Colette’s Story: A Breath of Fresh Air
Finding 40 Orchards and engaging in a Circle was a breath of fresh air for me as I longed to engage Scripture in new ways. Traditional Bible study, especially with a “teacher” or “facilitator” leading, had begun to feel stale. I have been a person of faith for most of my life, and as with life itself, my faith has matured and evolved over the years. I found myself on a quest to engage and explore Scripture in new ways. I also needed a safe place to wrestle with faith and culture, which had become tangled in ways that left me disheartened.
40 Orchards has provided another community where I can be with others who are also on a quest for “more,” people who are open to navigating and investigating Scripture with imagination and curiosity.
We are living in a time when I have often felt challenged and disheartened by actions that do not mirror the way I understand Christian faith, particularly as a woman and a person of color. Being in Circle has renewed my sense of awe and wonder in Scripture. The more I engage it, the more it confirms for me that the Gospel message is about love, light, and being “Good News to ALL.”
I not only attend Scripture Circles, but I also financially support 40 Orchards because of what they offer the community of curious seekers like myself, and because of their commitment to accessibility regardless of ability to pay.
To sit in a welcoming space, engage Scripture, and be curious affirms for me that God is still speaking and desires relationship with all people.
If the faith tradition you grew up in was or is too stifling, or if things feel stale, I encourage you to try attending a Circle or workshop at 40 Orchards. For me, 40 Orchards has offered a welcoming space to engage Scripture with curiosity and care. I believe God is still speaking and wants to be in relationship with all people.
I encourage anyone who is looking for something “new” to consider attending and supporting 40 Orchards.
Hear Colette share, in her own words, what being in circle has meant to her.
Colette’s story reflects the kind of spacious, courageous faith that 40 Orchards exists to nurture. Read the full year-end letter and make your year-end gift to help sustain this work into 2026.
