Got Questions????

Well so do I...I meet lots of people who are ready for "church people" to embrace personas of answer keepers.  You know people who don't live in the ambiguity of life but who know the answers and don't need to struggle to understand the things that happen because the answers are right there!  (I believe this is a faulty stereotype, most people I have met are filled with questions and those that have it all figured out can't hold onto the facade for long)  This isn't really about answers though, its about questions.

Unfortunately the "church" has been perceived and in some place is a place where questions are unwelcome.  But then where should we ask questions?  I think that our communities of faith are the perfect places to ask questions about everything.  Surrounded by people who love you, who are journeying with you towards understanding what our lives should love like, and people who struggle with their own questions about life, faith, family, culture, hope, fears, doubts...you get the point--everything!  That sounds like it could be a safe place to explore and maybe even live your way into the answers you seek.  It will also be a good place to realize that some questions have answers that we may never know and we can learn together how to hold those questions lightly and with respect.

So, if you could ask any question in church what would it be?  There are not right or wrong questions.  What might you like to hear about from the church's perspective?  What questions would you be shocked to hear in the context of church?

At Z Tree we will be exploring questions in worship as we begin the new year, so your thoughts would be very helpful!  Thanks!

A New Life

Yesterday I met Phoebe, my friends' newest family member.  She is beautiful and while I held her and waited for a bottle I wasn't surprised that she cried.  She was hungry and I wasn't helping her out.  Babies do not distinguish between needs and wants, they don't struggle with their needs in relation to the needs of another; they simply ask for (cry) what they need until someone answers.  As we get older it seems that some of us forget that we are allowed to have needs and some of us forget that our needs may not always be top priority.  There is a balance here between recognizing our needs and our wants.  I often wonder just how I can get so distracted by things in my life that are pretty insignificant when I believe they are needs.  Upon reflection I am pretty sure that my needs are minimal and so is my gratitude.  So there I was holding this brand new life, and I realized that in the presence of such possibility I had forgotten the things in my own life which had been so important in the car.  Somethings just serve to distract from our vision, and in no way giving us energy for the future.  What things get in the way of your vision?  Do you ever feel like you can't see the forest for the trees?  What helps you clear the view?      


As I marveled at how small she was and how amazing it is that we participate in creation in such a wonderful way, it reminded me that building a community is similar.  We start small, with tremendous needs and amazing possibilities.  It is in the beginning that we have all the energy of new life and all the possibilities of clean blackboard.  What do we want to see?  How will we accomplish the things that God is calling us too?  Who will join us?  In any new life there are lots of questions and hopes--I believe that if we live into our dreams we may find that God has been giving them to us and will continue to see them through.  There are lots of things to do and many things to try and if we leave distractions behind we may be able to celebrate the amazing life we have in these precious beginning moments!  


In a season of preparation for the coming of the Christ Child, it seems right to see the world with wonder and amazement! May you also find new life in your daily living and be reminded of the love that God has for you in each and every wonderful moment!  

Spirit2 Discussion Gatherings!

Our world is full of lots of voices, answers, questions, ideas and choices.  But there are very few places where we come together to talk about things that are happening and think about how they affect our lives.  As a community we want to make room for conversations about how our lives intersect with our faith, experiences and the world.  Here are some pictures from the last year of discussions, laughter and community at Spirit2!  

Why We Do What We Do (article from Moravian Magazine December 2010)

Here’s a little story about man and a tree, and why that story makes all the difference to me…Zacchaeus was a man who no one liked and that did lots of things that were harmful to others.  So when Jesus came into town and sought out Zacchaeus, instead of the other more suitable candidates, it was shocking and unexpected.  It wasn’t showy or miraculous, but it was a simple invitation to dinner that made the difference for Zacchaeus.  The invitation to relationship with Jesus started to transform this man from the person no one cared for, into a person that cared for everyone.  It is that transformation that I invite people to experience when they participate in the life of Zacchaeus’ Tree Congregation (formerly New Hope Community Church in Indianapolis, IN). 

