The Slow Work of Winter

Mar 23

Hello friends and family.

Our first Winter in New York has been filled with layers and coats, snow boots and sleds, rain boots and umbrellas, cups of coffee and cocoa.

From what neighbors have told us, this year has been a colder and more drawn-out winter than typical. Last month’s blizzard made the top 10 snowstorm list for New York.

As we shared in January, we have been prayerfully focused on four areas this quarter:

Deepening Neighborhood Roots

We have continued to welcome neighbors and friends into our home. As someone who enjoys planning events and creating spaces for people to connect, practicing hospitality in a tiny, narrow New York City apartment has been a unique challenge. It’s drawn me to look beyond plates and silverware, mopped floors and wiped counters, to what truly helps people feel welcomed and at home. Our ministry coach encouraged us to see the win in people feeling safe to come into our home, something not as common in New York.

Outside of our apartment, we focus on frequenting the same handful of restaurants, cafes, and shops, attempting to converse beyond our orders and purchases to names, hobbies, and motivations in life. Closer to home, we are regularly trying to be as present as time permits in our girls’ school, chaperoning field trips and volunteering in the classroom. From there, we’ve been able to forge new friendships with many families in our girls’ classes.

Lastly, we’ve been trying as a family to practice keeping our eyes open as we traverse the streets and train stations for our neighbors in need. The pace of life and frequency in which we encounter an unhoused person or someone with a deep need unfortunately can become all too common that we grow complacent and numb to those less fortunate right downstairs from our apartment. Because of this, we have sought to intentionally talk about this with our girls and let them look to help people regularly. We read and reread books like I See You: A Story for Kids about Homelessness and Being Unhoused, We Came to America, and Maybe I Can Love My Neighbor Too to help our girls develop eyes and hearts to see and feel the needs of those around them, and to spark their imagination as to how they can be people of love.

Side story: After the girls and I returned home from school recently, they took notepads and coloring instruments into our bedroom so they could look outside our windows while they colored. As I was cooking dinner, it became apparent that the girls had been quiet for quite some time—as any parent knows, too quiet. I called them out to the kitchen to check in and ask what they were up to. They ran out and showed me a list they had been working on—a list consisting of numerous ways they can help those in need in our neighborhood.

What began with worry in my heart quickly turned to awe, joy, and pride in my sweet thoughtful girls. I couldn’t help but think that this is what planting mission looks like—one that begins around the dinner table and spreads along 5th Ave and the F train’s journeys to and from school.

Listening and Presence

I am actively connecting with others via book and social clubs. These have been helpful to meet people from different neighborhoods, walks of life, and career paths. I’ve been introduced to those who are born and raised New Yorkers and those who have migrated here in pursuit of a dream, those who have climbed the ladder and those still discerning which ladder to climb.

For Erin, her work continues to be a primary means to both serve and familiarize herself with different demographics of New York. Rubbing shoulders with people of all backgrounds, her work has served not simply as a tent-making job but as an Introduction to New York City 101 course.

Training, Coaching, and Academics

Coming off of spring break, I’m rounding the corner on this semester of graduate school. My New Testament course has involved a lot of reading and writing while my Person in Ministry course has been invaluable in this zero year in New York (our first foundational year of planting), guiding me in personal development and thinking through the structure and relationships necessary for longterm sustainability in urban ministry. On that front, the Incubator Collective with City to City NYC continues to be a tremendous resource both in foundational understanding of planting in the city and forging relationships with other planters in New York, including a one-day church planting seminar with for.nyc where I had the chance to learn from and dialogue with a few experienced planters in the city. Furthermore, we continue to be indebted to the pastors and elders at Trinity Grace Church for the care, coaching, and commitment to our development. The community and friendships we have been forming as a family have been foundational to this place becoming home. Lastly, Erin and I began obtaining ministry coaching from a seasoned pastor in the Upper Westside who also has experience in microchurches.

Discernment and Rest

In February, Erin was able to visit the Trinity Retreat Center in Connecticut for a dedicated time of silence and reflection. A few weeks ago, Erin and I were able to travel to Tampa, Florida for a few days to attend the Microchurch Conference with the Underground Network. There, we were able to meet many practitioners from all over the world and hear numerous stories of how they are pursuing the smaller way of church planting in their cities and neighborhoods. We left feeling affirmed in the work we have been doing so far, encouraged to press in to the work of hospitality in our home and family life, and to think through discipleship pathways and gatherings in our context. It was also a joy to run into some old friends throughout our ministry journey! Lastly, I have obtained a spiritual director and began meeting with him on a monthly basis.

How to Pray for Us

Please continue to keep us in your prayers. We are deeply grateful for your prayers along with every text, call, email, DM, and letter.

For Familial Health: For opportunities for our family to be hospitable and helpful to our neighbors while also staying connected with each other.
For the Microchurch Vision: That the Spirit would continue to lead us to plant seeds of mission, that a church may emerge over time as its fruit.
For Neighborhood Connections: For relationships to continue to be developed, not as projects but as deep friendships.
For the TGC Partnership: For continued friendship and partnership to be developed. For wisdom as to how we work together.
For Erin’s Work: That she would continue to be a light to her coworkers and customers.
For Seminary Studies: For discipline, energy, and health to finish the semester well.
For Summer Prep: For creativity and vision for how to utilize the summers well. When the sun comes out, New York comes alive in a different way. Many people travel, some for the entire summer, but the park across the street from our apartment building is a prime environment to cultivate friendships and be people of peace for our neighbors.

We continue to be sincerely grateful to our partners, both financial and prayer. Every financial gift supports us as we pursue the work we believe God is putting before us. Each text message, email, and call mean the world to know that we are on your hearts and minds. Please know that we pray for you by name regularly.

If you would like to connect via phone, FaceTime, or Zoom, we’d love to hear from you! Please text the number below to set up a time.

With love and gratitude,

Tyler A. Saldaña

917.710.0777

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