December, 2011
During the service on November 20, I pulled an imaginary ball out of my
pocket, inflated the ball, and tossed it out into the congregation. A few of you
caught the ball, balancing it over your heads, careful not to drop it. Then the
group threw it across the sanctuary to another group who was holding up their
hands ready to catch this imaginary object. And so the game continued until
just about everyone had become a part of the mime. A silly mime. A silly game.
Yet a game that I hope will serve as a reminder of the kind of engagement we
need with each other as we frame a vision and re-commit to a mission (purpose)
for our church. We need to be playful yet serious. We need to believe
we can see what isn’t fully real yet. And we all need to be involved.
As our vision gets tossed from person to person and group to group it will
change and evolve. As our vision gets tossed here and there (and back and
forth) it will become our own. As our vision gets imagined from all sorts of
angles, a new reality will emerge, waiting for us to make it come alive. That’s
the magic we hope to experience.
Within the next few weeks, the Futures Team will begin to create opportunities
for all of us to “throw balls at each other.” Play, don’t duck. Where do you see
energy bubbling up around activities we already do well? How can we connect
our strengths and passions with a future that’s even more exciting? Catch
other people’s throws or start a new game. Or continue with the balls I tossed
out on 11/20 (1. Music, 2. Our connection with the refugee community, 3.
Family Promise (for homeless families), 4. Living in harmony with the earth, 5.
Care for our building so it can be the welcoming home we strive to have).
All this will take time - twelve to fourteen months. Yet even as we talk and play
and look into the future, our ministries will, of course, continue to do what they
do well, and they will continue to deepen our service to each other and the
world. Exciting times. Glad you are on board.
~ Reverend Michael Leuchtenberger
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