Don’t know if you’ve taken a close look at it, but the beautiful sign out front of the chapel, on the grass, has this word carved into the back of it. The sign itself was put together over a week of digging, assembling molds, pouring concrete, assembling redwood beams, and constructing the tile mosaic of the New Church logo on the front, by Riley McFerrin, one of two brothers who were San Francisco artists at the time, and who went to New Church before they moved.

The last day, Riley came in carrying a router attached to a long cord, and asked if he could free-hand carve the word “bless” on the back of the sign, the side that faces the chapel, the side, in other words, that we see, as we walk around the chapel. “What a great idea,” I thought. Wished I’d thought of it. But then, that’s what artists do, right?

It’s changed things for us, I believe. It reminds us that this is why the Lord stationed us here, in Southside Berkeley, across from People’s Park, across from Unit 2, and in the real “living room” of the university community. We’re here to bless. To be a blessing. Mainly, by bringing the blessing of Jesus into all the places that we touch, not just on Sunday, but where we spend the week.

Of course, that means that this is not just why the church is here, but why you are here. Why I am here. The gospel to begin with, of course. But the love of God in many other ways, too: tangible and intangible.

Take a look at the sign before you leave this morning. And remember, over the course of the week, why we’re here.