The God who is near – Immanuel – is “God with us” even after the Christmas decorations are put away for another 11 months. Thankfully, we serve a God who is near … all year long! We serve a God who proclaims nearness to the brokenhearted, the poor in spirit, “the needy, the widow, the orphan and the refugee” of which the prophets speak continually. This God who is near to all, has been near to us - bringing us to this new place with a clear call. Often accompanying that call, we have sensed a blank slate from which to read what God specifically wants us to do. For a couple like us who is deeply pragmatic and plans - blank slates, open doors and new paths can be challenging. Not filling God’s slate with our agenda or expectations is challenging. So we are present, experimenting with new things and learning our neighborhood as we go!
We continue to look to God, God’s Word, and to each other, grateful to hear encouragement we find in God’s words, and from friends near and far. In the local community, we sense growing understanding of the challenges and opportunities around us. For those of you who pray for us regularly, thank you and please continue. We need your prayer support to continue to strengthen us on this path.
“Then with one heart and one mind you may glorify your Father in heaven!”
Our denomination begins every year with a week of fasting and prayer. As a family, we have engaged these devotions that were written by the National Director and each of the regional bishops. This year the devotions have focused on vision – clear vision to see God’s ways along with examples from Scripture demonstrating that God sees us. The first example was Hagar, the first person in Scripture recorded as giving a name to God – “The God who sees me”!
Our questions of vision and being seen…
We feel invisible at a level. To go from a place where I, Drew, was serving people who knew me on a daily basis, where I led groups of leaders and taught up front every couple months, where almost everyone knew my name – to a place where the very people we hope to communicate God’s lifegiving truth to, do not yet know even our names. It can be daunting. We wonder if we are doing enough…or too much…do we try this or that method of reaching people…Do we trust God to bring the right people to us in God’s perfect timing? Or do we plan and develop an event or activity in hopes to make something happen?
God’s response…
Frankly, a lot of silence, punctuated by bright moments of truly sensing we are seen and deeply loved. At the turn of the year, one of the 4 of us shared a verse during a time of family worship: Romans 15:13. Millyellen and I recalled how God gave us that verse 9 years ago when we lived in Oregon before. We realized the cyclical nature of God’s call. Truths from before return to our vision with deeper focus from the lived experience of nearly a decade. We reflected on the example of Sarai, Abram and Hagar…Sarai tries a shortcut to force God’s promise to fulfillment and establishes an enemy people to the one God was preparing to establish through she and Abram.
We choose not to force!
We pray. We walk. We see. We listen. We greet. We offer…in expectation!
We do not think there is a perfect formula or a single right answer for the way forward. We realize from wise teachers, that being present means being still a lot of the time, taking time to develop deep roots that will sustain us in this many-year journey of church planting in Oregon. We trust that if we are present and connect as we are able and remain, that God will bring forth fruit in God’s time. We realize that church planting in post-Christian soil is a different experience than it was in years past – or at least, we are recognizing different nuances to the process now. Different skills are required for this time and place. And God will continue to develop in us what is needed for the paths ahead…In. God’s. Time.
God has given us a vision for…
Thankfully, God has given us a vision for our community, and more specifically, for our neighborhood. The specific steps are not clear, but the lifegiving outcome of a thriving community that includes a unique expression of God’s church is clear. Peace City Church has been officially acknowledged as a church plant by the Brethren in Christ US denomination. We received our annual report forms inquiring of assets and liabilities (answer to both is $0). Number of average attenders is 4! And I imagine one of the highest percentages of participation in discipleship groups of any church in the country: 100%!!! Yes, we see the wry humor in this, just as we hold fast to Zechariah’s prophetic words: “Do not disdain the day of small things.” (4:10) A fascinating passage wrenched from context for this purpose, but one that demonstrates God’s ways and therefore, remains applicable for us in our time. And on the very night we engaged those forms as a church/family, we received in the mail a thoughtful Peace City Church sign from dear friends, a testimony that we are indeed seen by God and supported by the prayers of others.
Pray with us and for us as we: pray and walk and see and listen and offer and wait…expectantly!
Pray for Peace City Church in Salem, Oregon to be joined by people of peace in our neighborhood who seek a multi-cultural expression of church in the Brethren in Christ family. Pray for neighbors to have open hearts to God’s call to join whatever it is that God grows from this fertile soil.
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