How Might Practicing Resistance at the Board Table Help Cultivate Courage, Accountability, and Hope Through the Wider Congregation?

Last month, we explored Choosing Hope—not as a fleeting feeling but as an action. We act together to keep hope alive and sustain us as we Practice Resistance.

Resistance is not defiance for its own sake; it’s a spiritual discipline that keeps us anchored in compassion, justice, and truth when fear or complacency tempt us to drift. If hope gets us started, resistance keeps us focused.

At the Board table, resistance through governance becomes the spiritual practice of showing up, listening deeply, and balancing care with conviction. It means resisting fear-based decisions, scarcity stories, and the urge to play it safe. When we presented the 2026 deficit budget, we invited the congregation to practice resistance—not against reality, but against retreat from our shared work and mission.

Mindful resistance reaches far beyond the Board. It shows up whenever leaders slow down to ask better questions, practice transparency even when conversations are hard, and name truth without despair. In those everyday choices, we resist distrust, urgency, and disconnection by choosing community, presence, and hope instead.

We live this out through our Sacred Conversations initiative. Over the summer, many of you shared stories, hopes, joys, and concerns. Each conversation deepened our bonds and reminded us that connection itself is holy work. Now the steering team is discerning the themes and energy in those stories—what might otherwise remain unseen.

In a culture that rushes past complexity, choosing to slow down and listen deeply is a radical act. In an age of fear, polarization, and loneliness, Peoples Church offers another way: a living laboratory for compassionate resistance. Here, we experiment, learn, adapt, and stay true to our values, even when it’s hard.

As we practice resistance together, we also cultivate what comes next: resilience. Hope moves us forward, resistance keeps us grounded, and resilience helps us endure with grace. February’s theme, Embodying Resilience, will explore how these practices grow into lasting strength and flexibility. Together, we do more than face change—we shape it with courage, integrity, and hope.

Together,

Robyn Miessler-Kubanek