Life-Giving Connection: Alia Edwards on the Ministers of Color Sacred Circle

Within the One Spirit community, the Ministers of Color Sacred Circle (MOC) has become one of the most vital and life-giving spaces of connection. What began in the early days of the pandemic as a response to isolation has blossomed into a thriving community of ministers who gather regularly to exhale, laugh, share, and refresh their spirits. The circle was created as a wellness check, a healing space, and a safe harbor for ministers of color who were especially vulnerable to the emotional and spiritual strain of shutdown life.

Today, MOC continues to honor that origin story while evolving into a source of ongoing renewal and strength. It’s a place of joy, reflection, and “real talk,” where ministers remind one another that they are not alone in the sacred work of service.

We recently caught up with Alia Edwards, the group’s facilitator for the past three years, who shared her reflections on what this experience has meant for her and the community.

“The MOC has become one of the most life-giving spaces within the One Spirit community,” Alia told us. “Each month, we come together to breathe, to laugh, and to remind one another that we are not alone.”

For Alia, facilitating the circle has become a spiritual practice in itself. “Showing up each month—no matter the size of the group—has become a kind of spiritual discipline,” she reflected. “It’s an act of accountability and care that helped bring MOC back to life after a period of dormancy.”

As the circle continues to grow, its impact reaches beyond those who attend. “Our community has re-formed around a shared intention,” Alia shared, “to keep refreshing ourselves while extending the web of connection among ministers of color within One Spirit and beyond.”

Now, MOC stands as a living testament to the power of community—how a shared commitment to renewal can sustain those who give so much of themselves in service to others.

An Invitation
All ministers of color—within One Spirit and beyond—are warmly invited to join the circle. Come refresh your spirit, reconnect with others who understand the unique joys and challenges of this work, and remember: you are not alone.