If you did not have time to read last week’s newsletter, I encourage you to go back and do so! In it, I discussed what it will mean for Incarnation to restart certain activities and move forward in our calling in the community.
James 4:13-17 cautions us to hold our dreams lightly and keep the perspective of “if the Lord wills” whenever we plan for the future. The fact that we are worshiping outside and are susceptible to the weather and a last-minute change of plans has reinforced that perspective in my mind. In that vein, if the Lord wills, we hope to take concrete steps forward every couple of weeks to grow and enrich the church. Our target is not just what the church was before the season of coronavirus, but instead what we hope to become for the years ahead. Some of the early steps will be reengaging things we have always done, but others will be new things that have opened up. As we take these steps forward, we will use a section of the newsletter to keep you informed. As always, if you have questions or ideas, don’t hesitate to talk to a staff member, the governance team, or the outreach committee (the list of names was in last week’s newsletter).
This week, our concrete step forward will be offering a basic kids’ program during the service again. Initially, this will only be for children ages 2-6. We will continue to provide activity sheets on a clipboard for children who remain with their parents, and we continue to encourage parents to bring a blanket, toys, books, and snacks for children who remain in the service. The children will be meeting outside whenever we are outside, and in the fellowship hall whenever we are inside. Both of these locations will allow us to spread out and be sanitary. When outside, they will meet on the playground side of the church. All of the children will be brought back to their families at the peace for communion, just as we have always done. If you have questions about the specifics of the plan, please reach out to Katherine!
Keep praying for the church and for our community as a whole! Pray particularly that we can begin to share the Gospel with those who don’t attend church anywhere. My heart’s desire is that we will be a place that expands the Kingdom of God.
In Christ,
Steven+
Looking Forward
Churches across America are beginning to realize that restarting the various activities we are accustomed to is going to be much more difficult than it was to stop them. For many churches, this may take months, or even years! There is no doubt that certain things will change forever in the church, just as many companies will change forever how they organize their workforces. But church strategists have also noticed that this period of transition will be easier for church plants. Plants are smaller, nimbler, and more experimental by nature, and thus it will be easier for them to adapt than many large, established churches. When this is combined with the fact that the people at church plants are more forgiving of mistakes and willing to help build systems and programs, it is reasonable to think that church plants are in an advantageous position right now.
I have felt this, particularly as I have thought about what it will mean for us to gather together in person again in small groups, Bible studies, and Sunday worship. I am grateful for your forgiving and flexible spirits! I am also thankful for your willingness to help!
As I look forward to the season ahead, I have great hope that God has placed us here at this time for a reason. I do not know what specific building Incarnation will be in 5 years from now, or what specific people Incarnation will be reaching with the Gospel, or what specific programs Incarnation will offer. Coronavirus has reset the landscape for all of us. Yet I am excited about all the possibilities that are before us, and our commitment remains the same: we want to live as the body of Christ in worship for the love of God and live as the body of Christ in mission for the salvation of the world. Simply, living as the body of Christ for the sake of others.
I am also excited at the development that has occurred at Incarnation during this season. A great deal of administrative work has been done behind the scenes—incorporation in the eyes of the state, increased clarity in how we will use our money, the foundations of a solid benevolence policy, the addition of a new governance team member and a Director of Outreach, the beginnings of a human resource policy. But there is also much that has been done spiritually, and for this, I give even greater thanks. Both Bible studies are flourishing. A group continues to gather every Thursday night to pray together. Our Sunday worship has grown in numbers over the last few months. New families are inquiring about the church. Very early conversations have occurred about partnering with a Sudanese congregation in town. Behind all of this, though, I have seen an increased desire to live as disciples of Christ in the world. I am thankful, and look forward to the season ahead.
As we move forward, please know that I want your ideas and feedback. There is a great deal for us to do, and the ideas of the people will help us act in wisdom. If you have thoughts, dreams, or prayers, please do not hesitate to let me know. You can also talk to members of the Governance Team (Elizabeth Ellwanger, Ken Fitchett, Ruthie Galvin, Elizabeth Hammon, Ed Hardy), Outreach Committee (Erich Rose, Greg Deener, Ellen Hardy, Katherine Heidenthal, Anne Price), Prayer Team (led by the Beekmans and Hammonds), or staff. We want to know what you are thinking.
In Christ,
Steven+
The Feast of the Ascension
Tomorrow (May 21st) is the Feast of the Ascension, which occurs 40 days after Easter every year. It is probably the most forgotten major feast day in the church calendar. My guess is that most of you have never really celebrated the Feast of the Ascension!
It is likely forgotten for two reasons. One, we don’t realize that it is important. And two, it always falls on a Thursday, and therefore the church isn’t together to remember it. But we shouldn’t forget it, and we need to learn to celebrate it! Imagine forgetting Christmas, or Good Friday, or Easter! The four movements of the work of Jesus Christ fit together, and all need to be remembered and celebrated. Incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension—each one is an integral part of what Jesus did.
The ascension matters for a variety of reasons. Jesus told the disciples that it was better for him to go away, a statement that many of us might still struggle to believe. After all, wouldn’t it be easier if Jesus were still here, with us? He could fix the state of the church, do miracles to strengthen our faith, and assure us of his love in person. But the ascension was better, according to Jesus, than him remaining with us. Here are a few reasons why:
First, Jesus ascended so that the Holy Spirit could be given by the Father, through the Son. As Jesus was anointed with the Spirit to begin his ministry, the Church was anointed with the Spirit for its ministry. Without the ascension, there is no Pentecost!
Second, Jesus went to present his sacrifice of himself to the Father, which the Father accepted as holy and sufficient. Hebrews presents Jesus as the great high priest, entering the Holy of Holies in the temple of heaven with his own blood to atone for our sins. Because he ascended, the sacrifice has been accepted, and we are freed from our condemnation, impurity, and shame.
Third, Jesus went to intercede for us before the Father. Because he ascended, we have a high priest pleading on our behalf before the throne of God. We have an advocate in the throne room!
Fourth, because Jesus joined himself to us in the incarnation, he took us into heaven with him in the ascension. Because we are joined to him (what theologians call incorporation in Christ) and because he has ascended, we have been brought into heaven and seated in the heavenly places. Because of the ascension, we have access to the throne of God.
Fifth, Jesus went to receive his kingdom. Although we are still waiting for all things to be subject to Christ, our king has returned to his rightful place, which indicates to us that the war has already been won and the kingdom of God is secure. His work on earth is finished, even though he is still at work through the church by his Spirit. Because he ascended, we can be at peace in the security of God’s victory.
There is more that could be said, but if we began to celebrate just these five truths, our faith would grow. Tomorrow, find a way to rejoice. Rejoice because you have been given the Spirit. Rejoice because the Father accepted the Son’s sacrifice. Rejoice because we have an intercessor in heaven praying for us. Rejoice because we have been brought into the courts of heaven with Jesus and can approach the throne of God. And rejoice because our king has finished his work and is seated at the right hand of the Father, waiting for the right moment to return as judge! At various times in the church people have celebrated the ascension in various ways. One that I find both hilarious and endearing is the idea of filling the day with things that go up—fizzy drinks, firecrackers, balloons. This is silly, but we need little reminders to draw us out of our short-sighted experience and into the grander story of Christ. Be drawn tomorrow into the ascension!
In the Name of our Ascended Lord!
Steven+