It has been many years since I have walked in a church as a visitor – not knowing anyone. So, this morning, my first Sunday of sabbatical, I became a foreigner.

I began my foreign adventure as anyone in our world of technology would. I got on the Internet and mapped out my plan. I chose First United Methodist Church in Isle of Palm, SC. I chose it because of proximity, time of worship, and worship style (in order by priority).

According to their website www.iopmethodist.com the Praise service began at 9AM on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month. I emailed the pastor to make sure they were worshipping. Being summer I was worried they would have an adjusted schedule. He emailed me back with an enthusiastic “YES!”

Arriving I quickly discovered I was a foreigner, but. I was in familiar land – I was in God’s house. The usher showed us the way to the fellowship hall in the basement. The praise team was on stage singing, people were greeting one another, and I found my seat in. The back row.

It was a good service. I worshipped, heard the Word of God, and sang praises… all as a foreigner, as a pew dweller, as one of God’s people hanging out on the back pew.

Well, my blog has a title – “Living in the CrossLight.”  I chose this following my prayer time in the sanctuary early one morning.  As I sat there, the early morning sun was pouring through our beautiful stained-glass window.  The overhead lights were not on and the room filled with brilliant color.  As the colors poured over me, I was showered with God’s love.  I was profoundly reminded of all the times I have sat in sanctuaries throughout my life and experienced God’s unconditional love.

As a teenager and young adult, I spent many hours sitting on the sanctuary floor of Central Christian Church in Kettering.  In the front of the sanctuary hung a very large, beautiful wooden cross.  I would stare up at this cross, pray, meditate and experience moments of love and grace.  On several occasions while praying I would begin to see in my mind’s eye beautiful colors radiating from center of the cross.  In these moments, I knew God was sharing with me intimately.  I treasure these moments deep within my heart.

During my ministry with FCC-Wilmington, OH, my times in the sanctuary were different.   There was no longer a large cross to meditate upon.  Trying one day to get my prayer rhythm, I laid down on a pew and looked up at the ceiling, and there it was — the cross!  The architecture of the room created a cross that wrapped the room like a beautiful ribbon on a gift.  In that moment, I felt God’s arms wrap around me like the cross was wrapping around the room.  Again, I found the place where my heart and God’s heart found one another.

In late 2005, I began the discernment process to follow a new call in ministry.  I was in discussions with FCC-Middletown.  There were exchanges of ministry profiles, a phone interview, and lots of prayer.  I was confused and bewildered.  But, God kept pulling my attention toward Middletown.  Mark and I drove around town, and I was still perplexed.  The search committee called me to come for an interview.  I remember that day like it was yesterday.  It was the day after my 40th birthday, I put in a full day in Wilmington, picked Corey and Collin up after school, fed them dinner, dropped them off at basketball practice and then headed down I-75 toward Exit 32.  I pulled in the parking lot with a knot of nerves in my throat.  It was so large I didn’t think I could swallow.  I got out of my van and began my journey into the church.  I was greeted by Cliff Thompson and Bob Wolfe.  As we walked through the Narthex/Lobby, my eye was caught — caught by bright, beautiful light.  I turned my head as we continued our journey toward the Memorial Room, and then I saw it.  I saw the cross with brilliant light surrounding it.  I knew in that moment, I was home.

It was the cross that God had shown me so many years before in Kettering.  The knot in my throat dissolved.  I was home.  Our ministry together officially began in February of 2006.

Now, after 7 1/2 years, I’m heading out on sabbatical.  Yesterday during my prayer time in the sanctuary, I realized that it would be three months before I would have this opportunity again.  I was filled with the strangest feeling.  No words come to explain it.  I sat there and soaked up the CrossLight filled with God’s Spirit and Love.  I carry it, along with all of you, in my heart.  I look forward with excitement to my sabbatical journey and my continued faith journey Living in the CrossLight!

with love, Laureen 🙂

 

 

Who to contact while Pastor Roe is on Sabbatical:

Rev. George Reese, Sabbatical Pastor – 513-422-2853 (office)

Karen Powers, Board Moderator

Peggy Davish, Elder Chair

Evan Dean, Music Director

Beth Bentley, CE Director

 

While on her Sabbatical, one of Pastor Roe’s goals is to read the following books.  Perhaps you would enjoy reading one or two of them as well:

