Reflecting on this Moving Into New Territory Sermon Series I find myself thinking about some of the Ebenezer stones of our church body and what they mean to me. There are some amazing ways I’ve seen God go before and provide and move. I’ve seen his people fall down, worship, listen and obey as we’ve moved into new territory over the years. Let me give thanks with you for just a few.
Eight years ago we moved into new territory by inviting the congregation to gift a bit differently with an Alternative Christmas Gift Fair. We invited you to give friends and family donations in their honor to ministries that invest in development and evangelism all over the world. It’s my favorite Christmas tradition and has become that of many of you as well. What does this stone mean? Every alternative gift purchased and given is a step into the territory a less commercial and more meaningful Christmas celebration. It’s leaning into the ideals of the Advent Conspiracy movement: Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More and Love All. To me it means a bit less conformity to the pattern of this world and a bit more transformation and renewing of our minds.
In 2008 a few women in our church lead us into some new territory of ministry to and with the community around our church. It started with a Food Box Give Away in December that helped families with meals over the Christmas school break. Then came monthly dinners in partnership with Bethany Inner City Church. And out of that partnership what we now call City Bible Camp grew and more partners were added: Hope Now for Youth, On Ramps Covenant Church, Youth for Christ, and World Impact. Then came the Come & Dine Thanksgiving meal at Dickey Park. Now in its third year, spearheaded by On Ramps and including all of the above mentioned partners. What do these stones mean? They mean God keeps showing us new ways of engaging with the community around our church. They mean the ties between the partners are growing in ways that honor Christ and help make him known as we are better together than any one part might be alone.
Last November we hosted the World Vision Experience Kisongo Trek. It was wonderfully attended and many of you were oh so faithful to volunteer to make it happen. We planned to have it here specifically on Art Hop the 1st Thursday of the month in hopes that Art Hoppers from the community at large might be drawn in to it. And some were. More importantly, I got this nudge from the Lord that increasing our participation in Art Hop could be another meaningful way to engage with our community. That’s why we now have an Art Hop Team that is working at securing artists every month, organizing refreshments for the venue (The Commons) as well as food vendors and live music in the parking lot. What do these stones mean? They mean we are listening and obeying. We aren’t quite sure what lies ahead as we move into this new territory, but we do know that we are seizing an opportunity and making an attempt to intersect with Art Hoppers and trusting God for what that intersection might accomplish for His sake.
I’m particularly excited about December’s Art Hop because it combines both the Alternative Christmas Gift Fair and Art Hop. The featured artists are all those FPC Young Artists who submitted entries into the Christmas Card Art Contest. Seven of those were made into the cards that are what you give when you give an alternative gift. Connected stones that mean God is at work and we get to join him in that work.
What Joy!
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