A Shelter In Open Places

More than three years ago now, we set out to explore church planting for ourselves, with no expectations except that God could form a group of followers into a community of meaning for our particular time and place.

During our first few years of gathering, we’ve been patient and diligent. We have been diligent about listening to God and following the steps laid out for us. For the longest time this has meant that we’ve been practicing our community faith in such a way that there’s been little evidence of activity. This is where patience comes in! It has been a challenge. Each of us in turn has had the chance to remind the group to be diligent in following through with our chosen way, or to be patient while waiting to see the fruits of our efforts. Go team!

Even better, our hopes that God would respond and lead us have been largely fulfilled. We have a confidence we wouldn’t have otherwise, and we are stronger for it. Our practice during this season has included, almost exclusively, a focused program of prayer and listening to God that has helped to bond us together, and strengthened us as individuals and as a community. Now, we are leaving this season of intense weekly prayer, and moving into a new season.

To lay a little groundwork for a description of what’s next, let me say that I, for one, set out on our journey with the confidence that if we listened to God and were patient and did what we were given to do, that God would “call” us in a way that matched us uniquely. And we have come to that place, where we get to say, “Ahh, yes! That feels right!” We feel like we can serve a unique and needed purpose in this area. It’s sweet to know where we get to stand, and I love how we got here. It feels to me like God has proven that he knows and loves us.

So where have we come to?

A gazebo is a place for rest.

Here’s a taste of some of the things we’re hearing from God about what we’re doing here.

These are images created by our youngest of a gazebo, which is a very unique kind of building … not a home, not church, not work, not a Starbucks. An in-between place. What’s it for? What happens there? Here’s one answer.

The chair in the picture below, inside of the Gazebo, is for anyone to sit in “whenever you need to. When you sit in this chair, it’s like you’re right in God.” Sounds nice.

 

This next picture of a table and chairs is all about “sitting and relaxing” according to the artist. Reminds me of something the Old Prophet Isaiah has said, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”

Check out that roof. That’ll be good in a storm.

 

 

Stay tuned …