“I Am Doing A New Thing”
With all of the challenges the 21st Century Church faces to be a vital and relevant Gospel witness in word, worship, and service, how do we clean out the ecclesiastical attics and the basements and the drawers and closets to make room for the Good News of Jesus Christ and to clear away the clutter that may make seeing Gods activity difficult? Watch Part 1 of Bishop Burkat’s reflection on Isaiah 43:18-19, which asks us to reflect on which inherited gifts need to be honored and affirmed in our tradition, which gifts our congregation has to share with the Church, and what might get in the way of new people coming to our churches.
Some questions for reflection in your congregation:
- What might “former things” be in our context? What gets in the way of being open to what God is doing around us?
- The bishop says, “Our challenge is to use the present to build on the past to help bring about God’s future.” How can we respond to that challenge in our congregation?
Consider the treasures and gifts you have received as well as the stuff that has accumulated over the years:
- What needs to be honored, affirmed and moved to the center?
- What gifts do we have to share with other congregations, the Synod and the ELCA?
- What might get in the way of people in our community coming to our church? What needs to be moved aside or put away so that people in our neighborhood today can hear the Good News?