As a community we are called to seek out those people who don’t believe they are included in what God is up to or who have been excluded by stereotypes, negative experiences in churches, or media distortions of “who” Christians are.  We work together to live more like Jesus, and to follow in his footsteps, by making our faith an intentional journey towards building the kin(g)dom of God on earth.  Our congregation is shaped by many of the ideals shared by leaders of intentional communities.  Responding to their call to live in community and discover how God can use those relationships and complexities to shape the Christian witness, these leaders have many thoughts and challenges to offer to the established church and its developing congregations. 

Our church plant does not currently have in its development plan the creation of a live-in community, but it is not divergent or impossible that the future may bring such a witness to our congregation.  For now we are studying, praying, serving, worshiping, and following the call to be a congregation of people whom God seeks out to invite into relationship.  The conversations that help build our vision for the community of faith are inspired, in part, by the lives of those people in the early church, early Moravian History, and current leaders in intentional communities.  They help us challenge the assumptions that church is a place to go rather than an invitation to be the Body of Christ in the world; that church must look like it always has in order to be the church; or that church is a place where we come when we know things rather than a place we come to ask questions and learn. 

I have met many people in my 18 months in Indianapolis who are looking for community.  People who are dying for a place to ask questions, to find hope, and I believe to be told how much God loves them and wants to know them!  I am heart broken when I hear stories filled with hate, hostility and mistrust connected with their experience of the church, which often translates into their experience of God.  I grew up in the church and have known such great and amazing love, forgiveness and hope—it is this church I hope to share with others.  I hope to be unexpected in the same way that Jesus speaking to Zacchaeus was unexpected.  I hope that our congregational life will live out Jesus’ hospitality and presence in the lives of those most unexpected people. 

There seem to be lots of people hanging around in trees in every community in the world, wanting to see Jesus.  I believe that it is our invitation as believers to call out to them and invite them to the table for the bread of life and the blood of grace.  So at Zacchaeus’ Tree we intentionally seek to be a community that embraces the call to find those people who seem to be furthest from Christ and invite them to learn with us what Jesus meant when he came to give life and to give it abundantly—right now and forever more. 

Worship is Starting Up Again! Come Join Us!

This is an invitation to worship with us! I hope to see you!

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Worship-at-Z-Tree-.html?soid=1103081187919&aid=P9ds3HoZlBE

Wouldn't it be amazing?

Have you ever noticed that hopes and dreams which we live by are likely to be downplayed, poo-pooed, and disregarded as valuable by others and even ourselves sometimes?  Dreams have power to propel human beings to move beyond expectations and to challenge ourselves past the things we know into the things that might be.  When people chose to follow their dreams, they risk being looked at strangely and having their judgment questioned.  They also risk finding out that their are more possibilities than they first thought or that they are capable of meeting a challenge that once seemed impossible.  


Lately I have been listening to a new album by Rachel Marie.  Her song called "The Peacemakers" is one of my favorites.  It epitomizes, for me, how dreams can inspire us to do and live out amazing lives!  One line song reflects a conversation during a Church World Service sponsored CROP Walk, she sings, "Wouldn't it be amazing if we could really stop the hunger!"  There is hope in dreams and vision beyond the cynicism of our world.  It can be hard to see past all the hurt and difficulty of history and imagine a different world.  But then again as Christians we believe that God has done something unique and amazing that confirms another world is possible!  We have what we need to see the world become a place of love rather than hate, of compassion rather than judgment, and life rather than death. 


As I work on planning worship for Z Tree, beginning November 27, 2010 at 5pm, I found a quote from St. Francis of Assisi, he said, "“Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” (www.thinkexist.com)  Dreams are the things that keep us hoping and looking forward to something new.  But we rarely can go directly into our dreams without much smaller steps that lead us into places where the "possible" becomes probable and the "impossible" is only a few more steps away.  So maybe the power of our dreams is the little bit of foolishness that allows for us to believe in what we can't know and to live into a hope that we can't see.  


