When I think ahead to what I hope for as a result of this extended process of discernment, I think alignment is near the top of the list. And when I say that now, I'm aware that it sounds so horribly boring, but just below the surface lies real excitement.
I get the chance pretty often to sit down with volunteer and staff leaders in our congregation to work on various teams trying to accomplish various tasks. All of these teams are wonderful and all of these tasks are good, but more and more I find myself asking how they are related to one another or to any larger unifying goal. In our church community, we are doing lots of generally good Christian things, and we are doing a basically wise and intelligent job running a fairly large and complicated organization. There's really quite a bit to feel good about.
But we could be doing a lot better.
We could be doing a lot better if we were acting more in concert with one another. I can just imagine if our children's ministry department and our student ministries and our worship planners and our missions leaders, to name just a few, all had learned to dream the same dream and pursue the same mission - each, of course, according to their own gifts and tasks. Our teams would be healthier, our energies would be higher, and our fruitfulness would be greater. I know I want to see that happen, and I really think that God wants to see that happen.
It's possible that I'm exciting about the possibility of greater alignment among the ministries of our church just because I'm an over-organized, control freak (really, it is possible...), but it's also because the opportunities are so great. God has equipped First Lutheran with an embarrassment of riches (of all kinds), and if we harnessed our potential and aimed it in one consistent direction - there's no telling what God could do in us.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
In keeping with the spirit of alignment--
Our family has been attending FLC for about a year, although the spouse grew up in the church in the 1970s-1980s. We have 2 kids; one of them has high functioning autism. We have found the FLC community to be nothing but open and welcoming.
I mention this because I have been following with interest the news from northern MN--specifically, the story of the family with the 13-year-old with autism who was served by their church with a restraining order. I am not going to go into this story in detail here, only to say that God's grace could be used by everyone involved, I think. My heart breaks for the family, as well as the church.
This story has had me thinking about our church, and a comment that Pastor Angie made one Sunday about how God equips those who are chosen; He doesn't just choose those who are equipped. What ministries does FLC currently have for persons with disabilities and their families? If this story has had me thinking for so long, perhaps these thoughts should be converted into action, but how, and with whom? And, is there a need?
Hey mamadoc. Thanks for keeping up with the conversation online. And thanks for helping us to think about people with disabilities. We have taken some steps recently to improve our building's accessibility, but as of yet, I don't think we have any ministry programs targeted specifically for persons with disabilities.
This is a message from another member of First Lutheran:
"Do you know about Camp Knutson at Cross Lake, MN which is a camp specifically for children who would not be accepted at other camps. They have one or more weeks each summer for autistic children. They provide one on one counselors for autistic children.
They also have camps for Down Syndrome children, children with major heart problems (with cardiologists on staff who donate their time), children with severe skin disease, etc. A wonderful place operated in connection with Lutheran Social Service of MN.
It's funny you mention Camp Knutson. That's the very camp our son is going to in August through the Autism Society of MN. I had no idea they were also affiliated with LSS.
Our son is in an "interesting" place -- on one hand, when he goes to camp for kids with autism, we get asked by the counselors why he was there, and are informed that he's a great role model for the other kids. On the other, we enroll him in activities for neurotypical kids and get questions about his "differences." In short, he's a bit in limbo, at least right now. But, he's happy, and that's the main thing.
We feel incredibly blessed and honored to be our son's parents, and know there are families out there that may be struggling with disability, so if there is a way for us to give back, to share some of God's grace with those who need it the most, we would like to do so.
Post a Comment