Birth is a beautiful thing.
Many of you know what I’m talking about. You’ve been in a delivery room as a witness to the very first moments of a person. It’s this thing that feels like a miracle, and it’s a moment that reveals God in this unique way like nothing else does.
I guess I’m thinking about birth today because of some recent births around here (Keely Dack and Isaac Lotzer, to name a couple), as well as a “church birth” celebration for Restoration last Friday night which welcomed our little church plant into full-on, real, not-a-church-plant-anymore status. While it’s fun and easy to think about the beauty of these kinds of beginnings, there are a couple other necessary observations to make about birth, too.
Birth hurts.
Labor is called labor for a reason; it’s really hard work. It’s often compared to the level of energy it takes to run a marathon (did Ann Eicher get you to sign up for Team World Vision yet? Because if not, she’s comin’ for you!). Energy is involved here.
Birth requires risk.
Babies and mothers are at risk at the moment of birth. Most births (statistically) occur without incident. But there is always the risk that the transition from in-the-belly to out-of-the belly will carry dangers unknown or unavoidable.
In the church, we live in this reality and tension that birth, in this case metaphorical birth, is beautiful, but is also risky and, sometimes, painful. The birth of a new idea, a new strategy, or a new program in a church carries all of these same markings. There is, perhaps, excitement about the new, a joyous celebration. But there is also risk: what if this doesn’t work? What if NOT doing it that way means it doesn’t work? And there is pain that can come in many forms.
A question I am wrestling with today is this: in the Church (the “big C” kind…but our “little c” church, too), does the beauty of birth and the start of a new generation of ideas and strategies outweigh the pain and the risk? Or does the risk feel too high and the pain too scary to avoid “pregnancy” all together?
God, help us all know your will on that.
All that said, here’s some information we thought you’d want to have:
Faith Steps Walking Club
Women of all ages, children (in strollers) and pets (friendly) are welcome to join our Women's Ministry weekly walking club starting June 7! We will walk at various locations around the south metro from 9 - 10am. Contact Natalie for more information: [email protected].
Kids' Praise Team
Join us as we teach kids to worship God through movement and music. Children ages preschool through 5th grade are welcome. Class will be in room 250 in between services from 10:30-11am each Sunday in May. Contact Lynn for more information at [email protected].
Worship & Welcome Teams
Faith is looking for people who like to help out with hospitality. We are revamping our welcome program at faith and want to let people know we need some more help. We need people to help greet, be at the welcome desk, and be a presence that helps new people find their way around Faith. If that sounds interesting to you, there will be a sign up in the lobby this Sunday May 5. Come check it out.
Covenant Pines Family Weekend
Memorial Day Weekend, May 24-27, is a great time to come to camp and enjoy the beautiful outdoors while helping prepare camp for the busy upcoming summer. Register online at covenantpines.org. Kids 0-3 are free, 4-12 only $15, and anyone over 12 ONLY $30. Space is limited, so register soon! For more info contact Terri at [email protected].
Many of you know what I’m talking about. You’ve been in a delivery room as a witness to the very first moments of a person. It’s this thing that feels like a miracle, and it’s a moment that reveals God in this unique way like nothing else does.
I guess I’m thinking about birth today because of some recent births around here (Keely Dack and Isaac Lotzer, to name a couple), as well as a “church birth” celebration for Restoration last Friday night which welcomed our little church plant into full-on, real, not-a-church-plant-anymore status. While it’s fun and easy to think about the beauty of these kinds of beginnings, there are a couple other necessary observations to make about birth, too.
Birth hurts.
Labor is called labor for a reason; it’s really hard work. It’s often compared to the level of energy it takes to run a marathon (did Ann Eicher get you to sign up for Team World Vision yet? Because if not, she’s comin’ for you!). Energy is involved here.
Birth requires risk.
Babies and mothers are at risk at the moment of birth. Most births (statistically) occur without incident. But there is always the risk that the transition from in-the-belly to out-of-the belly will carry dangers unknown or unavoidable.
In the church, we live in this reality and tension that birth, in this case metaphorical birth, is beautiful, but is also risky and, sometimes, painful. The birth of a new idea, a new strategy, or a new program in a church carries all of these same markings. There is, perhaps, excitement about the new, a joyous celebration. But there is also risk: what if this doesn’t work? What if NOT doing it that way means it doesn’t work? And there is pain that can come in many forms.
A question I am wrestling with today is this: in the Church (the “big C” kind…but our “little c” church, too), does the beauty of birth and the start of a new generation of ideas and strategies outweigh the pain and the risk? Or does the risk feel too high and the pain too scary to avoid “pregnancy” all together?
God, help us all know your will on that.
All that said, here’s some information we thought you’d want to have:
Faith Steps Walking Club
Women of all ages, children (in strollers) and pets (friendly) are welcome to join our Women's Ministry weekly walking club starting June 7! We will walk at various locations around the south metro from 9 - 10am. Contact Natalie for more information: [email protected].
Kids' Praise Team
Join us as we teach kids to worship God through movement and music. Children ages preschool through 5th grade are welcome. Class will be in room 250 in between services from 10:30-11am each Sunday in May. Contact Lynn for more information at [email protected].
Worship & Welcome Teams
Faith is looking for people who like to help out with hospitality. We are revamping our welcome program at faith and want to let people know we need some more help. We need people to help greet, be at the welcome desk, and be a presence that helps new people find their way around Faith. If that sounds interesting to you, there will be a sign up in the lobby this Sunday May 5. Come check it out.
Covenant Pines Family Weekend
Memorial Day Weekend, May 24-27, is a great time to come to camp and enjoy the beautiful outdoors while helping prepare camp for the busy upcoming summer. Register online at covenantpines.org. Kids 0-3 are free, 4-12 only $15, and anyone over 12 ONLY $30. Space is limited, so register soon! For more info contact Terri at [email protected].
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