Church-- What It Really Looks Like

I got a glimpse of it recently.

CHURCH.

Not just because it was Pentecost Sunday. Not just because, well, hey-- I'm a pastor and work in a church building. But it was right there, where I least expected to see it, at:
                          Graduation Parties!


It's that time of year. Graduation. This year Trinity's graduating senior class is pretty big, and active. And so, the graduation invites came. I was happy to go, to see the homes of these seniors, to celebrate with them on this momentous time in their lives.


But, I didn't just see these 17 and 18 years olds, surrounded by memory books, lots of cake, tacos-in-a-bag, family, and friends... I saw... The Church. It happened, right there before my eyes.


What was it that I saw? Community. At each of the parties I attended, I expected to see family-- aunts, uncles, and grandmas-- helping host and serve. I even expected to see a couple of Trinity families who also have seniors. What I didn't expect, was how often I saw Trinity members helping their friends host these parties. I didn't expect to see them serving the bbq sandwiches, pouring the lemonade, and serving up the ice cream. I didn't expect that families who didn't have seniors (didn't even have teenagers, some of them!) would be there at these parties, but there they were alongside grandpa and Mr. Tandberg. I didn't expect to see so many underclassmen Trinity kids at these parties, but there they were playing boccee ball with the graduate's cousins. 


I saw what it looks like when the Body of Christ comes together in love to live joyfully with each other. "If one member is honored, all rejoice together with it." (1 Cor 12:26)  

It was... beautiful.  

I found myself feeling so proud to be a part of this community, to be a pastor to this community. Here were a group of people whose faith and commitment to each other were incredible signs of God's faithfulness and grace. 

It's a great day to be Church!

I Love You!

Coming in to work this morning, I saw the most beautiful thing. I saw that someone had made a snow angel in front of the steps leading up to our sanctuary. And they'd written in the snow: "I love you."

I love you.

If that wasn't the best evangelism campaign/ marketing slogan I'd ever seen for a church, I don't know what is!

From the voice of God the creator, and the choirs of angels, enter this place and you will hear a truth spoken so sweetly, that you are loved.

Some days...

... not every day, but some days I really LOVE my job!!

I had one of those days yesterday. In some ways, it was an ordinary Sunday. But maybe that's why it was so great.

The day began with a nice worship service. Transfiguration... usually it's not one of my favs, because let's be honest-- it's a little weird. Mountain top visions of dead guys, faces shining, mystery... But you know, Colin preached an excellent sermon. About looking for glimpses of God, about finding holy instants in the midst of our daily life. It was also First Communion Sunday for our 5th graders, and about 40 kids came up to the altar with handmade ceramic chalices to get a glimpse of God in a holy meal. Pretty cool.

Then, after worship I had a final planning meeting for a big Global Hunger Meal we're hosting on Ash Wednesday. It's a big undertaking, and there were moments when I was nervous about

everything coming together just right, but with everyone's great ideas coming together the last two weeks, I am confident it's going to be a terrific event. I am really looking forward to it.

After that, I headed over to the high school for the middle school production of "Once Upon a Mattress." One of our youth, an 8th grader, was telling me about the show a few weeks ago, and asked me to come. So of course I had to! In fact, there were about a dozen church youth in the show. And let me tell you-- it was AMAAAAZING! I've never seen such an incredible middle school production. I enjoyed watching our kids, and afterwards I gave lots of hugs and hi-fives to kids and parents. So cool. As I was leaving, I walked out with our Youth Ministry Director, and I said to her, "It's so awesome that this is our job!" Without missing a beat, she replied, "I know!"

Such a satisfying, lovely day at work. What a blessing...