Hey everyone! Is was great to hang out with so many of you on Sunday. I wanted to send this email to address a few things that have been on my heart since Sunday.
1) I wanted to build everyone up. What you all are doing here in this community is revealing you to be special people.
It's not a small thing to be comitted to a group/community/"church" that requires so much from you. Here there isn't some organization doing all the hard stuff for you. You all are making sacrifices to be a part of something you believe in! Looking "for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God" (hebrews 11:8-12... spoken of Abraham, look it up, its very applicable to you). You all are Pioneers, in a world built for the comfort minded.
There are few who are willing to sacrifice comfort for responsibility. It's too easy to justify comfort and explain away obedience.
So, if means anything to you, I for one am proud of you... and I'm pretty sure Someone else is too!
2) So, our journey together as a community, so far, has not necessarily been easy! At least not for me ;) The journey (as pioneers) has required us to leave behind some things that made life easier and embrace a lifestyle that sometimes isn't easy at all. But that's what pioneers do!
Something I want to emphasize again, is that people are always more important than our program/plans. Sometimes that truth requires us to leave plans behind for the sake of an individual, and sometimes put our "program" on hold when a person has a need. But other times it means that we need to have a bit more structure in order to consider one another.
I think in this instance what is needed is a bit of the second one. I am feeling that, as a group, when we meet on Sunday mornings we need to come together considering one another. Hebrews 10:24... let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.
In our group, I think considering one another would be: coming together at a specific time, early enough that the kids aren't starving by the time we're ready for lunch, and promptly enough that all the effort the moms have done to get the kids ready and there isn't wasted.
It may take a bit of sacrifice from the rest of us, as free individuals, to limit that freedom for the good of the group, but isn't that what being like Christ is all about... Philippians 2:1-11.
So, unless there's any objection let's get started this Sunday @ 10am. (its a bit earlier, and if we start on time that should give us plenty of time).
But again, let's all keep in mind that things happen, and if we need to change our plans to show love and compassion (like Jesus did all the time) then we will! People are always more important than our programs!
This brings up something else... This last week, we had a time when the kids had a Bible story and craft. And it was great... they loved it, and it allowed us to have a great discussion as grown ups too. Some of you have been waiting for a while for this, so thanks for being patient!
Here are some of the particulars of how it will work:
-when its time for the kids to have their time (usually after we have worship and prayer together) they can go to the back rooms.
-we'll put up a little gate in the back so the little ones don't run into the street or whatever.
-they will be in the same chapter that we are each week.
-at first my mom (sherry) will help us figure out how to do it.
-we'll need to have a rotation of grown ups to help (at first with Sherry, then on their own too)... anyone want to help organize that?
-just like 30 mins or so? Suggestions
-the parents are still ultimately responsible for their own youngsters.
Something to keep in mind: this is not us separating the kids from the grownups until after college. The goal is that the kids would be integrated into the body as soon they are able...6,7,8,9,10, as soon as they're mature enough to refrain from throwing rocks or whatever!
I'll put an article up on the blog that help with the vision for how children can be a part of a group... for a little paradigm change! I hope I haven't given you too much in one email! Let me know of you have any questions or comments about all of this... I hope it all made sense to everyone.
peace,
-cory
P.s. i'll be sending another email soon with some of the vision that I believe the Lord has for our community.