Don't get me wrong I don't believe dreamers are fools, matter of fact I count myself  among the dreamers.  Dreams have the ability to move us in a direction that some would never imagine and that some would never pursue.  As we begin the life of a new congregation, we aren't sure exactly how everything will look, work, or turn out but we do know that our dream to be a place where all people feel safe to come and explore relationship with God through Jesus Christ is a dream worth pursuing.  It is sometimes scary, often unpredictable and always amazing to see how our dreams are inspired by God's call and molded by the relationships we share.

So it seems to me, that one of my dreams is to be part of creating a community where dreaming is the norm and where we find energy in the hope of what is to come by taking steps to live it out right now!

Harvest and Sustainability Festival Invite!

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Harvest-and-Sustainability-Festival-at-Z-Tree-.html?soid=1103081187919&aid=XJ3qRm-KY04

Cool Video about Zacchaeus' Story!

Thanks to MrDanOfTheChapel on YouTube for his creativity!

Where you are loved

As I walked over to my friend Christie's office at the Downey Moravian Church in Downey California I noticed a little blue paper, it is from a publication of the Moravian Church in North America in the 1980s, and says "The Moravian Church...where you are loved."  Wow!  There is no regulation, expectation, or judgment in that statement.  What does it look like when congregations are places where people are loved? Have you seen congregations that you believe characterize this statement?  As I follow God's call to begin a new congregation on the south side of Indianapolis, it is my hope that this will be true of us.  That before we get into the details of doctrine, practice, or worship style we are a community where people are loved.

It is funny, I grew up in the Moravian Church and the message on that publication characterizes my experience.  I was loved.  Even when I was an annoying teenager or disrespectful kid or a questioning pastor in training I have known without a doubt that I am loved here.  There is something of being loved when you are known, even at your worst.  I don't know that this is everyone's experience, I doubt it is which makes me sad.  But the freedom we have when we are loved first and known through that love is amazing.  Love changes our perspective, allows for us to see things that are overlooked without love and it helps us to look past the things that the world would pick out to separate us from one another.  Love may give us rose colored glasses but not to ignore the reality of pain, struggle, or disappointment.  We are given the rose color that allows for those things to come in on our list of priorities where they belong.

If we find ourselves loving first I believe that we will experience more depth of relationship, transformation and hope.  Jesus said lots of wonderful things but he began with LOVE.  I will pray and strive to create a congregation whose witness and life will affirm that Zacchaeus' Tree is a place where you are loved!

Happy Birthday Elie Wiesel!

Today I found a quote, for my facebook page, by Elie Wiesel. I love quotes because I feel like they catch us off-guard and make us think and consider in ways that a whole speech, conversation, or book does not. I guess this, for me, is an example of less is more. This particular quote (which I will share here...later) speaks of indifference which is interesting because today I heard people talking about apathy and how it can cause problems because we simply do nothing, essentially we have no opinion, and make no difference through our actions. As I think about Jesus, I cannot think of a time in the Gospels when Jesus is indifferent. He is always engaged in the action of compassion, or seeing to the needs of those around him!


In Revelation 3:14-22, John writes that the church in Laodicea is neither hot nor cold.  They do not stand for the Gospel or against it.  While many people take this a sign of judgement, maybe so but that is really for God to decide, I think it is like a litmus test for our lives.  If our lives are filled with indifference we may see that even our "values" don't appear to be part of our actions.  I make lots of decisions through indecision; letting a deadline go by, just not offering my opinion, or simply by forgetting to decide.  I realize too late sometimes that I had an opportunity to say something or show something important and because I wasn't really paying attention I missed that chance.  The Good News is that the world never has nor will it ever depend on me...I would be an inadequate savior that's for sure.  However, the more I endeavor to intentionally make decisions in light of the God of Love who guides me, the more I will be able to demonstrate the love that God has shared with me and that God shares with the world.  
There are lots of protesters in our world, some I agree with and many I don't.  I can't see Jesus going out of his way to demonstrate hate.  But Jesus was always on the forefront of demonstrating love, speaking out in the face of injustice, and challenging the world order when it missed the point.  As Christ(ians), people who strive to live in Jesus' way, we are not called to an indifferent witness.  We are called to choose; to cry out for justice, peace and in all things love!


