Circle of Hope

Our whole advent/12 days of Christmas at Broad and Washington is devoted to the thought of being “surprised by joy.” God manages to get to us in the most unusual ways and at the strangest times. I have been noticing Him doing that in relation to all the stimulating talk we are having about developing into a more capable church.

Thank God we did not hire the Pastor of Operations when we wanted to, last June! We weren’t ready. At the time, I was disappointed, but now I am surprised. We managed to fall into a very helpful transition period that I wish I would have planned! The Discernment Group process has reaffirmed how good this period has been for us as I see people catching up with what God has made of us and getting excited about the future. The creation of the CoHOp and several new teams has created all sorts of dialogue, called forth new leaders and awakened us to all our potential. It is very exciting.

As I have been pondering what we are becoming, I have been focused on three “A’s.” Anarchy. Ambition. Apprenticeship. I have been hearing a call for them as we have our dialogue about the future. Each “A” is full of the surprises that will mark our future joy, I think.

Anarchy is the way to our future. I don’t mean utter chaos, or dissatisfied people wrecking the status quo to make a point. But I do mean enough chaos and some holy dissatisfaction that gets people creating what’s next. Right now we are having a small discussion about how we care for children because our children’s cell at B/W needed to multiply! That caused logistical and relational shifts. It caused a Coordinator and our Children’s Team to lead. It got us thinking. That’s what we need.

Ambition is also the way to our future. I don’t mean Michael Douglas in Wall Street ambition. But I do mean being “greedy” for good deeds, for eternity, for making a difference. At the Discernment Group meeting the other night, one of the small groups suggested a goal that read something like, “Do compassionate service, with feeling this time.” That’s the spirit! We have so many gifts and talents. We have people who can lead things. We should imagine what we can do and risk what we’ve got to do it.

Apprenticeship is elemental to our path to the future. I don’t mean perpetually being second-in-command, or waiting for someone else to take the initiative or tell you what to do. I mean being people who apprentice others — primarily in faith, being people who help others become apprenticers, being people who freely give the good we’ve been given. We’re already kind of good at it — we have 43 cells with a leader and an apprentice. And we are getting even better. There is a whole cadre of 30-40 something people among us (not exclusively that age, of course) who are glowing on the Vine like ripe fruit, stepping into leadership. They are just ripe for the picking — either they will give their fruit to be mashed up in the economic machine, or they will find creative ways to extend the kingdom (even by using that economic machine! — thank you Circle Thrift and UndaWater!). They are going to make an even bigger difference and bring others with them.

I guess a fourth “A” is Advent — Jesus is coming. When he comes in each of us, it is often such a surprise! — but a good one. And I can see him coming this Advent. Things are happening among us right on time in so many ways. Because Advent is about the chaos of change (babies in mangers). It is about the passion for more (following stars in the East). It is about the humility to be a vehicle for eternity (“May it be to me as you have said.”). I’m expecting all sorts of things I can’t expect.