Today for our weekly Monday morning pastoral team meetings, we gathered at New Life Cicero's new building on 36th Street and 61st Avenue. We had our prayer meeting in one of the building's auditoriums (it will have 2!) and then met for our message prep meeting in a classroom. The Cicero team put out quite a spread of food--good times. It was great to gather in the building as it enters the construction phase.
Now I've heard about the purchase of this building. I've been happy for the settling of our wandering New Life West location which has rented facilities in Cicero and Berwyn for the last 10 years. And I was genuinely happy for Pastor Tony and his wife Linda that they will no longer have to manage the challenges of a wandering congregation.
But today, what I 'knew' became real to me. And it happened simply by 'being there'.
There's something about 'being there' that does something for us humans. I had the same experience when I went to Africa. Showing up changed me; it changes how I experience all the news from Kenya during this time of crisis. Showing up does something that hearing about it can't give you.
I think this is pretty powerfully tied into the concept of 'incarnation'. Jesus harnessed the power of 'being there' on a cosmic level. His showing up has power to reach people from all times and cultures--that's 'Being There'. And his incarnation has implications for how we follow Him. We follow Him incarnationally. By 'being there'. By the ministry of presence, as some have called it.
Incidentally, I think teams thrive on the concept of 'being there', together. The power of showing up together. Our team showing up together at the Cicero location this morning had power. (And quite frankly, Jeremy Shockey's not 'being there' while his team was busy winning the Super Bowl certainly says something about him and his relationship to the team.) Showing up can be a team-building enterprise.
Thanks for the info! I am so happy for them!
Posted by: Mo | February 04, 2008 at 10:09 PM