it? Suddenly, my little backyard buffet was attracting a much more interesting crowd.
And it got me thinking.
Sometimes creating a welcoming environment isn't just about putting out an invitation. It's about paying attention to who can accept it.
My original feeder was technically open to everyone. There wasn't a sign that said "Doves Only." But the way I had positioned it made it incredibly easy for the biggest, most comfortable birds to take over, leaving little room for anyone else.
The doves weren't doing anything wrong. They had simply found a place that worked really well for them.
And isn't that an interesting picture of community?
Whether it's a church, a neighborhood, a workplace, or even a circle of friends, we can genuinely believe that everyone is welcome while unintentionally creating environments that work best for the people who are already there.
I've been thinking about how often we assume hospitality is about opening the door, when perhaps the deeper work is noticing who isn't walking through it.
Sometimes it takes more than a warm invitation. Sometimes it requires us to move things around, rethink the setup, or make a little less room for those of us who are already comfortable so someone new can find their place.
And here's what I love most about my very scientific backyard experiment: I didn't have to get rid of the doves. I just had to change the environment enough to give the other birds a chance. There's room for the doves, too.
The reminder that true hospitality isn't simply making space for others in theory. It's being willing to make adjustments in practice.
As for me, I'll be over here checking my Birdfy notifications approximately 47 times a day.
And the doves? They're still around. They just have to share the table now.
Coming Up…
Daily, NYX Yoga & Fitness
Daily, One Another Coffee
Monday - Friday, Coworking
Wednesdays, 11 AM - 1:30 PM, Open Studio Painting
Wednesdays, Mission Compost Pick Up
Wednesdays-Sundays, Scott’s Pizza, Charis Park
Wednesdays, 6 PM - 7:30 PM, Communal Dinners and Fall Faith Formation, Sunset Ridge Church Fellowship Hall
Saturdays, 9 AM - 1 PM, Sunset Ridge Farmers Market, Charis Park
2nd & 4th Saturdays, 10 AM - 12 PM, Women’s Stitching Circle, Sunset Ridge Church Fellowship Hall
Sundays, Worship at 9 AM and 11 AM, Sunset Ridge Church
Wednesdays, through November 18, 6:30 - 7:30 PM, Joyful Noise, Students in 5th - 8th grade will discover how music deepens worship, strengthens faith, and helps build meaningful friendships. Registration required.
Thursday, November 12, 6 - 7:30 PM, Slow Down Club, Church Courtyard
Wednesday, November 18, 6:30 - 8 PM, Worship Lab, Fellowship Hall, Communal dinner at 6, childcare available
Thursday, November 19, 6 - 7:30 PM, Healing Holidays, Fellowship Hall
Friday, November 20, 7 - 9:30 PM, Full Moon Friday, Charis Park
Sunday, November 22, 10 AM - 3 PM, Community Blood Drive, Advanced registration available here
Wednesday, November 25 - Friday, November 27, Sunset Ridge Office & One Another Coffee Closed for Thanksgiving Break
Saturday, November 28, 9 AM - 12 PM, Nuevos Vecinos Thrift Pop-Up, One Another Coffee
Saturday, December 5, 3 - 8 PM, Holiday Market, Charis Park
Event Rentals - Interested in hosting your event at Charis Park or in our facilities? Please email rentals@sunset-ridge.org
Community Partners: For updated schedules and events please follow One Another Coffee, Sunset Ridge Farmers Market, NYX Wellness, Scott’s Pizza, Mission Compost, Sprouts School, Good Acres, and Community First Food Pantry.
