The word rhythm means: a strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement or sound. In life and culture, a prevalent myth has been elevated is attempting to live a life of “balance” as the key to success and happiness. While balance is theoretically a good concept, it often leaves many frustrated due to its impractical nature. Regardless of your background, life is filled with seasons: seasons of success, seasons of disappointment, seasons of friendship, seasons of loneliness, and isolation. One constant that we all will undoubtedly experience is that life ebbs and flows. Realizing this makes it nearly impossible to live a life of “balance” due to the nature of life itself.

Unchecked, there’s a current that pulls us in, like a strong riptide, into the prevailing culture of choice, leaving you drowning and tricked into being prisoners of the urgent, which hijacks our attention and focus. Juxtapose that with the city we live in, Chicago—a city filled with immense beauty but also painful brokenness. In this fast-paced city, there is a gravitational pull toward hustling, grinding, and achieving. Inevitably, there’s no end to this pursuit, and many people find themselves chewed up and spit out, feeling deep frustration and emptiness.

Amid all this tension, we have chosen to orient our lives counter-culturally to these realities. Instead of living isolated, we choose to live in sacrificial community. Instead of living hurried and burnt out, we assume the posture of rest. Instead of trying to be what we’re “supposed to be,” we’re deeply committed to learning the unforced rhythms of grace. Our vision for our city is that we’d be exactly who we’ve been created to be—nothing more, nothing less.

Contrary to popular belief, there is a pace, or rhythm, that can give you the type of rest your soul desperately craves. This rest is not absent from work but goes hand in hand with it, allowing you to live a fruitful and fulfilling life. Our vision is to be a community for those who are worn out and burnt out on cold religion, providing an experience akin to the very beginnings of the church itself. Instead of balance, we believe there is a better way to live and be human. Our hope for you is not that you find balance in your life, but rather that you find Rhythm.