In hope of sharing the glory of God In what moment does darkness turn into light? Some darkness seems endless, resolving reluctantly through shades of gray into a grudging lightness. Other darkness has hard edges to it, exploding into sudden light, like a mountain sunrise. Or darkness can seem to have its own identity, existing in balance with the light of day. In that, the light emerges and recedes in a gentle cycle. Sometimes it’s hard to tell how much of this has to do with our own perception and how much of it has to do with the way the world unfolds. There is no question, though, that a life lived fully in Christ entails embracing that edge of darkness and light. The hope of sharing in the glory of God calls us out of darkness, not alone, but as community. We are a community of hope. Faith defines us; hope in Christ sustains us. Whatever else we are as church, if we remove hope, we cease to be.   Whoever we are in this church — woman or man, ordained or lay, progressive or conservative — whatever label we bear, we struggle. There are no easy paths in this time and place. We look back as much as we look forward; it is in our nature to do so. Joan Chittister writes compellingly of this: Just when it seems least likely, the great hiatus comes and life as we once knew it is ruptured forever. Just when good things seem more possible than they’ve been for a long, long time, perhaps, we’re faced with the awareness that we stand to lose it all. Just when we are most vulnerable, just when we most want to let go, to give up, to quit, we find ourselves in the struggle of our lives, trying to survive, trying to go on. Why? Because going on is what life is all about. Because there is no other choice. The only question is whether we go on in the full of ourselves, or live wounded and dour for the rest of our lives. One way is depression; the other way is new life. One way is defeat; the other way is hope. (Scarred by Struggle, Transformed by Hope [Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2005], 19). In this issue, the last in our year-long series of discovery into the nature of church, we look back on our perceptions while moving on, in hope, with the business of being church. Paige Shortal offers us this year’s version of the community’s practice of “pledging” Lent together. Liz Asborno relates the story of her community’s new Lenten cross, the symbol of our hope. Bill Graham puts our challenges in perspective as he considers the practice of Lent in the context of eternal life. In a second feature, Shortal offers perspectives on the balance between family life and ministry, a struggle for most of us. We conclude with some final thoughts on what we have learned from the year’s question of “What is church?” While we as church continue to struggle with our many different perceptions, I think we have good reason to hope. “Struggle forces us to confront our illusions both about the world and ourselves. It requires us not simply to seek hope but to become hope ourselves. It urges us to move beyond the cages that entrap us in the past in order to live with new imagination. Whatever we loved and lost in the past is the best proof we have that life can be good in the future if we only make it so within ourselves” (Chittister, 1179). If we can find it in ourselves to walk with one another, even if that community is only in twos or threes, we can indeed become hope ourselves, for in faith “we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God” (Rom 5:5). Changes and welcomes It seems fitting that we began and now end the 2010 volume of ML with the question of what is church. The person who in June 2009 challenged us to explore this question was regular columnist Ada Simpson, who with the February 2011 issue becomes ML’s new editor. As she begins this new journey, she brings with her the same grace and passion that inspired the dynamic interactions of this year. As I end my time as editor in chief (while remaining involved as associate editor), I welcome her, and I thank every person on the staff of Resource Publications. I offer special gratitude to Liz Asborno, who has insightfully and artistically articulated my editorial vision for so many years. She is stepping down as designer (but will remain as copyeditor), and we welcome the artistic talents of Rob Grant, who will shape ML’s editorial content going forward. ML We’re Still Green: ML remains a “Paper Hero” on Green America’s Paper Project website (www.coopamerica.org/programs/woodwise/publishers/heroes/index.cfm) because it is printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper. SUBSCRIBE NOW! What do YOU Think? Send an e-mail to ML Editor or post an entry on the ML Current Issue Discussion Board. (All submissions become the property of RPI and may be edited for length.)