August 1, 2015



 

"For I know the plans I have for you", says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

(Jeremiah 29:11, NLT)


The last few mornings have been a little cooler on my bike rides. Maybe I should say less humid. However you phrase it the seasons are beginning to change. Change is in the air. Change is inevitable.  

The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah was a cry baby. Or so Lamentations, the book following Jeremiah, would have you believe. Seems like every time you turn around Jeremiah was expressing a great sorrow. "Lamenting" if you will. Jeremiah wept out of deep feelings of grief and sorrow for God's people who had not been taken into exile, but left behind. Jerusalem would be in ruins. Yet Jeremiah understood God's grace God was more than capable of raising new life from the ashes of the old reality. Change was on the way. And through change, God makes new.

    

I remember the day I left professional baseball. Yes it was a paradigm shift. A re-aligning of the tectonic plates in my life which had brought me security for so long. Much lamenting in grief and sorrow ensued. After the reality set in, it felt like my entire world lay in ashes in an even pile in a circle around me. Jerusalem ransacked. Change can often make you feel that way. That life as you knew it is gone forever. Nothing to do but sit around and weep. Change can often feel terrifying. But the faith of those who took seriously Jeremiah's prophecy understood that infused with God's judgement is new hope. Hope born in the steadfast love of God for God's people. In the midst of the lamenting comes the whisper......"I know the plans I have for you."

         

In the beginning of my fourth month of serving JIPC, one constant I've sensed since my arrival was change. A need for change. A desire for change. The courage to change. Yet even with a systemic bent to change, it can still be difficult. Frightening. Enough to make even the stoutest in spirit sit and weep in grief and sorrow. Lament, if you will. The ransacking of Jerusalem. But God's steadfast love for us is bringing new life from the ashes of the old ways of doing things. This we know. This we trust. This we celebrate.

           

Nothing in life is as pervasive as change. Not much in life can come in more flavors than change, either. An important aspect of change-any form-is to understand that our mental model and internal assumptions about change can impact our feelings and receptivity to it. The scripture is replete with instance after instance of God's crown jewels wrangling in the throes of change. Moses with God. Jacob at Peniel. Jesus at Gethsemane. Humanity struggling with transformation, failure and success-all providentially permeated with God's love. Our lives of faith are consistently open to change as signs of God's transforming power and growth. This is true in our individual lives and our corporate life of faith.

           

So what's with all this talk about change? In the days ahead, God will continue to crystallize the vision before us for JIPC. I'm certain some of the course will be familiar and wear like our favorite jeans. But there will also be new paths. Places to journey where we've never been before. Destinations-and the means to get there-which as of yet, have been left unexplored and unpursued. 1 yes means 99 no's. With that many no's, there will be changes in our vision and mission. Course corrections to input as we plot new destinations. And to be honest-like Jeremiah-there will be times when we feel as though life as we knew it-- is gone. Piles of ashes all around us. Nothing left to do but sit and weep in grief and sorrow. Lament if you will. But in our lives as believers God is not finished with us yet. Faith enables-compels-demands we dream new dreams and set our sights on new horizons. From the old comes the new. Emerging to life just as Jerusalem did after it was ransacked. God did judge Jerusalem and allowed it to be devastated. But the people of faith counted on the fact that even in the judgement the steadfast love of God would prevail. A change was coming! "I know the plans I have for you...."

           

Change is constant in individual and communal living. "Metanoia"-the turning, repenting, changing are constants in the Christian life. Transformation and discipleship presuppose the necessity of change as taught by Jesus himself. All of life is constantly changing around us. Yet in the midst of change-we can be certain that as we journey down roads we've yet to travel, toward destinations we don't yet clearly see-in the midst of all the change and accompanying fears, uncertainties, and exhilaration change brings-God's steadfast love is as close as the breath we breathe, bringing His plans to prosper us to fruition.

           

There are lots of changes going on at JIPC. And, as we've discussed, change can be unnerving for so many reasons. May I ask, where is God leading YOU to change something in your life of faith? Where is God leading us-at JIPC-- to make new commitments, embrace a larger life, and roll up our sleeves and let the Word be incarnate in us as we serve another? Exhilarating, isn't it? Terrifying also. Uncomfortable perhaps, on our best day. A mix and match of all the above.

I'm sure as we experience change, in the days to come, it may feel like more than we can bear. An invitation to sit and weep in grief and sorrow. Lament if you will. And then comes a sweeping movement of God's steadfast love reminding us all that God's plans for us are new. God's plans for us promise us a future. A future filled with hope in our becoming all God has created us to be.

 

Please continue to pray for JIPC as we discover, embrace, and live into the changes ahead which will lead us to our future filled with hope and prosperity in the spirit. In the midst of change, can you hear the whispered promise of God infused with hope? "For I know the pans I have for you", says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

 

In His Grip,





This Sunday, August 2, 2015
Reverend Sam Martin, preaching
Henry Meeuwse, liturgist
Scripture References: John 6:24-35, Ephesians 4:1-16

Communion served both worship services

Inquirers Class Continues, 10am

Worship & Music Committee, 12:00pm
Mission & Outreach Committee, 5:00pm

 
Fo
r this week's bulletin, click here.

 
Summer Service Challenge Continues:
one month left!
Have you been keeping up with our Summer Service Challenge? It's not too late if you've forgotten to track your challenge. Wondering what qualifies?
Summer Service Challenge for Adults
Summer Service Challenge for Youth
Summer Service Challenge for Children
Summer Service Challenge for Preschool Children

Here's a page from the adult challenge flyer:

Hands of Christ Logo

We thank each of you who participated in donations, talents, time, & expertise with this year's Hands of Christ concert and distribution. There are several more opportunities to help with distribution; contact Henry Meeuwse for specific information:email or 843-795-3111.

What's Happening at JIPC

August Calendar

JIPC Brochure

 

August Dates to look forward to!
Big Youth Sunday: making soup for members, followed by Wild Blue Ropes, August 9

Rally Day, August 23

WNL Fall KickOff & Faith Fair, August 26