Shepherd’s Heart – 4/21

“I’m a prince! I’m a prince! I’m a prince!” Those were the words echoing through our church last Friday night after the crowning ceremony at our first-ever Light up the Night event. That night, a young man with disabilities embraced his God-given identity as royalty – a child of the King and a prince. That night, I saw the Kingdom of God.

Jesus taught us to pray, “your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.” This prayer isn’t just a request, but it’s a declaration of re-orientation in the life of the Christ follower. In other words, Jesus is Lord and King of His Kingdom, and as citizens of His Kingdom, we ought to live just as the king lives. As citizens of the kingdom, our calling is to create spaces that reflect the goodness of His kingdom. As citizens of the kingdom, we instill the values of the kingdom in our homes and in our workplaces and in our lives and in our relationships. 

When we do that – that is, when we tilt our lives towards the kingdom – we give the world a picture of the heart and character of God. 

The Apostle Paul describes the bondage and decay the world finds itself in in his letter to the Romans. He then says, “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” When the people of God embody the values of the kingdom of God, the weary and groaning world rejoices. When the people of God embody the values of the kingdom of God, we reveal the character of God to a spiritually curious world. When the people of God embody the values of the kingdom of God, the world stops in its tracks and takes notice of the beauty of the kingdom.

Last week, I saw the kingdom of God embodied at Good Shepherd Church through our Light up the Night event. There, all ages with disabilities walked the red carpet in sparkling ball gowns, suits, and tuxedos. They danced the night away, twirled as balloons were dropped, and embraced their identity as royalty – that is, sons and daughters of the King of Kings. I saw the heartbeat of Good Shepherd Church that night, and the heartbeat looked like the character of God. The heartbeat looked gracious and inclusive and kind and loving and generous beyond measure. 

The entire night all I could think was, I can’t believe I get to be their pastor.

Good Shepherd, you are generous, you are inclusive, you are kind, you are loving, and you are generous beyond measure.

What’s Ahead?

This week, a group of key staff leaders gathered together to reflect on our current engagement pathway. An engagement pathway is a strategy to help unconnected people take the first steps or next steps into full engagement in the life of the church and into missional living. I was grateful for the systems that were put into place in the last several years (like, Rooted, the Welcome Team, Connect Cards, and the many Serve opportunities). I believe that I stand on the shoulders of the pastors and the staff that have gone before me. With that, I am excited to build for the future. Out of our time as a staff, various task forces were put into place to help us create clear and strategic pathways.

All of this work is helping me discern how God might be leading us into the future. I still have a lot of listening and learning to do, and in the days ahead, I plan to sit with various focus groups that represent different generations, pockets of worship, ministries, and background. All of this listening and learning helps me understand the pulse of the congregation and the context in which God is leading us.

On Sunday, May 7th at Noon, we will gather for our Annual Meeting. I will share some of my dreams for us as a church. While it won’t be a baked vision, it will be some of my wonderings, prayers, and hopes for all of us. I believe that God is doing new things among us, and these new things happen in us – in you.

This Sunday, we are changing things up with the live preaching schedule. This coming Sunday, I am preaching live in the 9:01 Contemporary service and will be on video in the 9:00am Traditional Service. Additionally, I will be live in the 10:30am Traditional Service, and I will be on video in the 10:29am service. My desire is to be with you all, so this gives me the chance to get to know the various communities of worship at different hours. I will continue to rotate back and forth until the end of May, and then we will begin to integrate our preaching team once again. I would love to connect with you in between services in the Café!

Good Shepherd, thank you for your excitement for the future. I am excited and hopeful with you.

From my heart,

Pastor Tara Beth Leach

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