So whether you take opportunities to protest with signs and pickets or with words in a blog, or through the daily living in community, I pray that we all consider our own areas of luke warmness...how would Jesus react?  Where can we grow in our living out of the Good News?  What do people see in my life that tells them about God's love for them?  I would guess that this conversation is better had with friends and people you can trust, so they can mirror back to you their experience and understanding of you as you move closer to the image of God who calls you to follow.  


As I work in my own life to follow Jesus better I hope I keep these words in my mind, 

“The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference. --Elie Wiesel

We Need Your Opinion

I never knew how to worship until I knew how to love.

Henry Ward Beecher

At Z Tree we are looking forward to beginning regular worship again soon! As we prepare to worship together we are discerning a good time. In many ways Sunday morning is the obvious choice, but we aren't an obvious church and are looking into other options. We have tried a few services on Saturday evenings at 5pm. It seems to give people the opportunity to make plans during the day and have the ability to sleep or get things going on Sunday Morning. I don't think that the day of worship is as important as the quality of worship. If we gather, whenever we gather and worship the Lord we are called to respond in kind to God's love for us and the world. So take the poll, leave a comment and share with us your thoughts on the best time to worship for you and your life! Thanks for you thoughts!

There's nothing you can do about it!

Last week I had a great time with Sister and Brother Moravian Clergy! As we heard encouragement from our bishops, speakers, and colleagues to find time to connect to God and one another, we heard from Rev. Peg Chamberlain, executive director of the Minnesota Council of Churches and a Moravian colleague. Peg spoke to us about her experience with the larger church in ecumenical settings. And what is like to be an ambassador of our gifts as Moravians that we share with other denominations. As she shared with us that she sees our gifts as relational theology, focusing on the importance of connecting in personal relationships with God and one another, community, and our Moravian motto, "In Essentials Unity, In Non-Essentials Liberty, In All Things Love," it was encouraging to think of how our emerging community also shares these gifts in a smaller venue, Indianapolis, IN.

Over the last 550 years Moravians have been active participants in the life of the communities where they lived by educating children, both girls and boys, finding ways to support the local population through farming and spiritual reflection, and simply building relationships of compassion and accountability for Jesus' sake. Throughout the world, communities have been served by missionaries, local believers and followers of Christ who have come from the Moravian tradition. It is because of our vibrant and dynamic heritage that I have found my own call to engage in building relationships in the community, planting a garden, and praying for the ability to follow God where ever God leads me.

As a Moravian it sometimes seems difficult to explain the things that make us distinct. As Peg spoke she shared something that I believe offers a good picture of who we are not only with one another but in our witness to the world. She spoke to us with these words, "I love you, God loves you and there's nothing you can do about it!" Relationships are full, live giving and sometimes really hard but it is the love of God and the model of Christ that motivates us to love unconditionally and with conviction...all the time.

So here we were, a gathering of Moravian clergy, celebrating the aforementioned gifts with one another so that we might live and lead in ways that show others the love of God. There are so many wonderful and amazing things happening as we follow God’s direction, finding meaning in the old and new, finding hope in hearts to live into God’s Mission in the World, and learning what it means and how it will look to be Moravian Christians as we journey together into the future!

A Window to the Sky

Sitting in my window seat on my flight back to Indy...I can see so much: houses, roads, clouds, farms, trees, cars, with the right binoculars I could probably see people. It is amazing when you think about it...here we are in a country and a world where we are able to see so much. We can see tiny atomic particles, moons and planets in far reaches of the universe, germs and their cures, books, gardens, friends, enemies--well I think you get my point. We see so much and have the opportunity to see many possibilities that could not have been dreamed of in the past.

Remember the story of Icarus? The boy who flew too close to the sun with wings that his father made for him and he fell from the sky. People have been dreaming for a very long time to see further, to get closer to the things we don't understand, to grasp knowledge that has not been available to us before. The curiosity of human kind has always been around and it continues to motivate us to seek new endeavors, to try ideas that are not sure things, to appreciate the past, and to hope for the new world promised through the Love of God in Christ.

