12:00 PM Pastor greeted everyone;
· restated goal of mtg; to hear from one another following a “40 Day” period of prayer and reflection, asking God to guide Emmaus Road forward; taking notes on what is shared into Council/Elder mtgs prior to June 12 Road Crew “business” mtg.
· read Emmaus Road’s Name/Story, Motto, and statement of Call/Mission – “Emmaus Road in Belltown; Emmaus Road around the Sound”
People invited to share:
· Eric began: shared story of “Totcho’s” involving Mark/Angie and neighbors @ Greenwood Artwalk
· Suellen shared inspiration garnered from loving acts of fellow members painting their house
· Kurt shared story of Sacramento church that had faded, then come back to life, growth, based on testimony of women attending INHABIT conference recently
· Mark N. shared how unique Emmaus Road is, in terms of “fit” for certain people, including himself, coming from a non-active church life previously
· Erin testified that since belonging to Emmaus Road, she is feeling more solid in faith, more able to share faith and find people faith around her at work
· Rennie/Amy shared story of their own journey through complacency, coming to realization that issues connecting/relating to church had less to do with church, more to do with their own lifestyle/efforts; once they chose to re-engage, belonging to church felt different, good again
· Andrew/Chandra shared how begin part of Emmaus Road, then New Horizons, eventually led to foster parenting pursuits; realized strength of church community essential to personal support as future parents
· Cornell feels pressure to work Sundays; resisting because cannot imagine losing this crucial relationship with spiritual family, and identifies the pressure as part of a spiritual conflict
· Anna-Marie encouraged by prayers of church; has impacted work, school
· AM also looks forward to sharing ministry w/other congregations; shared testimony, stories, would strengthen all
· Mike E. shared how fears around future of children’s ministries abated as he considered the strength of multi-congregational approaches
· Mike also shared that he knows he could be more transparent about his church family w/those outside Emmaus Road
· Beth affirms Parenting Beyond Sunday as a prime responsibility; church’s collective efforts to nurture children must happen in concert with parents’ own initiatives; there is a unique witness kids receive in fellowship of church, special relationships with diverse crowd they would be less likely to know outside church
· Beth also affirmed promotion of Emmaus Road versus isolation; AND cultivating value of each of us putting our $ where our mouth is to continue sharing ministry together
· Mark N. echoed Beth; stated how important it is not to kick the $ down the road, to pursue change now, not at moment of crisis
· Mark N. believes that exposure to the fellowship of diversity that is Emmaus Road is THE program that is most important for children of church to experience
· Suellen testified to the truth and mystery of divine supply; faith is required, leaning on God’s provision without seeing it all, moving as Spirit leads in shared ministry of obedience, sacrifice, risk, trusting God will give what is needed to continue forward
· Tracey reflected on meaning of how Christ gives, not as world gives; there is a balance achieved, real peace, when perceptions of needs and actual provisions meet; sometimes it is more one than the other, but it is not the natural, worldly way, of only focusing on provision, not dealing with perception
· Alicia testified to the love evidenced in Emmaus Road
· Alicia also testified to how God has provided spiritual strength, ability, power, to follow through in difficult ministry scenarios, she would have previously avoided before being part of Emmaus Road
· Angie emphasized the need to be engaged with one another; to grow spiritually, one must belong to communicative, intentionally encouraging, gently pushing community; e.g. prayer for each of us is strengthened when we pray together communally
· Eric challenged everyone to come fifteen minutes earlier Sunday mornings to facilitate praying together more than we do during our typical hour of worship liturgy
No comments:
Post a Comment