It's a little bit of a change in routine for me these days to get home so late in the afternoon after being away all day...especially in a seminar type setting. Reminds me of all the years I worked outside of the home. And an even nicer touch is the Detroit Tigers-Texas Rangers Playoff Game is on TV. It feels like I am getting away with something...
I don't get a chance to attend many seminars these days...trust me I attended enough of them during my management career at HMI. But I enjoyed getting to go and learn some new approaches to ministry. Plus...I have to say I was truly impressed and pleased with how well my church, Lockwood "graded out" to the goals they set for ministry and what they call "Vine Work"...which is individuals ministering to other individuals..."spreading the Word".
As any regular reader here at the SHOCK will recall, I really try to live a life focused on serving others...it is the main treatment...er cure for the pathologically selfish person I had become. So attending a church that TRULY advances the notion in everything it does that doing GOD'S work means ministering to others is more then re-assuring...it's affirming as well.
Yes, I was sceptical that ANY church could be free from scandal or attempts at manipulating their congregation for greed or power purposes. LCC is not perfect and they have issues just like anywhere else but I truly feel accepted as a family member and treated as such. belonging and participating in a church has been a HUGE step for me...One that I NEVER thought would happen or saw coming.
For a fellow as alienated as I was just 9 short months ago...to feel the way I do now...to actually have developed some trust, a little bit of faith...well that is nothing short of miraculous! Today's exercise was a chance to really see where we stood and how we take care of each other...and though I felt wonderful about where we stood, we can always do better and that must be the expectation, each and every day.
I don't feel self-satisfied and certainly not smug about these realizations but ending up at a church I felt really good about was always going to be a huge concern and worry for me...and this has really been a good learning exercise for me. Because I could see and hear it for myself: the goals, the method and the implementation of one on one ministry for example. It has really made a powerful and lasting impression on me....
(Painting by Claude Monet)
