What a thrill it was on Sunday to see almost every person who was in worship walk across the lawn to meet for the first time with their Community Group! All the rooms were buzzing with activity as people made connections, sometimes for the first time. Well done, church, for taking that trek across the lawn! We've arrived together at the start of a grand summer adventure. I'm excited to see it happen all over again this Sunday. As Paul writes in Philippians, "There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you will bring it to a flourishing finish on the day Christ Jesus appears."
Summer is the time for potlucks, and potlucks always seem to include some kind of Jell-O. Have you ever tried to serve Jell-O right after it's made? It's a watery mess. Even "instant" pudding isn't instant, no matter what the package says! Both dishes need some time to gel and firm up so they can hold their shape. Christian community takes time to gel, too. Whatever you enjoyed, or maybe were less excited about, in your first day of Community Group, we want to encourage everyone to keep coming each time your group gathers. With consistency and prayer and time, our groups will "gel". Being there every week will give us time to keep building relationships, explore each area's resources and possible needs, and collaborate to plan an end-of-summer Community Group event out in each area of our community. Every group will plan something different, and that's one of the things I'm most looking forward to about this process. I'm betting you all will be creative, and I can't wait to see what each group comes up with. There are as many possibilities as there are potlucks and recipes for Jell-O! Together, let's keep investing in, and praying for, this exciting adventure.
Blessings,
Pastor Lana
P.S. Be on the lookout for information about the July 6 potluck. We're assigning dishes according to Community Groups rather than by alphabet, so you might be bringing something different than your usually-designated dish. Like I said...it's an adventure!
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