Warm is the New Cool

Before I (Rebecca) begin this week, I want to take a moment to pause and express my deep gratitude. First and foremost, I am incredibly thankful for this community—one that I first had the privilege of joining three years ago as a guest speaker, and since then, has become a home for Danny, the boys, and I. Central has become a place where I’ve found not just friendship, but a family, where I’ve felt supported, challenged and encouraged. More than that, it’s a place where I’ve seen God at work in ways that continue to humble and inspire me. 

I’m profoundly grateful for each of you and the role you’ve played in making this community so special. Thank you for trusting me with the incredible responsibility of serving as your Next Generation Pastor.  I’m beyond excited to continue growing the Kingdom alongside you. 

Thank you again for your trust, and for the opportunity to serve and grow together. 

Now, to get to it:

“Warm is the new cool.”

I first heard this quote years ago at a conference, and it has stuck with me ever since. Warm is the new cool. What this simple phrase communicates is powerful: we don’t need to dress up the church to make it a trendy or hip place for people to be. We don’t need to chase the latest cultural trends or strive to be cool. But we do need to be warm.

Warm and welcoming. Warm and embracing. Warm and comfortable.

When we welcome people as they are; embracing them, making them feel at ease—we’re creating safe environments where they can encounter Jesus.

This is something we see happening week after week in Central Youth. It’s something we witness every Sunday in Central Kids. Kids and youth have no filters; they show up exactly as they are—tired and grumpy, or loud and boisterous—and it is a gift to meet them there…to simply say, “We’re glad you’re here.”

And I’m sure this same warmth is present every Sunday morning in the sanctuary and Fellowship Hall—perhaps in ways that are quieter, more subtle, but no less impactful.

But this past Sunday, during our first week at the Gazebo,

I saw it with glaring clarity.

There were all kinds of people engaging in the life of the community—talking on the playground, walking the trail, gathering in the shade. Some conversations were difficult, even messy, but still, those people were welcomed. In fact, their presence was celebrated.

At one point, from my spot on the blue tarp in the back of the field, I looked out and saw a messy, beautiful, intergenerational community being the hands and feet of Jesus in Atlantic Highlands. What a gift to witness. Because that is exactly what Jesus embodied. He wasn’t aloof or exclusive. He was approachable. He was comfortable with the broken. Warm toward outcasts. He made space at the table.

My hope and prayer is that as we continue gathering at the Gazebo, as we head into fall, and as we move through our everyday lives, we can remember to live like Jesus living in a way that embodies the truth that warm is the new cool.

Grace & peace,

Rebecca DeLucia
Next Generation Pastor