First some snapshots:
We minister inside Union Station. Not literally, of course (at least not yet.) But we minister in the Union Station phase of people's lives. There are broadly two types of people at our locations of Lakeview and Lincoln Park--those who are busy working in the station and those who are arriving or departing "life trains". People settled (for now) and serving and people in transition from and to other places.
It is a privilege to minister in an environment like this. People in the Union Station phase are full of life, full of questions, and eager to make a difference for as long as they can. They are also typically very open to God's leading and are very teachable. And people working "in the depot"--in the station--never have a lack of opportunity to serve and minister if they have their eyes and hearts open.
I don't know if this is a prophetic image or not, but it helped me process and clarify our role within New Life and within the Kingdom. I want to spend more time clarifying this picture and figuring out how we can be more effective at ministering in our environment.
- I received an email yesterday from a church family who is moving away. They feel on one hand sure of God's direction toward their new home across the country and at the same time, "deeply struggle with leaving our home at New Life."
- Last weekend we visited a former church family that moved to Ohio. I still remember the coffee I had with Tom when he shared the news that they were moving. This couple had been very plugged in--an integral part of our core team of ministers.
- Last week I received an update email from another family who had moved on from New Life more recently and who also had been a vital part of ministry.
- Two Sundays ago two young college graduates said goodbye to me after 4 years of investment in the life and ministry of the church. One was headed to Eastern Europe, the other the Arizona.
- Two other graduates who moved away last summer regularly email me with updates on their ministry training.
- On this very blog, Jelani commented yesterday. He and wife Holly had important roles of ministry for a number of years and are dear people to us. They moved to Portland several years ago--the place God was calling them.
We minister inside Union Station. Not literally, of course (at least not yet.) But we minister in the Union Station phase of people's lives. There are broadly two types of people at our locations of Lakeview and Lincoln Park--those who are busy working in the station and those who are arriving or departing "life trains". People settled (for now) and serving and people in transition from and to other places.
It is a privilege to minister in an environment like this. People in the Union Station phase are full of life, full of questions, and eager to make a difference for as long as they can. They are also typically very open to God's leading and are very teachable. And people working "in the depot"--in the station--never have a lack of opportunity to serve and minister if they have their eyes and hearts open.
I don't know if this is a prophetic image or not, but it helped me process and clarify our role within New Life and within the Kingdom. I want to spend more time clarifying this picture and figuring out how we can be more effective at ministering in our environment.
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