Update on Plaza Happenings

The challenges of the Hunters Woods Plaza ebb and flow throughout the year. As Hypothermia Shelters come to a close and the Temporary Overflow Shelter (TOS) also shuts down, we are seeing an increase in the unhoused around the plaza and the needs for services grow again. This past week there were three community meetings held about Hunters Woods Plaza and the challenges of our community.

The first meeting was held by the Fairfax County Police to specifically address the shooting that happened in front of the Reston Community Center (RCC) at the beginning of March. This meeting had probably close to 80 people from the community, shop owners, RCC staff, and local officials. The conversation was good, though it was clear that homeowners who live in the area are tired and scared. Drug use is on the rise. Inappropriate behavior is on the rise. The police shared that reported incidents have almost doubled as compared to the same time period last year. This could be because there is more happening or because more people are calling the police and making more reports. The police encouraged all of us to report issues as much as possible.

The second meeting was a gathering of the local faith council held by Cornerstones. We hosted this meeting at Christ the Servant and are grateful for all those faith leaders and people of faith communities who came out. The wonderful team from Cornerstones shared updates about the closing of shelters, beds available, the number of beds needed, and the other programs and things in progress. I have attached the Powerpoint that was shared below. During this meeting BeBe (director of RCC) and I shared the things we are seeing and experiencing in Hunters Woods and the strategies we are implementing. I made an invitation to those faith communities to join us in supporting our unhoused neighbors and neighbors in need in Hunters Woods. The response was wonderful, with many offering their support and assistance. The biggest challenge for us is determining what our actions will be moving forward so that we have things to invite these communities into!

Finally, the third meeting was a gathering of the Hunters Woods Neighborhood Coalition. This team of leaders from RCC, CTS, Edens Property Management, the local HOAs, police, and county officials, gathered last fall to begin conversations about the challenges in the plaza. This meeting continued those conversations and we have begun to develop more specific strategies. The immediate leadership within the plaza has agreed to communicate with one another better regarding no trespassing orders that are issued so we can support each other. We are working with RestonStrong to bring those who are unhoused or in need in the plaza together for a community meeting that includes them and invites them to be a part of the solution. We are hoping to hold that meeting within the next month or so. Lastly, we are working on reclaiming our plaza and reactivating the outdoor spaces for community events.

It is my belief that reclaiming the plaza is the best and most compassionate way forward. By reclaiming the plaza we are creating a better sense of community and able to foster an expectation of how we treat the area and each other. To do this we must not be afraid of going outside and spreading into those spaces. The first step in this effort was our church inviting the rest of the community into our already planned community cleanup day! April 12 from 9-11 AM we are partnering with the whole community to cleanup the plaza and surrounding areas. This also coincides with Reston Green that is an Earth Day event at the RCC that afternoon. With the plaza cleaned up, we are hosting a community wide Easter Egg Hunt on Easter morning, April 20 from 11:15-11:45 AM. Our plan (weather permitting) is to move our post Easter worship fellowship time outside and into the plaza inviting anyone to enjoy some light snacks while kids run around looking for eggs and then receiving a bag of treats after. It is a small step, but a move towards showing the whole community that we can exist together, have fun, be respectful, and that this plaza is more than just a place for the unhoused but for EVERYONE to enjoy safely.

The question for us as we continue to move forward is, how can we at Christ the Servant be a leader in reclaiming the plaza while walking alongside our neighbors in need with compassion and love? First, we must get to know them better and see the humanity in them. What does it look like for us to have worship outside? What if we had a comfortable patio sitting area outside our building for anyone to use? What activities could we support, partner with, or put on in the plaza for all in our community? What does it look like to have concerts or Saturday morning Yoga in the plaza? What else can you dream of for us to do in reclaiming and activating the plaza? How can you get involved in these efforts?

You heard me preach this past Sunday about the options we have. The truth is, none of this is going to be easy. Not everyone is going to understand or agree with what we are doing. Loving people on the margins is hard, messy work. So hard and messy, Jesus was crucified for it. I want to be honest and prepare us for the challenges ahead. The reality of our situation is, we will be crucified for our actions. Not literally of course! But no matter what we do, people will come after us. If we choose to close our doors, stay safe in our nice little community, and be a more traditional church, people we look at us and say that we aren't being a church, that we aren't being compassionate and loving to those outside of our doors. But this is an option. If we choose to open our doors, go outside, and meet people where they are, this too will bring judgement. People will think we are encouraging drug use or other bad behavior. They will think that we are enabling them to remain unhoused. Neither characterization would be fair or accurate. This is just the reality of human sin and the dangers of following Jesus!

I know the church I'd be willing to be crucified for. How about you? Are we as a community ready to give up the comfort of our Sunday morning worship and how it has always been done? Are we ready to dive into deeper challenges and uncomfortable conversations? If this answer is no, that's okay! Honestly, I'm not sure I'm ready! It is scary. So maybe the better question is, are we ready to pray about it? Are we ready to talk about it? Are we ready to think deeply about it? We don't need to change everything right now. We take some small steps. We host a cleanup and an Easter Egg Hunt. We serve people in the CTS Market. And we pray and listen.

Church, I invite you into a moment of intentional discernment. I'm not sure how long this moment will be. It might be weeks, months, or years. But what might it look like if we all are praying the same prayer over the next few weeks and months? How might God show up and speak to us as we pray. So with that in mind, I invite you to pray this prayer over the coming days, weeks, and months. Pray it daily if that is your practice. Pray it weekly if that is your practice. Will you pray with me and together as a community?

God, Creator of everything,

Today we pray for clarity for Your community of faith called Christ the Servant.

We pray for those housed and unhoused around Hunters Woods Plaza.

We pray for the addicts, those with mental health issues, and those suffering from abuse.

We pray for the homeowners and the families.

We pray for the shop owners.

We pray for the community center.

Lord, where do we go? How do we go? When do we go?

Give us strength, courage, wisdom, and grace to follow Your call.

Clear our hearts from fear and open us to the creative possibilities You are drawing us to.

We pray this in the name of the One who breaks bread with the sinner, Jesus Christ.

Amen