Few things bring me as much joy as collaboration. Planning out our day while on vacation in New Orleans with my family last year was filled with so much joy and opportunity. Creating music with life-long friends? Always a blast. Refinishing our basement? Never could have done it by myself.
So of course, one of my greatest joys in ministry happens when I’m “sharing moments working jointly on an activity, especially to produce or create something” (Oxford English Dictionary). The last several weeks have been stuffed with many such collaborative moments. Each one offered something more than if any of them were done in isolation.
Last weekend, a dozen of us from Lord of Life joined a handful of other church youth groups at HopeWood Pines Camp for a Junior High Mix Retreat. The jumbled schedule of games, learning, study, worship, and recreation provided opportunities for new relationships centered in vibrant community.
Each month, our Church Council – our leadership team – meets to celebrate, wrestle, and dream. Our last meeting included time for reflection about our strength areas, as well as those places where we need to grow. Both lists were a beautiful image of what God is doing through us collectively, even as we know that there is still so much more to which we are called. We are living, sharing, and celebrating the love of Jesus with all people, but we’ve still got work to do!
A team from Lord of Life joined many others on a recent Saturday morning to pack, seal, and box high-protein meals for Hands Against Hunger. In a few hours, they assembled 105,408 meals for orphans and vulnerable children around the world! As they explain, “The ingredients in these high protein meals serve a very important purpose in helping children recover from malnutrition and saving them from a painful and prolonged death by starvation.”
This week, the Affirm Congregations of Butler County partnered with Hamilton Pride for an evening of sharing and discussion at the intersection of religion, faith, and LGBTQIA+ people and communities. Centered around the premise that each of us are beloved children of God, the gathering created a space for extraordinary stories of sorrow and pain, and conversations of resilience and hope. Grounded in the promises of God, may we continue to listen and learn how to love and care for one another unconditionally.
Each Tuesday morning, our staff huddles for prayer, reflection, calendar conversations, planning, and laughter. This dream team of Cara, John, Angie, Laura, Lisa, and Paula love Jesus and work hard to create experiences that nurture faith and care for our congregation. What a gift to be part of such a faithful and creative bunch.
The Bible is a collaborative document, drawing together thousands of stories from hundreds of Spirit-led voices, all with the common thread of forgiveness, reconciliation, and hope. Jesus pulled together a group of disciples from a variety of locations and lives. God continues to draw us together for worship, learning, and taking action in love.
These examples only begin to scratch the surface of the many ways that God uses your gifts and passions, finances and talents, ideas, and prayers to make a lasting impact on the world. Even as you continue to do amazing things in your own life, I am also excited to see how you connect to the ministries of Lord of Life and find places for renewal and growth. One of the beautiful things that happens through this Spirit-filled collaboration is that not only will you be changed, but you may also transform the lives of others!
Better and stronger together,
Pastor Lowell