In the condominium complex in which Kim and I live in
Morristown, each apartment has a small deck that looks out upon one of the complex’s
eighteen buildings. Our deck is fairly small and we have packed it with two
chairs, a table, and numerous plants. We love this deck and come summertime
this is where we often find ourselves after we have arrived home from work and
before the sun has set. We both agree the best part of our 2nd floor
deck is the gigantic maple tree that sits ten feet from our front door.
As I write
I am staring out our window into the cold January and our great maple looks extremely
bare and a shell of what it once was six months ago. In July the tree has
reached its seasonal peal, its leaves in full bloom, and its branches
stretching far and wide. We can almost reach out and touch the tree in the
summer as we sit on our deck, its massive size offering us feelings of
seclusion and comfort.
Kim moved into this complex almost thirteen years ago when the
maple was a shadow of what it is today. It stood twelve or fifteen feet high
and it paled in comparison to its current size and beauty. Over the last
thirteen years our tree has been growing…a lot. While its growth has been steady
and consistent, its journey has not come to an end. There are many more seasons
of change left in our tree, many opportunities to see leaves begin to form and
then slowly change color as the temperature slowly descends. This is all part
of the process of growth and as I sit in our living room and look out upon our
bare maple tree, I rest assured that it is in fact…growing. Spring will soon be
here and the growth that is difficult to imagine right now will soon manifest
into buds, stems, and colors. In January I am forced to sit back and trust that
beneath the mighty maple’s cold bark, growth is occurring.
This past fall the theme of our Stewardship campaign was
"Our Story: Telling It and Living It.” Do you remember our cardboard "Story
Tree” that Gary made and the leaves we attached to the tree’s branches that
contained our thoughts to the discussion questions? The story of Community
Presbyterian Church is similar to that of a tree. Chartered over fifty years
ago, our church has been steadily growing with each passing day, year, and
decade. Our roots continue to form beneath the soil, our branches have grown with
new twists and turns, and new leaves keep on budding and sprouting. Sometimes
growth is obvious and it’s right in front of our face. We see a new branch form
with leaves budding at a rapid pace. Most of the time though growth is slow, it
doesn’t happen overnight, and a great deal of patience is required.
Our Story Tree still sits in our library, with its branches
decorated with leaves, each holding an answer to the question we asked in worship
that day. Your answers were profound, deep, insightful, and thought provoking.
They represent a church that is…well, growing. I invite you to look through the
list below and pick out one or two from each question. Which answer jumps out
to you? Which gives you pause? Which one challenges you? Which conjures up
feelings of joy? Then, sit with that word and its accompanying "value” for a
while. And by a while I mean days, weeks, and even months. Think about it…write
about it. Take your time. Like our "Epiphany Star,” there is no need to rush.
It is in this kind of reflection that we allow the Spirit to slowly speak,
lead, challenge, and foster growth within us.
I’ve picked out my three and I’m looking forward to the
journey ahead. Which three are for you?
That great maple outside my apartment looks quite barren
right now, but spring is on the horizon. Deep inside its bark growth is
happening. New life is moving and taking shape. This growth is a slow process
that demands patience…but it’s happening. That great maple tree outside my
apartment, our individual trees, and Community Presbyterian Church’s tree…they
are all growing.
Peace,
Joel
- We Value Spiritual
Growth: What are the signs of spiritual growth?
Forgiveness; Letting go; Caring; Joy; Trust in God; Friendships;
Sharing; Laughter; Confidence; Humility; Flexibility; Giving; Serving; Acceptance;
Leaps of faith; Selflessness; Love for our neighbor; Calm; Taking risks; Dying
to old ways; Compassion; Looking for answers; Surviving tragedy; Perseverance; Working
together; Respect; Patience; Participation; Prayer; Taking direction; Wrestling
with God; Repentance
- We Value Questions: What questions are you asking today?
Am I on God’s path or my path? How do I guide others when I
am struggling? What does God require, want, or expect of me? Why is there evil?
What is evil? Is there evil? Is it good to be sad? When do we discover our
purpose? Is it possible to always have something "good” come out of a bad
experience? Who are you God? Why is having faith hard? Is it okay to be sad? How
do we deal with unanswered prayer? When will Jesus come again? Is Jesus coming
again? Did Jesus ever leave? Are there things God doesn’t know? Is there a
purpose beyond procreation? Why do I question my parenting skills? How do we
understand Scripture today, especially the challenging verses?
- We Value the
Exhibition of the Kingdom of God: What
does the kingdom of God look like?
Peace over the entire world; Pure love; Filled with nature
and animals; No fear; A clear horizon; All that is within; A lack of want; Angels
all around; No pain and suffering; Free of anger; No hunger; No rap; A world of
respect and value; No pain and suffering; No self-hate and insecurity; Love
others as ourselves; A place where our journey continues; No apathy or
indifference; No war; A safe place; Seraphims; All are equal; People laughing
and enjoying each other; No clutter; Just like this, right here!!; A place
where children feel safe; Reuniting; No bias; No tears; Faith and hope; No
death; Life; A place where truth lives