Dear friends...
In late January 2015, (Friday Jan 30 to Sunday Feb 1 to be
exact) Christ The Way Church - a new church in Manchester NH, will retreat
together. Really this is a leadership retreat, as the small group that
currently gathers are all leaders, each of us in our own style, gifting,
perspectives and strengths. This is no surprise since the Holy Spirit,
inspiring Peter writes for us: "But you
are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special
possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of
darkness into his wonderful light".( 1 Peter 2:9, NIV)
So our theology of church includes the
idea that we are each priests before God - each of us directly 'in-breathed' by
God, and so each of us the expectation that God is speaking to us, in-spiring
us to live out His will in our individual life and in our collective shared
life as a church. Wow! As your pastor, then, my role is not to
conjure up a vision for us as a church, but to listen to what the Holy Spirit
Himself is saying on and through each of us - to discern the 'sweet agreement'
between us. I anticipate that each of us will have a different view of
our church, a different dream, because we are different members of
the same body. To use a New Testament simile, (read 1 Corinthians chapter
12 at this point) the foot will have a different perspective than the eye or
the ear. Each is valid and necessary. The vision for our little church
will emerge as we all contribute and help to refine the collective vision.
If God is in our retreat, we can expect a gracious consensus.
Note that all Christians do not agree
this on. There are some beloved brothers and sisters that expect pastoral
leadership to be dictatorial - like Moses coming down the mountain. That
may be, in some cases. Church history teaches us that in times of social
crisis, God often works with a fiery prophet. But not all fiery prophets
are from God, and moreover it is normative for God to work through gracious
consensus. So that is my expectation. We shall see!
So here is my first question to get your
minds thinking together, and to get out hearts opened to God in prayerful, hopeful,
optimistic and joyful expectation:
When you think of
Christ The Way church - your church, our church, God's church, what do you hope
for?
- for the next 3 months?
- for the next 12 months?
- for the next 3 years?
Please
don't let your thought fall away. Write down now - on a precious scrap of
paper, on an email, wherever, what you are thinking. Just write down the
key words if there isn't time to write out whole sentences. Please email me to let me know. I
will gather and share amongst us. If you want to write to me in
confidence do.
Blessings to each of
you. God has given me a sharp love for each of you. I carry you in
my hearts and lift you in my prayers.
Pastor Eddy
