. . . lovingly crafted . . .

Walking in the midwest in the summertime can be a daunting exercise of courage (or lunacy, depending on who you ask), but the tree-lined streets surrounding Country Club United Methodist Church make it bearable. The air in the neighborhood is calm, a gentle breeze seems to be the only way the wind can blow, children ride their bikes, landscapers groom beautifully manicured lawns. 

Prayer walks in this neighborhood turn to wonderment. One minute I'm lifting the neighbor I see dropping off her tennis outfit clad daughter in prayer, to the next minute - picking out my new favorite house. 

J.C. Nichols began developing this neighborhood in 1906 around the former Kansas City Country Club, now Loose Park. To the north lies the iconic Country Club Plaza, the first outdoor shopping mall in the United States. Fun fact: it was developed to accommodate the increasing use of cars. 

I spent many of my summers with my Uncle Chuck & Aunt Julie who owned a home at 66th & Ward Parkway. The sun-scorched, steamy Kansas City days were spent with my two cousins at Indian Hills Country Club with them trying to teach me to swim to the bottom of the 12-foot diving area. Over the course of what was probably 6 summers, I couldn't summon the courage to make it to the bottom. As far as I was concerned, the bottom was equal to the depth of the Marianas Trench. No thank you!

stock photo found here

As a child, I did not know how historic these neighborhoods are. I learned while working on my history thesis that JC Nichols had used restrictive covenants, not just racial, to keep the neighborhoods "tidy." Here in the Kansas City metropolitan area, Nichols' grandchildren recently gave consent to the city to rename the Nichols' fountain because they recognize the racial harm these covenants enacted on our sisters and brothers of color. 

My goal here is not to minimize these injustices, but to highlight where I've seen God speak during my walks.

What strikes me most about this original Kansas City suburb is how lovingly crafted these homes are. While born out of a desire to create an upscale and prestigious neighborhood, the homes are different than modern suburbs. If you drive out to a neighborhood in Lee's Summit or Lenexa, especially those developed in the late 80s and early 90s, you will see how similar each house is. It's as though the developers created five designs and then families chose which ones they liked the best! I lived in a neighborhood like this in Michigan, and yes, the interiors are similar too.

But this is not the case in the Country Club District. I have walked countless streets these past three weeks and as of yet, I have not found two alike. I am reminded of how God lovingly crafts us. Each one of us unique, each one of us bearers of God's image, and each one of us deeply loved. 

What I have seen in these homes that upheld the sin of system racism is that God can use what was created out of human brokenness to paint an image of majestic beauty. If humans create such beauty in houses, then imagine how God feels about us. We are exquisite in the Lord's eyes. 

One can find the light even in the darkest dark. One can find healing in the hurt. Justice can emerge from the chaos of oppression. 

I have felt the spirit of the Lord walking these neighborhoods as I have joined with this beautiful congregation. My prayer and my hope are that we partner with Jesus to love the community around us. My prayer is that together we will see deeply the injustice and oppression around us -- and serve as a healing balm of Christ's love for all.