“And there they continued proclaiming the good news.” Acts 14:7 (NRSV)
I was suddenly startled to hear a voice from behind me say out loud, “step away from that container now and keep your hands where I can see them!” My cohort and I were removing audio and video equipment along with various pieces of furniture from behind a building when we were surprisedly confronted by two police officers. We were asked to slowly turn around and we had better have a good explanation. Evidently someone driving nearby saw two suspects emptying a storage container and had called the police. This was not the plans I had envisioned for that day. We had some explaining to do!
“Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated”
1 Peter 3:13-14 (NRSV)
This past week I was pleased to read about Mike Dent in the email newsletter. Mike wrote us a kind note in congratulating us and acknowledging his continued passion for the people of AUMC celebrating 35 years of Christian fellowship in our community.
Planting a church is a difficult endeavor. Perhaps you were one of the early pilgrims at AUMC who set out each Sunday to unload a trailer full of tables and chairs in the Oaks Elementary school cafeteria to bring church to the new burgeoning community. Arising from modest starts AUMC developed its own church building and later the beautiful campus we enjoy today. Many a saint and sinner have contributed to the growth of AUMC.
“After they had proclaimed the good news to that city and had made many disciples,….When they arrived, they called the church together and related all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith for the Gentiles. And they stayed there with the disciples for some time.”
Acts 14:21-28 (NRSV)
Nancy and I met with a Methodist pastor on the South side of town in preparation for our impending marriage. The pastor recommended that we check out this dynamic pastor who had just opened a new church in the neighborhood we were moving to. We entered the front door not knowing a soul, yet we were graciously welcomed by several folks that first Sunday at this beautiful new church building. I remember how everything smelled fresh and new. After church that day Pastor Mike Dent asked if he could come by and visit us. Being good hosts, we prepared a meal for Mike. We had a great visit where he shared with us about the vision for AUMC in the growing community. He wanted to make sure we had all the information we needed to make an important decision to join a church. He asked about our faith walk. He said to me that God is always willing to work on anyone. Little did I know he was speaking about me. Did God bring us here for a reason?
As I watched him push around the food on his plate it was obvious, we had served him too much food. No one goes hungry at our house. He admitted that he was on his third meal of the afternoon with 2 more visits. He knew there would be more meals to eat, so he was pacing himself.
As we walked him to the door and thanked him for visiting, I remember this big smile on his face. As he turned away I could sense this determination and focus for his next meeting as he seemed to gird himself for the next opportunity to share Christ with two more families who were undoubtedly frantically preparing a big spread for poor hungry Mike.
“For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.”
2 Timothy 1:6-7 (NRSV)
How could we not want to be part of this church? After all, they sure like to eat. Do not get me started on Blue Bell ice cream. I will leave that for your own cherished memories, or for your reading pleasure in Mike’s book, “Love Whispers.” Thank you, Mike, for believing in us enough to visit with us that day so many years ago and for creating the foundation on which AUMC is firmly planted on today.
How did you come to AUMC? Who were the folks who welcomed you?
“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labor of each. For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.”
1 Corinthians 3: 6-9 (NRSV)
Fast forward quite a few years later and I had the opportunity to be part of a church plant. I was on loan from AUMC for 6 years to a local church plant. Jokingly we called ourselves “Church in a Box.” For those of you experienced with new church startups, you know what I am speaking about. We had no permanent home for four years, starting in homes, meeting on vacant property and in school cafeterias. It is certainly not work for the faint at heart, in fact you build a tough spine with bending faith, fervent prayer, and resolute perseverance. I remember channeling Mike as we knocked on doors and visited with people in the neighborhood. We even had several church festivals where plenty of food was available, after all we were Methodist. I would not have traded that opportunity for the entire world full of blessings.
“When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of[c] James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.”
Acts 1: 13-14 (NRSV)
God has a way of attracting folks when we least expect it. I vividly recall an experience we had at one of the schools where we held church. The entrance was at the front of the school with an exceedingly long hallway that led to the church cafeteria where we had church service. Worship had started and I heard the doors open at far end of the long hallway. I walked down and saw a silhouette of a person carrying a baby with a small child in tow. My voice boomed down the corridor, “welcome come on in.” I am sure she noticed me staring at them as they approached. The two children and mom looked a bit disheveled. She said that she was at wits end driving in the neighborhood when she heard a voice tell her to come into the school for church that day. She apologized for the way they looked. I asked her if she had heard about us or knew anyone related to our church. She said she did not know a soul from our church. I said no worries, you just met one.
“ So he told them this parable: “Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”
Luke 15: 3-7 (NRSV)
As a church lay leader, I will admit this COVID crisis really has set us back as a church, at least in the way we know it to be. I know it has impacted many other churches as well. Gathering the scattered is a task. I am quite grateful for Pastor Deborah’s leadership, the dedicated staff, and the energized lay people who have stepped up to keep our church open via our livestream and our online/social media connection. And most importantly I thank each person in our congregation who continues to support and believe in AUMC and the community we live in. Despite closed doors, ministry never stopped. A core value of an AUMCer is that they always rise to the occasion. We never stopped trying to reach others, we’re just learning to do it in a different way. We still gather for church and small groups. We are reaching souls we have not met. I cannot help but think that in many ways we are planting a new church all over again. This time the box might just look like a 40-inch TV or a 15-inch monitor. Perhaps that is what God wants for AUMC.
“So, let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.”
Galatians 6:9-10 (NRSV)
Well, thankfully, I don’t have a criminal record as my cohort and I explained to the officers that we owned the containers parked in the back of the school and we were “unpacking” the church so as we could set up for that Sunday’s service. I recall one of the officers asked if we did this every week. Yep we did! He was shaking his head and said, “your entire church is in that box.”
“May those who sow in tears
reap with shouts of joy.
Those who go out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
carrying their sheaves.”
Psalm 126:5-6 (NRSV)
That disheveled young lady and her children went on to belong to our church for a good while. She was a victim of abuse. We helped her get assistance, pay for schooling, and get a job. Eventually she moved to the other side of town. A few years later she called me to share some good news. She was now the recipient of a “habitat for humanity” home. I was touched to hear how grateful she was for the people at our church who believed in her and showed her a better way of life.
Here is the good news now! How we gather and the method may differ and change but the vision does not. We are to go out into this world to proclaim the gospel and make disciples. Planting seeds along our pathway. We rejoice in comfort as Revelations tells us that every knee will bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. And on that glorious day…we will all gather once again. Hallelujah!
Who were the ones who planted, watered, and tended the seed of your faith? How will you plant the seeds of faith in your community?
Peace be with you,
Kenny Shortsleeve, Lay Leader
“After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands.”
Revelations 7:9 (NRSV)