New Guy
/Who’s that guy? It’s Ian! Still not enough? Well, we’re all just starting to get to know Ian McConnell and his family. “What would possess a seemingly rational human to hop into the driver’s seat of this bus?” you ask. Maybe for a similar reason you’d choose to be part of the Fabric experiment! Come find out (or be reminded) why Fabric matters so much with the “New Guy!”
February 18 | First Days: “First days” are a rare thing indeed! We will welcome Ian McConnell and family to the Fabric community for their first Sunday with us and hear from Ian about who he is, about his default posture in his work as a pastor and leader, and a little bit about what excites Ian about Fabric in this new era of life woven deeply. Whether you’ve been in this for the long haul or are just beginning to tug at threads of curiosity about Fabric, this will be a great “first day” to come together and connect. LIVESTREAM | PODCAST | SUNDAY PAPER | GROUP GUIDE
February 25 | Probing Curiosity: Curiosity about newbies is only natural! As Fabric, we attempt to brave uncertainty by asking better questions. We'll spend some time talking about curiosity as a default posture toward new people and experiences, and have an opportunity to pose questions to Ian in an open Q&R (question and response) session as we get to know each other better, and as we reiterate our commitment to embracing the messiness of real life. Come with your questions, and hopefully we'll all leave with more, even better ones! LIVESTREAM | PODCAST | SUNDAY PAPER | GROUP GUIDE
March 3 | Connecting Our Stories: Everyone does better when we get beyond knowing about each other, and actually get to know each other. Today, adults and kids alike, will play a game together that helps us do just that. Ian McConnell will kick us off with a story of his own as we continue to get to know the New Guy. We also officially mark our new beginning with Ian and share a mutual “let’s do this!” Whether you are kicking the tires or have been around Fabric a while, it’s an exciting new chance for all of us to recommit to deeper connections. LIVESTREAM | SCRAPS PODCAST | GROUP GUIDE
Photos and reflections by Jeanette Mayo
The turn of the calendar tempts us with promises of newness—fresh starts, better habits, upgraded versions of ourselves. But what if, instead of charging ahead with self-improvement schemes, we took a cue from winter’s stillness? What if we let go of the relentless hustle and embraced the radical idea that we are already enough?
Fabric’s January series, “Give Up,” has invited us into this counterintuitive wisdom—the grace of resting, receiving, and recognizing our inherent worth. Nature doesn’t demand that a hibernating bear emerge as a “better” bear. Spring’s renewal is not about striving but about unfolding what has been there all along.
In Wintering, Katherine May reminds us that transformation often happens in the quiet, unseen spaces. And in Belonging, Toko-pa Turner challenges us to strengthen our “receiving muscle,” to accept the support woven into our interconnected lives. “You are the receiver of too many generosities to count,” she writes. “Count them anyway.”
So, what if we stopped trying to earn our existence? What if we acknowledged the trees, the friendships, the small kindnesses that hold us? What if, instead of striving, we surrendered to belonging?
You are the gift. That’s enough. May it be so.
-Ian