Refine Our Goals and Make Our Intentions

Refine Our Goals and Make Our Intentions
Pastor’s Ponderings – Aug. 2019
 
We are a church looking into the future. We are continuing to refine goals and make our intentions for serving God known. Our Outreach grant program strives to make a difference locally and globally. As we make plans for our future facility, we do so to serve God and care for our neighbors. Every time we worship, or study the Bible, or pray with and for one another, we are making an impact today and with God’s help, into the future. I wonder what it will be like in Vista in 50 years.
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the moon landing by Apollo 11 and watching the coverage from that weekend in 1969 is inspirational but also leaves us with a challenge. The dream and goal of landing on the moon was bold and brave and maybe even a little alarming. Who would dare to have a vision that shattered the ceiling of human life? What was it like to consider such a thing? Some of you remember and know the conversations in the years leading up to Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins taking that amazing flight.
Margaret Hamilton was a software engineer who developed the on-board flight software for NASA’s Apollo Moon missions. She was born in 1936, in Indiana and earned a BA in mathematics from Earlham College in 1958. Ms. Hamilton shared in an interview that during her work at NASA on the development of software for the space missions she was asked who was taking care of her child at home and why wasn’t she there. When I studied American history, women were left out of the story, aside from Betsy Ross and the wives of early presidents. It is only in the last few years that a few women have begun to receive the recognition they deserve for contributions to science and much more. Ms. Hamilton was bold and brave, pushing back against a society that diminished women’s capacity and intellect. Her talents were a surprise to many.
One truth I believe about God is that God is full of surprises. The Bible is filled with God challenging humanity to justice and to care for those who are deemed powerless, unworthy and meager. It is absolutely surprising that God doesn’t just go for the smartest, most beautiful and richest among humanity to preside over the planet. And about the planet, it is defined as God’s creation and given to humanity to care for. Bees and fungi are good examples of small, sometimes annoying things in creation, but without them humanity wouldn’t have food or modern medicine. What a surprise that the least of creation makes such an impact. I’m certain we could make a list that went on and on about God’s surprises in our life, and all of creation, and in the church.
Isaiah 43:19 says, “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 65:17 says, “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.” And Revelation (21), the bold, forward-looking vision of God, says, “Behold, I am making all things new.” God turns things over and around, and the least expected is often the most powerful leader or teacher in the story that God writes.
Sometimes we water down our vision and our dreams for our community and making a difference. Sometimes we see the troubles all around us and become numb to the pain of our neighbors. Sometimes we struggle with judging others and want to tell them just to get up and do it differently and blame them. Humanity struggles to trust God and lean into God’s surprising ways, but can you imagine what would happen if we did trust God?
Where shall we be as a faith community in 2069? What can we do now to make an impact and keep making an impact? I can think of lots of challenges along the journey but when I think of God’s steadfast and strong nature, I’m certain this church is meant to be doing the work we are doing to build a future of God’s making! Let us dream bold dreams and lean into God’s beloved community!
Grace and peace,
Rev. Dr. Leigh Ann Shaw

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