As I sat on the plane considering the reality that I, in my "ordinary" travel, was living someone else's impossible dream. Wondering if our seeing so much keeps us from seeing what is most important? With our heads in the clouds I think we may miss the opportunities to dig deeper into the relationships we share with one another and with God. How often do we spend time really trying to see someone else...not just looking at them but working to understand and care for them in the things they say and the things they don't. How often do we let someone really see us? The practice of building deep relationships is not a lost art but sometimes it is taken for granted as we follow other ideas and hopes. I wonder if we have gotten so caught up in seeing the expanse OUT there that we miss the expanse within and through relationships...

So it seems that we need to find some balance. A few weeks ago are Dinner and Conversation with Z Tree we talked about what we felt the church was called to be. One of our conversations offered that the church should be a place when people are helped to find balance. Between hopes and fears, the possibilities and the relationships, balance in life so that we are able to find and offer God's goodness to others.

So from way up in the sky I began to think about the ground...how can Zacchaeus' Tree be a place where people find and share ways to find balance? We are working to create opportunities to grow in faith through studying the scriptures, sharing our thoughts and experiences, serving in our community, honoring God's creations, and sharing life together. There is so much room for everyone to participate in creating this place and other spaces where the fullness of love and life in Christ is celebrated, embraced and sought out. I pray for the people who will become part of this community and the gifts, passion and vision they will bring to my life and the life of our neighborhood!

Zacchaeus was a "wee little man" who climbed up into a tree to see Jesus but it wasn't until he accepted Jesus' invitation to come back down to earth that Zacchaeus knew the transformation of God's love! So are we look out to the possibilities let us not miss the invitations to come down to the earth and build from there into the dream of God for the whole world!

Living in a Garden

So I love quotes! I picked up a book at the Library The Indiana Book of Quotes by Fred D. Cavinder. As I perused the pages I found this gem of a quote by Frank McKinney (Kin) Hubbard..."In order to live off a garden, you practically have to live in it."

It struck me that the truth of the matter in most things in life--if we want something we have to live it. Most things do not pan out if we just dip our toes into to check it out. You have to jump in and start swimming! So it occurred to me that as we work to build a community of faith on the southside of Indianapolis we cannot just dip into the neighborhood and the vision of our community. We had to jump in, feet first, and starting living this community with all that we are. Some times that seems a scary prospect because our values and vision are broad and ambitious. On the days when living this life can feel overwhelming I remember that I am not the one who has to make this vision come true, but God who has created everything will see this through.

If we live into the vision that Christ puts before us: a world where the hungry are fed, the naked clothed, the homeless welcomed home, the sick comforted and cared for, the orphaned hugged and loved by family...what might we see change in the world around us? While the big gestures and powerful words of a few can inspire and challenge us to see a brand new world...I prefer to take baby steps in the direction of Jesus. I may not always be able to see things come together and change the whole world but I can by living into Jesus way see change happen little by little in the lives of the people I care for. I am sure that I will find love in places that I never expected to be and peace in places known for violence and generosity in the midst of tremendous greed. Because life isn't always about changing the whole picture but about changing our part in it. What live off of, is what directs our lives. If we live off the way of Jesus; of compassion, peace, love and hope then our lives will reflect and embody those things as they direction us deeper into relationship with God and one another!

So to live off love, you have to live it!

Who is the "church" for?

I have been thinking lately...who is the church for? Lots of times people talk about going to church, being the church, and doing church. So sometimes we talk in terms of location, time, worship opportunities, service in the community, living the Gospel individually, etc.

As I drove into town yesterday I wondered who the church exists for? Do we as Christians participate in church worship, activities, educational opportunities for ourselves or for others. If we look at the larger church throughout the world does it serve the needs of "members," people on the inside, or does it serve all people in need? I believe that it is a little bit of both, because the things that help people grow in faith are often found within communities that teach, disciple, and care for the people inside so that they are able to serve others. It seems very easy for any of us to get stuck on one extreme or the other...maybe I just enjoy spending time with my small group friends so I make time to see them but I don't spend a lot of time taking what I have learned and putting it into practice in tangible ways of caring for the people who are suffering around me. Or maybe I do a great job of volunteering at the local soup kitchen, building relationships with people but I find that making time to attend a bible study or develop my individual faith is difficult to do.

