| In his sermon on Sunday, 8/18/24, Rev. Dr. Darren Phelps drew on the wisdom from the Book of Deuteronomy, focusing on the story of Moses’ transition of leadership to Joshua. After leading the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and through a 40-year journey in the wilderness, Moses learned that he would not be leading the people across the Jordan into the Promised Land. Following what was revealed to him as God’s plan, Moses continued to demonstrate leadership by preparing the people for his own death. The underlying message was that, while circumstances may change, God will not forsake God’s people. Life is full of transitions. They run the gamut from mildly challenging to extremely difficult. Some transitions are predictable (completing school, a voluntary job change), while some are unexpected (accidents, major illnesses, pandemics). We have choices about how we deal with transitions, whether chosen or unchosen. Psychological research has demonstrated that the skills needed to cope with difficult life challenges can be learned and practiced. Some of the factors affecting our ability to be resilient include our coping strategies, how we view and engage with the world, and the social resources available to us. Openness to new and different ways of solving problems serves us well as we face changing circumstances. Compassion for self and others, even in the most stressful situations, is vital. During community transitions, it is crucial that members of the group practice clear and respectful communication and a willingness to see the situation from the viewpoint of others. Resurrection MCC is a community facing transition. After Sunday’s service, Rev. Dr. Phelps facilitated the first of three Visioning Sessions for our congregation. The focus of this gathering was the question: What are we holding onto that is keeping the church from evolving? Working in small groups, participants chose from a selection of 6 open-ended questions designed to stimulate inquiry and communication on such topics as: the value they have found from participating in a congregation; how their experiences in church have helped them discover and awaken their best selves; what excites them in the congregation; and what might alarm them. Participants were given puzzle pieces as tools to contribute their thoughts and ideas. Directions for the puzzle assignment (paraphrased): Thinking of the big picture and focusing on how you connect with others, write your prayer on a puzzle piece, decorate/add color to it, and post it on the wall. Some participants brought their puzzle pieces home to continue working on them. Next steps. If you attended the 8/18 visioning session and have not yet turned in your puzzle piece, please bring it to the church on Sunday, 8/25. Whether or not you attended the session on the 18th, please consider joining us for one of the two additional sessions scheduled in the upcoming weeks: a) an in-person session on Sunday, 8/24, immediately after service; or b) a Zoom visioning session for online participants on Sunday, 9/8/24. |
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| Cathleen Sheil-Hopper, Board of Directors Cathleen@Resurrectionmcc.org View Last Sunday’s Service Here Join us in singing this Sunday! |