This structure is not without bumps. Sometimes the cleaning crew is gently shown pictures of what a clean children’s area should look like, and the ambitious composting project changes shape as the year progresses. But the engine that fueled that original group three decades ago still pushes on: members working together to keep the church running. One chart, one member, one job is simple. Being the hands and feet is sacred.
The doors of DaySpring are open to all, a welcome that many new people explored during COVID. Because the campus afforded outdoor space to meet, DaySpring was able to conduct pandemic services; under their Cathedral of the Oaks, the congregation could worship while distanced.
DaySpring’s Sunday worship is viewed as a continuous prayer that takes shape in different forms, including times of intentional silence. The services follow the three-year liturgical cycle of lectionary readings — uncommon among Baptist churches. This practice attunes DaySpring’s worship with the liturgical calendar, which the congregation follows in all other regards as well, planning youth programs and spiritual formation classes seasonally.
Since resuming services inside, the church has seen a noticeable rise in attendance, largely because of people who found DaySpring through the outdoor services. But larger numbers require larger spaces, and if one thing could test the pillars of sacred and simple, it’s a capital campaign.