One without the other just doesn't make sense. I mean why learn about a Savior whose life models care and compassion for the outcasts and the most vulnerable people in society but not find ways to serve the people in your own neighborhood who need care and compassion? And then what do you do when you find yourself connecting with people where you spend time caring for people but you aren't able to talk to them about the beliefs that have brought you there to begin with?

So then who is the church for if it teaches and empowers, cares and challenges, and lives as Christ did...I believe it is for everyone.

If that is true, then how do we live as people of community and people in community? How do you do it?

Where the seeds fall...

Have you ever thought about what kind of help you can be to your neighbor? I find myself often wondering if I could help someone out but I second myself and justify inaction because I don't want to impose on someone else. It is strange to think that some of us don't help others because we are afraid they will be offended by the offer. Maybe we are just a little afraid too that if we help, we may have to change our priorities so that the other person is put ahead of us.

This weekend we held a worship service in the community garden at Zacchaeus' Tree! We talked about the parable of the sower (The Gospel of Luke 8:4-15). The story is about a farmer spreading seeds and about their life afterwards. Some seeds are lost from the beginning when they land on the path, some start growing but because of the rocks can't get enough water, some are thrown in with the weeds and can't grow because the weeds choke them out and there are seeds that fall on good soil and they grow and produce good fruit.

We often consider this story as a way to determine where we are...when we hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. Are we in good soil, growing and producing fruit? Or have we landed among the rocks without enough support to make it through? As a congregation we are developing into a community that serves our neighbors by helping to cultivate the space around others and ourselves that allows for growth! As I learned in my own garden, it doesn't take long for a garden to become a bed of weeds if I leave it alone. Without consistent care the weeds grow taller and faster so that the crops have little chance to produce much if anything at all.

So what can we do that helps others to hear and receive the Good News that God loves them and wants to know them more?

We volunteer monthly at a local food pantry, are building partnership with the Fuller Center (www.fullercenter.org), and looking for ways to individually care for our neighbors. But it can be hard, because caring for others means we take a back seat in favor of caring for the needs of others. Pray for all who want to serve, that opportunities and ability come together to allow for authentic and caring relationships to form as we care for the needs of one another!

A Tree? Zacchaeus' Tree actually!

What will we be called?

One day last week I was thinking about Jesus and people he met along his path. A story popped into my head about a man who opened his home to Jesus and as soon as he came into contact with Jesus his life changed dramatically! That man was Zacchaeus. Looking for a glimpse of Jesus from the top of a tree he found himself called out by Jesus and invited into the life of peace, and transformation . I believe that we are called to create a community that reaches out to people in our neighborhood who for many reasons have not connected to the church but who are longing to see and know Jesus.

In conversation with others last month we discussed names that connected to our biblical heritage and spoke to the ministry and presence we are called to share. So as I reflected on the conversation it occurred to me that Zaccheaus' story is one of creativity, hospitality, relationship, intentionality, sustainability and transformation. Inspired by his story and the impact of being a community that reaches out to everyone including those people on the margins of society. And seeks to be a place of growth and challenge we will be called "Zaccheaus' Tree: a Moravian Congregation"

As we look to being Grounded in Christ, Planted in Community and Growing through Service I believe that our community will find roots that help us to serve our neighbors and to branch out into the lives of the people around us. Like the tree that allowed for Zaccheaus to see Jesus, we will root ourselves in this community: providing space for those who are searching, opportunities for those who want to be transformed and a place where others can see Jesus through the work and worship of our community. Like Zaccheaus we will be invited and challenged by opening our lives to others, creating a community of inclusivity, finding ways to intentionally better the community around us and to care for our neighbors while sustaining the world around us through good stewardship of all our resources. Zaccheaus reminds us all that Jesus came to find and heal the lost...may we help others find a view of Jesus that invites them into a transformational relationship with God!

Getting Grounded...

