As we make our way through these exciting times in the life of this congregation, I want to share with you my vision for the future. I read somewhere that the Chinese language’s rendering of the word we call “crisis” is a compound word/symbol: dangerous + opportunity. In the west, we are prone to see crisis as the result of a failed or ill-conceived plan– something to be avoided at all costs.

I want to suggest to you that, in the life of a church that is open to the leading of the Holy Spirit, crisis is a necessary and valuable companion. When we give in to our tendency to become complacent and revere the status quo a bit too much, the Holy Spirit offers us an opportunity to step out in faith and move in a different direction. The Spirit begs us to see, think, and act in ways that are both congruent with our faith history and a refreshing response to new opportunity.

As we seek together to define and follow the vision that we believe God has for us, I hope that you will pray that, as leaders and as a congregation, we will all risk being open to the wonderfully exciting, “dangerous opportunities” that lie ahead. The Session has undertaken a commitment to a series of goals and objectives that will, I believe, give us a chance to explore the many valuable ways that our congregation’s traditions serve as faithful witness to the gospel in this particular time and place, as well as to identify a plan for reaching out to those who hunger for grace, but have yet to identify themselves with our congregation’s worship or any of its small group ministries.

You will be hearing more about our pursuit of these endeavors in the near future. For now, I would ask your prayers and support for those who lead and those who would be led.

© 2006 Todd Jenkins