Jen Severson’s Story
You’ve probably seen Leah Severson rolling around WCC, either at Community Meal on Wednesday nights, helping Miss Jodie as a “kid wrangler” for the children’s crafts and games activities at Music + Message or singing in the choir at the 9 a.m. service. This soon to be sixth grader with the bright smile and infectious laugh has found a place to belong at WCC. As Brené Brown writes, “belonging doesn’t require us to change who we are, it requires us to be who we are.”
“It’s wonderful to see Leah thriving in a safe, inclusive space where she is free to do her own thing,” her mom Jen says. “This is where we feel God’s presence the most.”
It was Music + Message on the lawn that compelled the Severson family to meander across the street to Wayzata Community Church on a sunny summer evening seven years ago. Ty, Jen, and Leah felt immediately welcomed by the people they met, and they were delighted when they reconnected with members they knew from Leah’s preschool experiences. Leah quickly became involved in the kindergarten choir with Autumn Toussaint, and in 2017, she was in the cast of Good Works Community Theater’s production of The Wizard of Oz. As Autumn describes it, “They followed the Yellow Brick Road — and here they are!”
People find their way to WCC from a wide variety of spiritual backgrounds. For Jen, even after beginning to attend WCC, her childhood Catholic church continued to be an important part of her faith. At first, they came to our Wednesday programs while continuing to attend Sunday worship at their Catholic church. “It was important to me that Leah stay connected to the faith my family was part of,” Jen said, “and I wanted her to have her first communion in the Catholic church, just as I did.”
When Covid hit, the Seversons stopped coming to church, as many families were forced to do. But by the Fall of 2022, they were back at WCC, attending Wednesday programs and the Community Meal. Jen says that the sense of togetherness and others seeking community spirit is what their family loves about WCC. “We love the community meal. We get to sit and talk with other families and with other generations of people, which is so important. Our family is dedicated to being here each Wednesday— Leah loves choirs and the programs she’s involved in with Miss Jodie, and I either take a Bible Study or a class, or sometimes I just go for a walk and that’s fulfilling too. The important thing is that we make intentional space to be at church and with our faith community — it’s a high priority for our family.”
On Sundays, the Seversons attend the 9:00 a.m. Contemporary service in the Sanctuary. “Leah loves both singing in the choir and attending Jodie’s programs on Sunday mornings,” Jen says. They occasionally attend the Parables service in the Chapel, as well.
Jen has also found a place to belong at WCC. She was able to get away with fourteen other women for the Parables Moms retreat, held at the gorgeous Episcopal House of Prayer this past Spring. The overnight gathering was led by Michele Ramert, Autumn Toussaint, and Rev. Lindy Purdy. They created space for quiet prayer, many hours of conversations with one another, great food, and cozy bedrooms for rest and time away from the stresses of everyday life. “I loved it,” Jen says. “I crave being back at that retreat talking with those wonderful women, and that comfortable bed! It filled my cup in the best way possible.”
No matter where your yellow brick road started, we hope you have found a place to belong at WCC.
This fall, the WCC Sunday afternoon music series with Dr. Stephen Self will include four events. All programs begin at 3:00 p.m. and will be followed by a reception in Founders Hall.