Tonight was a pretty incredible night at Veritas. We had our typical "crowd"..........around 30 (not that we count or anything- that's just the random number that seems to appease the pastor-types when they press). Many of these were first and second time guests checking things out. Lucky for them, they witnessed our commissioning of our first two house churches that will launch on October 13th.

We processed into the theater, taking the Supper and 2 candles and sat in silence while a candle-bearer placed a candle stand in the center of the congregants while the "I am the light of the world" scripture was read. After a brief homily marking the significance of the symbols and the moment at hand in the life of Veritas, the "YOU are the light of the world" scripture was the cue to the people to take one of their candles and light it at the center flame and plant it into the sand station on the stage. The last person planted their candle and then went back to the center candle and lit the remaining candle and brought it back to the circle surrounding the sand station and- one by one- we lit one another's candles. The last person to have their candle lit set the flame to two candles that represented our two house churches. We then prayed and layed hands on the house church leaders in the center circle and ended in praise and worship. It was simple and beautiful and conveyed the momentousness of what God was doing. I love those moments.

Much later, in our usual debriefing after the evening gathering, my wife quipped rather jubilantly with this observation after assessing who was there: "we are the church for the misfits."

Thank God.