At the opening plenary session of Presbyterian Women’s Churchwide Gathering, Magdalena I. García introduced participants to the Gathering theme, “God will do wonders among you.” Drawing more than 2,000 women (and a few men) into this theme, she began with a gardening metaphor—“sweet tomatoes, juicy peppers and fragrant herbs.”

She explained that the Israelites were much like the gardeners at Ravenswood Presbyterian Church, where she pastors. Ravenswood’s gardeners found many challenges before they could enjoy the harvest. “I suppose these enthusiastic gardeners are not different from the hopeful Israelites who signed up to cross the Jordan River in order to get to the Promised Land, but who, in their excitement to get to the other shore, may have missed Joshua’s preliminary instruction: “Sanctify yourselves . . . .”

Magdalena explained how Joshua 3:1–5 illustrates sanctifying behavior. The Israelites camp before crossing the Jordan. This detail suggests patience in the journey. Through Joshua 3:1, she asked the audience, “Are we ready to wait upon the Lord?”

With Joshua 3:2–3, she stressed the importance of obedience and trust in recalling that the Israelites followed the ark of the covenant into the raging Jordan River. “Are we ready to follow wherever God may lead?” she pressed.

Joshua 3:4a suggests that the Israelites had “not passed this way before”—new landscapes and unknown territory for the people. “Are we ready to step out of our comfort zone?” Magdalena asked us.

Finally, she asked participants to consider Joshua 3:4b, which reveals that the Israelites must keep a very specific distance between themselves and the ark of the covenant. Magdalena explained that this created limits and mystery. She asked, “Are we ready to let go of our illusion of control?”

Magdalena even changed her gardening metaphor into clothing terms, humorously reminding us, “God expects even starched Presbyterians to sanctify themselves by accepting heavenly wrinkles and welcoming divine creases.”

She then shared several personal experiences, leading participants into the heart of her vision of sanctification for the PC(USA). “The vision of becoming a multicultural church has been defined as a process of replacing exclusive boxes with inclusive circles by breaking down the barriers of prejudice and fear, and intentionally seeking to recognize, celebrate and incorporate a diverse membership in worship, mission and leadership.”

In sharing her vision of sanctification, Magdalena pointed to the wonder of a multicultural church.

“A marvelous wonder will occur the day when the church no longer needs to sort believers into specific boxes, because everyone is fully welcomed at the baptismal font and the communion table; and because everyone’s gifts are affirmed through the outpouring of baptismal waters and ordination oil; and because everyone’s ministry is empowered though the sharing of opportunities and resources.”

Looking to the community revealed in Acts 2, participants began to share in Magdalena’s hope for the wonders that God might work, hoping to become a community that could “[experience] God’s wonders because of [our] sanctified way of life.”