Pastor’s Corner (2/13/2020)
“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
The above scripture guided us on our recent Leadership Retreat at the end of January. As we move forward into 2020, there is an optimism about what lies ahead. I sense a lot of energy as we move beyond our anniversary year and embrace the next 150 years. As we ponder our movement forward I was struck by an article sent to me recently by a colleague. In “If You Want to Get Better at Something, Ask Yourself These Two Questions” by Peter Bregman, he invites the reader to consider these two questions:
“One: Do you want to do better? Two: Are you willing to feel the discomfort of putting in more effort and trying new things that will feel weird and different and won’t work right away?”
Although he is a CEO writing from his experience as a coach, I think his two simple questions are good ones for us here at FCC. As we move forward it might be helpful to genuinely ask ourselves these two questions. Given the energy I feel here at FCC, I believe we have already answered the first question. I do believe we want to get better. What that means may vary from person to person, however, I think we want to be better at sharing the good news of the Gospel in word and deed. We want to reach out and we’re doing so in a variety of ways. We want to be relevant in our neighborhood and world. We genuinely want to serve Christ. Each of the Ministry Teams will be working on setting tangible goals for this year and we’ll work together in the Ministry Cabinet and Board to hold each other accountable for pursuing these goals.
I think the real challenge for us here at FCC is in answering the second question; “Are we willing to feel the discomfort of putting in more effort and trying new things that will feel weird and different and won’t work right away?” Embracing change is a challenge for everyone, particularly when we don’t see immediate results. Having just moved to a new apartment, I am keenly aware of this reality. While I love my new place, it is still a challenge to embrace this change in my life. It is a bit easier since I chose to make the change, but change of any type is still challenging.
No matter how challenging things are, we can be sure that God guides us and journeys with us. God has plan for us here at FCC. God promises a future with hope. May we embrace that future, challenges and all, knowing that God is leading us. May we have the courage to answer both questions with a resounding “YES!”
In peace and love,
Pastor Karen
