Lessons in Change AND Staying the Course
By: Val Sachs
“It is only because he became like us, that we can become like him.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer from “The Cost of Discipleship”
It’s January again. Thoughts turn to resolutions and new directions. This time last year, a FOUNDRY article ran about our resolutions for 2014. With God’s help, many of our hopes were realized. Our congregation continues to grow and new families are committing themselves to weekly worship attendance. FOUNDRY members are rising to leadership positions -- actively pursuing ways they can be involved in ministry. We now have prayer leaders, new musicians, Sunday morning assistants and graphics/marketing specialists on our team. These, who have answered God’s call to service, are powerful examples to the rest of the community of faith in action.
So, do we resolve to make changes in this new year? The Bonhoeffer quote above is a good reminder that being like Christ is an ever-present goal – thank God, with an ever-present example. “Becoming” is active….something we resolve to do every day. In that light, FOUNDRY continues to hold its programs and activities up to the criteria, “Does this further the Kingdom of God in our community?” As FOUNDRY makes decisions about Movie Nights, planning worship, working with the El Faro Border Church or serving with programs like Habitat for Humanity…we resolve to hold those decisions up to the measuring bar of imitating Christ.
Yes, some things will change this year. As we prayerfully go in to 2015 however, it looks like FOUNDRY will also stay the course in many ways.
- “Church” will continue to transcend the four walls at Harold Place. Our first activity of the New Year was Sunday morning worship on January 4. The second activity was Faith on Tap at EastLake Tavern+Bowl. Here, people who might not feel comfortable at a Sunday morning worship service could get to know Pastor Christian; talk about their lives and even bowl a few games!
- Two years ago, we hosted a wonderful evening of remembrance and tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. featuring Nate Jarrell and his band. Last Sunday, we reprised this event with musical guest Chris Duvall and his band The Village Squares. It was a wonderful evening and a great reminder of Dr. King’s message that God’s love encompasses all.
- We will continue to build small groups where people can discuss spiritual matters in a community of love, support and prayerfulness. Our first opportunity will be with a two-part small discovery group on Friedrich Bonhoeffer, January 21 and 28. We will watch the movie about this controversial theologian whose pacifistic views were challenged when Adolf Hitler came to power and discuss what a Christian’s response should be when faced with true evil.
- The Bonhoeffer January group will be a jumping off point for other small groups during the Lenten season when we focus on The God We Can Know: Exploring the I AM Statements of Jesus.
- Community service continues to be in FOUNDRY’s DNA. On January 30, a FOUNDRY team will work at a new home build in Imperial Beach with Habitat for Humanity. One of the past participants told us that every time he drives down the freeway, he can see the roof of the home he worked on. “I imagine the family,” he said “that previously had no place to live, that now calls that place home.”
Because Jesus became like us and walked among us, we truly are able to become more like him. We don’t have to guess his ways; only follow his example. That is FOUNDRY’s vision for 2015. We pray God’s grace to determine when to change; when to stay the course; and when to simply be still and listen.