Sunday, September 21 is the International Day of Prayer for Peace, and we'll join with sisters and brothers from United Methodist Churches and other congregations and religious groups in praying for world peace. The day coincides with the U.N. International Day of Peace, established by the United Nations in 1981, and is an initiative of the World Council of Churches' Decade to Overcome Violence. An ever-expanding number of people worldwide, representing a wide variety of religious and spiritual traditions, have committed to the task of working with other like-minded individuals and groups for an International Day of Peace Vigil with the following objective: "to encourage worldwide, 24-hour spiritual observations for peace and nonviolence on the International Day of Peace, 21 September, in every house of worship and place of spiritual practice, by all religious and spiritually based groups and individuals, and by all men, women and children who seek peace in the world."
Will you spend some time on Sunday, wherever you are, praying for peace? To learn more about the International Day of Peace, visit www.idpvigil.com.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Moving Forward
We are moving forward, and everything would suggest that we are on track for a closing date of October 3! We expect that soon, by God's grace, we'll have a new home for worship and ministry at 185 High Street!
Let's remember, though, that this not about getting
settled in a new building. God doesn't call us to be settled. God calls us to mission and ministry where there are hurting people, and where there are people who do not know the love of God made known in Jesus Christ. As you know, we have been very intentional and prayerful about where we locate so that our ministry is incarnational -- literally moving into the neighborhood and providing this space as a gift to the neighborhood. We've also been proactive about establishing partnerships with two other churches in the neighborhood, so that we've already begun to collaborate (and to imagine future opportunities for collaboration) on ministry among the poor and marginalized in Parkside neighborhood before we even arrive, and with the Parkside Neighborhood Center - all of whom are thrilled that we're coming and excited about possibilities for serving together.
But we must be just as careful and prayerful as we prepare to move into this new facility, because if we're not intentional about a new vision for ministry and mission, we could easily settle back into old patterns, and this could actually take us backward and inward rather than forward and outward. Instead, let's move forward thinking about this new home as a stopping point and a launching pad for ministry, not a final resting place.
Just a few things to think about as excitement builds...
In Christ's love,
Allen & Sara
Let's remember, though, that this not about getting
settled in a new building. God doesn't call us to be settled. God calls us to mission and ministry where there are hurting people, and where there are people who do not know the love of God made known in Jesus Christ. As you know, we have been very intentional and prayerful about where we locate so that our ministry is incarnational -- literally moving into the neighborhood and providing this space as a gift to the neighborhood. We've also been proactive about establishing partnerships with two other churches in the neighborhood, so that we've already begun to collaborate (and to imagine future opportunities for collaboration) on ministry among the poor and marginalized in Parkside neighborhood before we even arrive, and with the Parkside Neighborhood Center - all of whom are thrilled that we're coming and excited about possibilities for serving together.
But we must be just as careful and prayerful as we prepare to move into this new facility, because if we're not intentional about a new vision for ministry and mission, we could easily settle back into old patterns, and this could actually take us backward and inward rather than forward and outward. Instead, let's move forward thinking about this new home as a stopping point and a launching pad for ministry, not a final resting place.
Just a few things to think about as excitement builds...
In Christ's love,
Allen & Sara
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