Ephphatha

well, it has been a really long time since i have even been to my own blog, but i figured this morning was as good as any to write something. life has been amazing lately. over the last three days i was at the synod assembly, and Advent was organized and recognized in front of the assembly. our final charter signing was around 180 people- it was an incredible blessing and twenty seven of our saints made the three hour plus trip down to lansing to take part in the event. also, at this years assembly we elected a new bishop- my current boss- John Schleicher was elected, on the last ballot, by one vote! it was pretty intense and exciting. so one would think, with all of that fun stuff, and the excitement of being organized, and with new people coming through our doors every week, with over twenty baptisms this passed year i would be on cloud nine- right? well...i am very excited at what god is doing- for sure, but as i sat last night just thinking i felt empty, what next god, where now, what can we do now to stir the same excitement as organization. is it a new building- perhaps as we need one really bad... maybe it is something else- i just don't know. anyway, in the midst of this mini moment of distress and emptiness i placed a call to the one and only pditty and she, as normal was able to put things in perspective for me. she commented that perhaps in some weird way this is a period of grief- going from the existence of a congregation under development to now, an organized congregation means change. roles change, energy changes, support changes some- which also creates some good tension, and i may be responding to this. she also pointed out how since this little shin-dig started (my call began august of 2005) there has been no natural time to rest because it has grown so fast, and faster than any of us were anticipating- therefore now i need to find that rest. who knows, i continue to hope that god shows me where i must go, how i should lead, and try to stay out of the way of the spirit's movement. if any of you read this, please do pray for advent, to continue to be energized by the spirits movement as we try to vision and figure out where next god. i wonder, and have picked the brain of many of my colleagues in development about whether or not it is possible to keep the feeling that is so present now alive as we grow- i have to believe it is, but many seem to think not. am i just too much of an optimist- i don't know- but with pentecost coming up i gotta belive that the spirit can still keep stirring even in the middle of no where michigan. what do you think?


on a personal note- the kids are great, and a's work is going well at the therapy office she is at.


until later...i have to go lead a bible study

jg

Labels: church, ministry