On Sunday, we heard the story of Abraham and Sarah, the promise of descendants and the eventual birth of Isaac. When we back up to the beginning of their story, we hear a big challenge. After a genealogy tracing the descendants of Shem (Noah’s son), God breaks into the story by speaking to Abram. (Abram’s name had not yet been changed to Abraham.) We first meet Abraham when God speaks to him, saying “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:1-3)
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Photo by Katie Moum on Unsplash
To me, the most amazing part is the next verse, “So Abram went” (Genesis 12:4). Abram had no idea where the Lord would lead him, yet he went. There is no questioning recorded, no deep conversation or quarrel between Abram and Sarai, just that Abram went (and the assumption that means Sarai went with him). Risen Lord Lutheran Church is on a journey of redevelopment that feels like this journey on which God sent Abram. We are called to go, but don’t know where that is or what exactly that will look like. But we do know that God goes with us and wants to use us to bless the world. As we are on this journey, we have taken many twists and turns. One of the areas that we have been working on for the last year or so has been the leadership and governing structures of Risen Lord. Soon after I was called to serve as pastor, we began looking at our leadership and realized that we expected to elect or appoint a large number of leaders for various positions that we could not support. This led us to asking those who served on church council to also fill some of the deacon functions. While this has helped in some ways, we also struggled with finding members who would serve on church council for 2019. For the last nine months, we have had two vacant positions on the council. Recently, Karon Harris stepped off of council in order to be able to pursue other areas that she feels more called to serve in including the monthly Lunch and Learn gatherings and looking into other ways of outreach. Lynn Gordon also resigned his position as council member and treasurer because of his move to Toledo. At our last council meeting, we appointed John Schilling to fill Lynn’s spot on council and as treasurer. The council has also asked the elders to serve as part of the council. Right now, our structures are changing as part of this journey. We are not sure where God is calling us, but just that we have been called to go and to live into something new that God is creating in our midst. During this time of transition, we ask that you hold the leaders of Risen Lord in prayer including the council, the elders and the redevelopment team, including Bill Hart, Cara Ruble, Charla Simons, Chris Schultz, Ginny Lucaites, Jerry Slater, Joan Estes, John Schilling, Linda Goers, Pam Long and Sam Fritz. We also ask that you consider how you can help serve in this time of transition - are you called to serve on one of our leadership bodies? Are you called to help manage facilities, coordinate hospitality or teach others? How is God calling you to be part? I am always happy to talk to you as you seek to discern how God can use your gifts as we seek to serve the world. In all that we do to make our congregation stronger, we do in order to engage in God’s mission in the world - and I know we are each called to be part. In the abiding hope of the Risen Lord, Pastor Lecia