Producer Cheridan Sanders shares her thoughts and experiences leading up the premiere of The Church Alive in 2013. Read her story below:

Last year, when Fr. Thomas Rosica first gathered the S+L team around the conference table to share thoughts in anticipation of the upcoming Synod on the New Evangelization, I never expected that Sebastian Gomes and I would be charged with putting together a series about it!

At the time, it was a Jeremiah moment for me. My thoughts ran along the lines: “I’m too inexperienced, I’m too new… not me Lord!”. But, anyone who has ever worked with our fearless leader, Fr. Tom Rosica knows well enough that questioning the boundless faith that he has in his team, is not an option.

So onward we marched into new terrain. Never in my wildest imaginings did I foresee what lay ahead. Who would have thought we’d travel the Americas, personally attend the Synod on the New Evangelization, witness a papal transition, interview Cardinals one-on-one, and re-discover the inspiring unsung heroes in our own backyard!

Now that we’re nearing the end of this odyssey, and the final touches are being added to the series, I’m most grateful for the opportunity to share these stories with you. My hope remains that you’ll be inspired, renewed and encouraged to participate more fully in this incredible reality that we call The Church. Friends, the world needs our Christian witness more than ever.

After all, ‘no one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lampstand’ (Luke 11:33). This is the time to put away doubts, forget ourselves and undertake the noble mission of evangelization, won’t you join us?

The Church Alive is availabe for purchase now on our online store for $59.95 or on demand on Vimeo.