Deb and I live five miles from anywhere we want to go in town. Juneau is like living on an island. You can't drive away from here. The roads just stop. Bad news for car thieves I suppose.
Juneau is also a city that knows transition. While once the Territorial Capital, Juneau became the Alaskan State Capital. This past week the State senators and representatives dropped the gavel for the final time on this year's legislative session, and quickly left town. By air, I presume. As mentioned, they can't drive away from here. And the commercial fishing fleet is now fully occupied on the local and distant waters. The people around town wearing the "Deadliest Catch" tee shirts are not the professionals.
This week, today in fact, Juneau transitions into tourist season. Over the course of the next five months over one million people will disembark from giant cruise ships to come ashore and buy things. Every shop in town is now open and eagerly ready for business. The Alaskan Brewery is responding with an innumerable count of new logo wear options.
It is a challenge for me to think through how to establish a new church in Juneau when our city is so transient. The rhythms of Juneau are pronounced and dramatic, and so very seasonal. We cannot have any tangible gospel impact in our city and culture unless we build that church on the basis of "missional communities," people willing to covenant together on mission to our transitory city. Missional communities, among other things will provide a family, a place to belong, a church, a home away from home even for those who do not reside in Juneau year round.
We'll have to get very used to, and even embrace the idea of serving and sharing our one hope in Jesus with people always in transition, as the seasons change.
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