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!
Friday, June 25, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
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?
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?
Sunday, June 6, 2010
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!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
“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!
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!
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