Pastor’s Corner

Shalom y’all,

Listening is powerful. Here are some bits of wisdom from the Urban Confessional, a

global movement of free listening (https://urbanconfessional.org/).

Real listening begins long before someone speaks. We should slow down, create

space, and offer presence before a single word is spoken.

To receive someone’s story fully, we must practice being available—emotionally,

mentally, and even physically. We must trade:

Reaction for reflection,

Advice for presence,

Silence for sacred space.

When we think of listening in this way, it becomes a posture of humility,

curiosity, and care.

Listening saves lives. Being heard is so close to being loved that most people

cannot tell the difference. Listening is an act of care powerful enough to:

Interrupt isolation,

Restore hope,

Open the door to life-saving support.

Every person deserves to feel seen, valued, and understood. When we listen

without judgment, we offer more than our attention. We offer connection. And

connection is one of the strongest antidotes to despair.

Every day, someone is carrying a story they’re afraid to share. Every day,

listening can be an act of love that changes, supports, and saves a life. So:

Keep listening.

Keep showing up.

Keep reminding people they are not alone.

Some of the sweetest things in life are the moments of genuine listening through

the lens of empathy, presence, and human connection. Small acts of attention and

presence can feel rare and precious in a noisy world.

Empathy softens fear and understanding transforms judgment. Our fearsome

“monsters” are symbols of the misunderstood parts of people (and sometimes

even ourselves) that often go unheard. Listening:

Calms the noise,

Softens the edges,

Brings humanity back to connection.

Blessings,

Pastor Tom