For those of you who know me, this will be no surprise, I am having a hard time setting aside time to be quiet and study and pray. It is interesting because I know that it is good to read the bible and to pray and just wait upon God's leading. However, it can be really difficult for me because I like being around people so much.

With all the new things happening in the community with the creation of new small groups, the community garden and connecting with new people who have questions about what we are up too here on the south side of Indy. I have gotten out of my own regular practices of prayer and study. Today I started again...I read from the Moravian Daily Texts (a daily devotional that has been published by the World-wide Moravian Church since 1731 http://moravian.org/daily_texts )and read the 3 bible readings for the day. My spiritual director suggested I paraphrase the scriptures, note a particular phrase that stands out and write out what I will do or how I will respond tangibly to the scripture I have read today. Not surprisingly I feel better after one day because I can feel the nourishment seeping into my soul that has been less regular lately.

As a community our mission statement begins with "Grounded in Christ" and while at first glance we could think that once a seed is in the ground there is nothing else that can be done...that isn't exactly true. Without consistent watering, and loosening the soil so the roots can grow a plant may fail to put down the kind of roots that help it survived the hot summer days and to get the nutrients necessary for growth. So as I examined my own life in the past few weeks I have been extending out but not laying my roots in the best way to support the growth I am working towards. Just takes a little push to see how much I can be helped by some time of reflection and prayer. Do you ever feel like that? I wonder sometimes how other people find that solid foundation of faith that allows for amazing growth AND stability. How do you make time to connect with God so that you can follow in the ways that God calls you?

Things are going well, a little chaotic but all changes kind of throw the rule book in the air and ask for patience and perservence. As I seek to be more grounded in my personal life the community is also trying to lay down new roots that will allow us to serve our community through works of justice, a presence of peace and support for the needs of our neighbors. Please pray for us as we strive to be Grounded in Christ whose own life is an example of balance between relationship with God and serving God's people through love and grace.

The Art of Becoming

This Wednesday we gathered to dream about our community and how it will look. What does a community look like with core values of Creativity, Hospitality, Relationality(is that a word?, Intentionality, Sustainability, and Transformation? As we talk about the vision of our community some of us recognized that this kind of community is hard to create...it asks a lot of us. We can't simply come and have everything fall into place, there is work to be done--but we believe that there is Grace to help us become who God wants us to be.

In my study of the Gospels I am always stuck by Christ's peace in the face of tremendous stress and difficulty. I used to wonder how he was able to let people choose their own path even when he knew a better way. But he did not lower his expectations, only offered them a hand and wisdom to follow him, even when it didn't seem to make much sense. I believe that when we live in expectancy, looking forward to what can be if we live into Christ's way, then amazing and wonderful things will happen. Expecting the best is a hope that help to push us beyond the limits of our imaginations into God's dream for the world!

It is in many ways the beginning a long journey of becoming and as a community of faith I am sure we will find that new life will come with a set of expectations, questions, hopes, difficulties and dreams that will challenge us. I feel sure that as God calls us to this journey, God will help us to see this dream come into its own.

I ask for your prayers for discovering our new name, and for having eyes for the journey that we may see the light of Christ leading us in the way we should go and connecting us with others who are dreaming for a place to be grounded and growing in Christ!

Mother Teresa and "The Greatest Salesman in the World"

Sunday night on the plane to Bethlehem, PA to visit old friends and for the Northern Province of the Moravian Church Synod (meeting of the larger church for fellowship and decision making that occurs every 4 years), and I finished a book about Mother Teresa ("Do Something Beautiful for God") and Og Mandino's "The Greatest Salesman in the World." Both books struck me with the simplicity of doing what is good and right in life for an abundant life of joy and community.

Mother Teresa who is known for her work among the poorest of the poor in Calcutta, India talks about her work and how she feels as she works to care for Christ in the bodies of abandoned children, lepers, those dying on the streets and those coming to serve. She reflects on the need to pray for and work towards having a heart big enough that the love of God can come through you to the world. I am always amazed and inspired that she simply does the work of Christ--feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, etc. Why is it that in our world these things are rare and special to the point that we venerate those who follow Christ's directions?

