08/30/2026
Recently we had visitors of the church disregard and disrespect our sanctuary. A member asked to reshare Rev. Jackies letter from 2023.
For me the best way to show love is to be of service to our church, our holy place, our Sanctuary.
Sanctuary is where I find safe space to regain my bearings, reclaim my soul, heal my wounds, and return to the world grounded and open as a healer. It’s not merely about finding shelter from the storm; it’s about spiritual survival.
We live in a culture of relentless assaults on our souls with noise, frenzy, political division, consumerism, tribalism, homophobia, racism, and more. It’s common to become desensitized to these assaults. We “normalize” them in order to get on with our daily lives, disregarding our need for sanctuary as we do. The weight of the world is heavy, too heavy.
In these times Sanctuary is what we need. A rest from the outside world. A lighthouse in the storm. A loving shoulder to lean on. A place where our community is our family.
The definition of Sanctuary is "a place of refuge or safety". FSCOP, our Church, is a sanctuary. We ask that you hold it in reverence. It is holy and sacred and should be viewed as such. In our 99 years we have been a place of peace and levity for thousands of people. Some will come once and others will call us home.
We ask that you leave your worries, concerns, and outside drama at the door. No politics, no gossip, no harmful speech. This is a place of Healing and Community. We want that community to be embracing to all. Please hold the Church as a Holy Place. We should treat it as sacredly as you would the finest temple.
Thank You,
Rev. Jackie Shein, Lead Minister
Supported by: The board of FSCOP and Ministerial Team
February 2023