Meditation on butterflies and our merger

By Ruth DeYoe

As we have watched our butterfly larvae push through stages of growth—quietly transforming in places we could not see—so have our congregations. For months we have been in a kind of chrysalis: discerning, listening, letting go, and trusting that God was at work in ways beyond our sight.

When a butterfly emerges, it does not burst out fully ready to fly. It unfolds slowly, its wings soft and crinkled. It must rest, strengthen, and breathe before it can take flight. The emergence is beautiful, but it is also tender.

Our two churches are in that same holy moment. We are emerging.

We are stepping out of what has been familiar and stretching into something new—one united body formed from two faithful communities. Just as a butterfly carries the essence of all its stages within its wings, our new church carries the stories, strengths, prayers, and ministries of both congregations. None of it is lost. It simply comes together in a renewed form, ready for what God is calling forth next.

The butterfly doesn’t forget the larvae it once was. And our new church will not forget where it came from.
But emergence means transformation. It means that what once was separate is now becoming one living expression of God’s love—stronger, brighter, and more capable of reaching new heights together.

As we watch our butterflies open their wings, we remember that forging a new life together takes time. Reaching new heights together takes time and trust. And we have already seen how this new life with new height possibilities is already unfolding among us.

Together we are emerging; not from one story into another, but into a beautifully woven story of a thriving faith community ready to grow. Like our butterflies, may we continue emerging in ministry together, guided by Christ in our midst.