February 18 – “Monday Morning Review”

We had another rousingly positive day at Seaside yesterday.  It was Third Sunday Dinner on the Grounds day, so there was that extra attraction.  The kids did a great job helping me out with the children’s sermon.  I was trying to train my pet snail to do some tricks.  They helped me name him (Slimey), and one of them even did a somersault to show the creature how it was supposed to look.  Didn’t work.  Nothing worked.  They told me I needed to learn to speak snail if I was ever going to be able to communicate with him.  That was what I was waiting for.  The teaching was about how God did just that for us.  He became a man so we could understand him.  I know there’s a lot more to the incarnation that that, but, hey, one step at a time.

There was a lot of interaction during the regular teaching as well.   Especially during the rundown of ways that Jesus was “one of us.”  Several folks shared where they were born (Jesus was born, too), and one little boy raised his hand to say he was from Russia.  His Mom told me later that although he had relatives from Russia. He was born in Oklahoma.  Said she’d have to have a talk with him about where he was born.  I figured he was pretty young back than, so it was probably hard to remember details like that.  Everyone seemed to enjoy the cookies that little guy passed out to remind us that Jesus got hungry, too. 

Lots of folks struck around for dinner on the grounds, and the spread was huge.  Everything from barbeque sandwiches to chicken alfredo.  Not that I would have been able to name the chicken stuff.  The lady who made it told me.  Lots of desserts as well, including Blue Bell ice cream.  Can’t ever go wrong with Blue Bell.  We have to do extra next month because we will be hosting a group of twenty college students.  They tend to get hungry.  Very hungry.

The leadership team met after that and began to focus on some specific recommendations for actions we can take as we move ahead.  They divided into two groups. One will focus on the vertical ways we can strengthen the church – spiritual growth through worship and discipleship.  The other focused on horizontal strength– ways to grow through getting more people involved in ministry and fellowship.  I’m anxious to hear what they each came up with at our meeting next week.  I’m more anxious to get going with the actions they propose.

Psalms 66:16-20 says, “Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me.  I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue.  If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.  Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!”

Father, thank you for the positive spirit at church.  Come back anytime.  Every time.  Amen.