In order to understand what our future looks like, what our vision is for the next 20 years that will take us to our 75th anniversary in 2040, we must look back.
First, we look to Jesus, who gave his church a mission that will guide and inform any vision to which we would give ourselves. Just before Jesus ascended into heaven, he gave his followers this GREAT COMMISSION…
She was looking at my face, trying to find assurance that everything is going to be O.K. She had been looking at the comments from her friends on the news feed on her phone that were escalating a rhetoric of war, she wanted to know what was true. Not long after this our nineteen-year-old son asked about how the draft works and made statements about not wanting to die on a battlefield.
I am determined not to lose my grip on Jesus as we walk through the Christmas season. There are so many distractions for all of us… with gifts to buy, meals to cook, family drama to navigate and for some of us, travel.
C.S. Lewis, known also as Jack, grew up in Northern Ireland in the early part of the last century. After moving to England, he enjoyed returning to Northern Ireland visiting the Murlough house by the sea on his vacations. Last year I had the privilege of staying at Murlough during my pilgrimage to Ireland.
Last Sunday we had a panel discussion on how we relate to our boss and other employees at our workplace. With our five panelists we discussed a number of questions related to 1 Timothy 6, and other verses in the New Testament that talk about slavery, and how to deal with in the workplace.
For centuries the Christian church has celebrated All Saints Day on November 1st. It is a celebration of the saints to honor them for setting an example for us to follow in our faith. It was originally All Hallow’s Day or Hallowmas… meaning the holy feast, a mass given to honor the holy ones, a holy day on the calendar. The celebration would start on October 31st in the evening with the vespers service. In celebrating this feast day, the church has celebrated a spiritual bond between those in heaven (sometimes called the “Church triumphant”) and the living (the “Church militant”).
She described trying to get her two 100 pound dogs in the car and losing her husband just prior to the fire as well. The trauma that this new friend of mine has experienced continues to wash over her almost a year later.
I didn’t even get a chance to fully describe what will be happening at the event. She knows she needs to work through more of this excruciating pain. It is so healthy that this woman is acknowledging her grief, pain and how overwhelmed she is with even the smallest of tasks.
Forty years ago, as a family attending Neighborhood Church, we were encouraged to host international students from Chico State for dinner. A handful of times I remember sitting with my little sister and parents around the table for a meal with these students, and even though it was hard to understand them at times, I was very curious about the world, other nations and cultures that I would listen intently as they talked.
In my mind’s eye, Jesus was stacking up all of my prayer items like someone who works at the return’s desk on December 26th. I didn’t imagine Jesus being put out by this truckload of problems and questions I was bringing him. When I looked at his face, he seemed to be grinning at me from ear to ear, clearly he was reminding me that where I might see things as hopeless, he carries hope in every situation.
As we strive to empower women in leadership positions, sometimes it’s helpful to look back at where our movement has set a good example for us to follow.