Today Pastor Steve preached on the Jeremiah 18:1-11 text:
The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: “Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him. Then the word of the LORD came to me: Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? says the LORD. Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.
Now is the time for us to look at the re-development plans that you had started before I came to Trinity (I started April 2013) and most of the that team is still here, but some like Katie and Daniel have moved on. One key thing for us is Student Ministry. We are always blessed with having students find us and stay while they study in London. That particular element of ministry is being worked on.
But like my neighbour, Howard, who told me about the best part of my parsonage back yard to plant and grow flowers, we need people both inside the congregation and also those close (that are looking over the fence like my neighbour Howard), to tell us what they see and what ministries might flourish at Trinity.
We are looking for those ideas – we need Howards and Jeremiahs to be prophet to us.
Here is my reading list that I have developed (some what adhoc) that I’d like our New Horizons team to look at. (Book owner’s name in parentheses.)
- You Lost Me: Why Young Christians Are Leaving Church . . . and Rethinking Faith ; by David Kinnaman (Pastor Steve)
- 10 Temptations of Church: Why Churches Decline and What To Do About It ; By Karen Vannoy, John Flowers (Reinhard Helbing)
- ReStart Your Church; By Dottie Escobedo-Frank (Pastor Steve)
{I found this book too abstract, too ‘the spirit will lead you’ … we know that … but what do we do next? is still my question. Also, this focused a lot on ‘we are dying’ … now what. At Trinity we are not in an imminent death stage … we need to talk and discuss then pray and discern our future plan and try to work out what is God calling Trinity Lutheran Church to be. Pastor Steve} - Field Guide to the Missional Congregation: Embarking on a Journey of Transformation; by Rick Rouse, Craig Van Gelder (Lydia Reinhardt)
- Community in the Inventive Age ; By Doug Pagitt (Pastor Steve)
- Church in the Inventive Age ; By Doug Pagitt (Pastor Steve)
- The Church Transforming: What’s Next for the Reformed Project? ; By Michael Jinkins (Pastor Steve)
More to come after Thanksgiving.
Peace
Pastor Steve