Happy Monday!
We had a great day yesterday with our Road Rally Sunday, with a bunch of folks sharing their road maps of their commitments in 2015. Don’t forget if you’ve not completed yours yet, you can do so on-line at https://cityroadchapel.org/roadmap.
We’ve had a good month thinking about being on the road again, but I know that some are sick of all this road language. Of course some our road language ties into our name — we are a “road church” after all. I, as one rooted in our United Methodist/Wesleyan heritage, likewise believe that one of our gifts to the world is a theology that talks openly about being on a journey, and that we are moving on toward destinations unknown.
The important thing, no matter which image appeals to us, is that we understand and believe that we are moving forward. Far too often it is easy as a church to get settled, complacent in our faith, and thinking that we’ve arrived and not much is really expected of us. And yet, if we look at Christ’s life example, we see a man who was continually on the road, traveling from place to place, teaching and healing. As disciples who follow in his footsteps, we are likewise called to be on the move, never complacent, always searching for the next destination that God has in store for us. There are no settler Christians!
Harriet Bryan reminded us yesterday that we have been commissioned for the journey, sent two by two, to share God’s love in the world. Our Bishop Bill McAlilly likewise draws on that Luke 10 story to make his please for all United Methodists in Middle Tennessee to join the 72 as part of his 72+You campaign toward church renewal. Again and again we are being reminded that we continue on the journey that was started many years ago, and that we are being called again to head out and see what amazing things God has in story for us.
If you have a chance, you may want to check out the Bishop’s new site, http://72plusyou.com/ which offers resources to help us think about being on the journey.
There are great things in the works for our church. I sure hope that you are willing to join in the journey.
See you soon,
Jay