On Wednesday evening, the Adult Faith Lab group set off on a Lent project: writing a faith story. Guided by Britta Levenhagen, we began by plotting a timeline of our life and looking for themes or a story to focus on. The writing commences and in a few weeks we will share them with each other!
Trinity naturally found its place on my timeline. In the margin, I wrote: “This is where I came to truly understand the theology of the Body of Christ and what it means to move as one body.”
That is what you have done over the past eight years. You have learned to move as a body, unified, shoulder-to-shoulder, one voice composed of many.
Not group think. Not monolithic.
Instead, we have clarified our shared priorities and learned to celebrate our diverse gifts and interests without begrudging our differences.
For example, you are well on the way to building your third tiny house! And you mobilized Stillwater to support the Emergency Housing Services Building in your town. You care about housing your neighbors!
And someone says, I love that we are building tiny homes and sheltering those experiencing homelessness! I work to support music ministry because worship lifts me up and equips me for life as a Jesusian in the world and I want to be sure that marvelous choir has everything they need.
And someone says, I love that we have a great choir at Trinity! Me? I worship at 11 but I love that we have a great choir, because it draws new people and allows us to have such a powerful Good Friday. I support youth ministry because when the youth got back from Puerto Rico, they started a youth group with the support of Pastor Peter and some adults. And they are building relationships and growing in faith together.
And someone says, I love that youth are flourishing at Trinity! Personally, I never even had kids, but youth give life to the whole community, and I am excited to know that they are engaged and serving God. I support the Sunshine Ministry because I love that our older members get cards and flowers on their birthday to celebrate and give thanks for their wisdom and love. They are precious!
And someone says, I love that we get cards and flowers on our birthdays because it keeps me tied to the body of Christ in a tangible way! I support Trinity by having my daughter get me signed up for automated giving so that my money supports everything that Trinity does. Because we ARE the body of Christ, and we are one people in many expressions, and we listen to each other and celebrate what excites each other.
And so it goes. We support ministries that we love with time, energy, faith, and money. And we support what gives life to each other so that we can live together as one body.
Trinity, ALL of this, every bit of it and the dozens of other ways we love each other is BECAUSE GOD FIRST LOVED US. That, Trinity, is what you have done. That is what God has done in you.
What an absolute privilege it is to be on this journey with you.
Thanks be to God!
Pastor Chris
