Moving From Chaos to Hope

Moving From Chaos to Hope

            This past fall, I was on my trip around the country and met a pastor who served a church in the Mid-West whom I will call Steve.  We had lunch together, and he told me his story.  He was from Florida, serving churches there and doing very well.  He loved the area.  His wife was a college professor, and was offered a job in the mid-west to teach at a large University.  To accommodate her job, he relocated with her and pastored a smaller rural church while she commuted to a very different setting in the city.  They had two small girls.

            One day, his wife told him she was leaving him.  There was clearly more to the story but he had the decency to stop there, and wouldn’t say anything negative about his soon to be ex-wife.  He went on then to tell me about the next few days after she dropped the news.  While he was left trying to figure out how to take care of these two little girls, the growing church he was leading experienced a major fire in their sanctuary and other areas.  He took me on a tour of the church.  Everything was still in chaos.  Offices were scattered.  Workmen and tools were everywhere.  The beautiful but old sanctuary was a mess, in between disrepair and repair. 

            And yet, I was amazed by his demeanor.  I followed him on Facebook after I left.  He would ask folks how to put on Halloween costumes, how to do this or that with little girls, all clearly new territory to him.  Before I left, I took this picture of the sign Steve had just put up on the front of his church:

 

            I left this small town and church amazed at the sense of humor, but more importantly, the power that this pastor had found.  Specifically, he found a God who offered hope in midst of chaos.  When strong foundations like family and church crumbled (in a sense), he was able to hold on to something stronger that held him through the storm.

            This weekend, we are going to remember this truth about our God.  He still does it.  God can move us from chaos to hope.  Let’s talk about this some more!  See you in worship!

Pastor Pete

Don't Forget, God Moves

Don’t Forget, God Moves

             This past fall, Lynn and I had the opportunity to travel to England together.  It was a marvelous time of touring and experiencing the wonder and traditions of Great Britain.  We followed the footsteps of John Wesley, enjoyed Piccadilly Circus, and celebrated the museums.  We also spent a good bit of time visiting Cathedrals such as St. Pauls, Westminster Abbey, Salisbury, and Canterbury. 

            The buildings are incredible.  Some of the cathedrals have been standing since the 13^th century.  It is humbling when you walk in and tour the structures.  The massive spires invite you to turn your gaze upward and put you in a place of worship as soon as you enter.  The old stone and time worn dates of important fixtures around you are a reminder that the church has been around for a very long time, and will be here long after we are gone.  There are such healthy and humbling reminders around buildings such as these as they speak to the permanence and non-changing nature of God and even of the church eternal.

            And yet, when you open the Scriptures and look at the stories of the people of God, of Jesus, of the early church, and of all the followers, it is clear that this is not the only image.  Again and again, we find that the church moves.  While we do hold to that foundation built on the rock and not on the sand, it is clear that the God of the Scriptures, when it comes to his people is simply not stagnant.  God moves.  Jesus moves.  The Spirit is in constant motion.  Apostles travel.  Churches are scattered.  In fact, it could be argued that movement is a key Biblical adjective that describes God’s ways with God’s people.

            This weekend, we are going to talk about this more.  So often, we see church as that cathedral, in that intense and fixed image.  There are good things in that impression.  But more often, the Scriptures offer movement as the more fitting picture of what it means to follow God.  Come join us in worship, and let’s take in a reminder that our God is not stagnant, but in the business of moving in our lives and moving in this world.  See you there!

In Christ,

Pastor Pete

             

Praying with Paul at our Grand Opening!

Praying with Paul at our Grand Opening!

            How do you pray for someone?  It seems like a reasonable question, one to which most of us respond daily.  Every week, here at Woodlake, we gather at our Wednesday night First Fruit service, and we pray individually for all the concerns that come in.  We pray for healing, hope and comfort in the midst of challenging times.  We offer our praise for the good things that God has sent our way.  All of that is good and right.

            I believe the Apostle Paul would do the same.  At the same time, this weekend, at our Grand Opening worship services, we are going to listen to another prayer that he offered.  He was praying for the Ephesian church (and us).  In this particular instance, he didn’t pray according to our typical routine.  Instead, he prayed that these early (and late) Christians would get it:

“I pray that you…may have power…to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ…that you may be filled to the measure with the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19)

            Paul knew that if the people within the body of Christ could simply understand the overwhelming volume of God’s love for them, they (and we) will be changed and empowered.  To use Paul’s words, we will be; “filled to the measure with the fullness of God.”

            In this world, where so many struggle to survive on a meager ration of love, I hope you will join me, and more importantly, Paul, with a similar prayer for our church.  This weekend is our Grand Opening.  We have invited many to join us.  Some will be familiar with the faith, and many, not so much.  Our prayer, as we work with this Scripture, is that all who gather this weekend will get it, that we are loved by a God who consummately desires to fill us with his fullness.  Paul knew that when this love pierces the hardest of hearts, lives are changed. 

            In addition to reminding you of the importance of your prayers this weekend, I also want to remind you that we expect to be very crowded.  As you know, many invitations (mail and personal) have gone out.  We were nearly at capacity at our 9:17 and 11:00 services last weekend.  So, this weekend may be a great time to check out our Connect and 8:00 services.  There will be room for you and your presence there will not only enhance those services but will also offer a comfortable opportunity for our guests to join us at 9:17 and 11:00.  We encourage you to be a part of the great worship there!

            I am looking forward to seeing you this weekend!

In Christ,

Pastor Pete