The greatest salesman is a story about a young man who is given a set of scrolls that, if he follows them, will make him the greatest salesman in the world with money and success! Each of the scrolls has a different "life commandment" written on it. Things like love, laughter, perseverance, generosity are included on the scrolls that will lead him to success and happiness. It is simple really, the directions aren't hard to understand but they may be hard to follow.

As I think about creating this new community of faith I believe that we face similar opportunities and challenges. Our world tends to admire those things that are difficult and complex more than the simple and continuous actions of living intentionally. But living simply, choosing to care for the homeless or dying, generously living, loving others are far from easy and it can be very difficult to do. So as I read these two books that highlighted the simplicity that truly changes life I thought about how I could learn to be more like them. How can my choices reflect a different approach? What can I do to let go of the control I would like to have over the things in my life and simply be present in the moments God gives me?

As a community the challenge to live simply calls us to honesty, trust, and intentionality which sounds easy but often takes a lot of work. To be honest we must push beyond the boundaries of niceness to true care for the other. To trust we must move past our history of hurts and times when trust was not warranted and try again. To be intentional we must move out of making decisions as they come and choose ahead of time the limits and directions that we want to follow in our living.

We are starting in a new direction...
What things will you continue?
How will you seek to change as we move together towards the new vision?
What choices will we make to create a community that is creative, hospitable, relational, intentional, sustainable, and transformational?

What if you changed your name?

Today some friends of mine are welcoming their daughter into the world, and will finally be able to tell people her name. They decided on a name a while back but decided to wait until the baby was here and named before sharing it with anyone. I thought it was interesting to not tell the name but I understood their reasoning...everyone has an opinion about names because they have meaning. It is important when picking a name to think about possible nicknames, the way the first and last name sound together, how hard will it be to get other people to pronounce it correctly, will a child be able to spell it, etc. Not to mention that names usually have meanings attached to them and in my experience many people's name define more that just what they are called but who they are.

So as I look toward the future of this growing congregation and community, I wonder what our name should be? What will define us as an creative, hospitable, relational, intentional, sustainable, and transformational community? What name will tell people that all are welcome to belong and serve?

It is very similar to welcoming a new human being to the world...we begin from the very start to create an identity that will grow with us into the community that we are becoming and hopefully always finding ways that honor the love of God that calls us into community and that sends us out in service to love the world!

Here's to claiming an identity that honors our past, speaks to our present and sets us up for God's amazing future!

“To cultivate a garden is to walk with God”--Christian Nevell Bovee

Have you ever noticed that all stories begin "in media res" (in the middle of things)? I remember being in high school and learning about the literary function of starting a story in the midst of activities and the lives of the characters. This story begins in a garden. We have about 5 1/2 acres of land which we decided to till up and invite our neighbors to plant vegetable gardens. Just so you know I am by no means an avid gardener (at least I wasn't) but I am an avid supporter of community. In the suburbs it is hard to find places for community to gather and grow. As we looked at our location it was clear that we could offer space to our neighbors to come and be present with one another. I have enjoyed learning about the garden and have been particularly amazed at the things i have learned about God in the Garden. With gardens there is an amazing amount of work to do and even when it is all done, the fate of the seeds is up to the grace of God. The art of cultivation has instilled in me the need for patience, joy in the small things and gratitude above all! God is actively motivating us to take risks, to plant seeds, water and care for small things whose outcomes are yet unknown...and every step of the way we are reminded that things are growing into what they are meant to be!

Cultivation is a spiritual discipline because it takes times, attention and patience to continue weeding and working without demonstrative produce, but then again who says a sprout isn't produce. As this story unfolds I anticipate that it is our perception of things that will shift because God is working here and will continue to work. It is our ability to see and understand that I believe shifts as we grow into the vision and mission of God for us and the world.

We are beginning now to realize the vision of being Grounded in Christ, Planted in Community and Growing through Service!

Like my experience with the garden I am always trying to learn how to do a better job, to authentically follow in the footsteps of Jesus and to honor the life that God gives as the harvest comes in!