Why do people leave a community? Many reasons, but one that I’ve recently gained insight into is that people leave when they no longer see a vision for or room for their future self - who they want to be and are already becoming. True for me w cities, jobs, & recently a church. The problem is NOT that leaders need to do more “visioncasting.” This problem is usually the result of leaders or a community having too narrow a vision - defining itself too tightly around one way of being that chokes out room for other ways of being.

A brief photo history of that church, which has consistently led social justice work in SoCal since my great uncle's leadership. Opposition to Vietnam & Iraq Wars, care for Latinos & AIDS patients, ordination of women, blessing LGBT unions, etc. flickr.com/photos/1019345…

https://twitter.com/Matt_Terrill/status/1297894003199946753

And the LA Times story on his retirement in 1995
latimes.com/archives/la-xp…

https://twitter.com/ToriGlass/status/1289776213238587393