• Claiming New Life: Process Church for the Future by Lisa R. Withrow
• Doing Church as a Team by Wayne Cordeiro
• Fusion: Turning First-Time Guests into Fully-Engaged Members of Your Church by Nelson Searcy
• Not Your Parents’ Offering Plate: A New Vision for Financial Stewardship by J. Clif Christopher
• Reaching People Under 40 While Keeping People Over 60: Being Church for All Generations by Edward Hammett
• Recreating the Church by Richard L. Hamm
• Renew Your Congregation by William T. McConnell
• Safe People by Henry Cloud and John Townsend
• Spiritual Leadership by Henry Blackaby and Richard Blackaby
• The New Breed: Understanding & Equipping the 21^st Century Volunteer by Jonathan McKee and Thomas W. McKee
• The Peace Maker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict by Ken Sande
• Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith by Rob Bell

On Tuesday, July 16 the General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) approved resolution GA-1327 “Becoming a People of Grace and Welcome to All.”  If you want to know more, you can watch a video from our General Minister and President, The Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins by following this link:  BECOMING A PEOPLE OF GRACE AND WELCOME TO ALL

What does this mean for us at FCC-Middletown? It means nothing.  The resolution is simply formalizing for the denomination as a whole what we express every Sunday when we come to Christ’s table.  We welcome all to Christ’s table regardless of race, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, gender, or political views.  In a culture that is full of division and schisms, it brings me great joy to serve as part of a church that is working to overcome these and be a “movement for wholeness in a fragmented world.”  This means everything, because everyone is included!  I invite you to join the conversation… You can comment on this post or you can go to Disciples’ Facebook discussion.

I look forward to seeing you at the table!

The Sabbatical Committee has worked with Pastor Roe to determine a general plan for her sabbatical. Among the goals set are:

• a weekly focus on an area of ministry (such as conflict resolution, church leadership, volunteers, stewardship, worship, church growth, evangelism)
• read a book weekly relating to that area of ministry
• attend churches with varying worship styles and, if possible, talk with church leaders to gain further insight
• reflect with church leaders on FCC’s unique worship format
• attend a spiritual retreat with her spouse
• journal
• conduct intensive worship planning
• attend the Davidson Clergy Center in North Carolina. This program is an intensive five‐day experience that offers a unique, comprehensive personal assessment and continuing leadership skills for clergy and church professionals. A goal is to receive tools to build stronger resilience, health and wholeness while sustaining faithfulness to her vocation.

During the three months Pastor Roe is on sabbatical, our congregation will also be using the time for reflection, renewal and rejuvenation. We will have the opportunity for a Discernment Conference, to be held in September and facilitated by a member of the DoC Regional Church Office. Possible areas for reflection would be

• Who are we?
• What are our core values?
• What are our strengths and limitations?
• What is our purpose?
• Where have we seen growth over the past seven years (including spiritual growth)?
• What are we looking forward to in the next seven years?

Please pray for Pastor Roe, Pastor Reese and our entire congregation during this exciting time – the Sabbatical period!

The 2013 General Assembly of the Disciples of Christ began Saturday, July 13 in Orlando, FL.  Although, I am not attending this year, I have been reflecting upon the theme Lord, Teach Us to Pray…  These words come from the disciples who wan to learn how to pray like Jesus does.  Jesus then in turn teaches them the prayer we know as The Lord’s Prayer.

Over the years, whenever I would hear those sacred words, “Lord, teach us to pray,” my mind would automatically begin reciting “Our Father…”  However, in recent months, my mind gets stuck on the words “Lord, teach.”  Every e-mail regarding General Assembly, update seen on  Facebook, tweet on Twitter, poster, flier, or info brochure, my mind would stop and only see “Lord, teach.”

During June and July I have been doing a lot of teaching with children, so at first I assumed this was why I was seeing/hearing “Lord, teach.”  But, as I pray and dig deeper into these words and the theme of General Assembly, I realize that these words are the prayer of my soul.  “Lord, teach… teach me, show me how to be more like Christ Jesus.”

As we look forward to our time of sabbatical, I look to spend more time allowing God to teach me, more time listening to God within, and less time teaching and leading.  I look forward to being with God as a child learning how to be more like Jesus.

with love, Laureen 🙂