ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
December 11, 2022
Today is our Annual Congregational Meeting. For some folks, those words are followed by a rolling of the eyes and a deep sigh. It’s not the flashy or exciting stuff of church, but it is sort of necessary. Here is what I want to emphasize. Yes, we are voting on a budget, but it represents the intersection of the congregation’s commitment and God’s vision. We are voting on the 2023 leadership, the Board and Elders of the congregation. These are the people called upon to implement the mission of the church, using both the financial and spiritual gifts of the people who claim this as their spiritual home. Currently, unlike 90% of congregations in the United States, Cypress Creek has new visitors every week, young people who are enthusiastic about the church’s identity and who frequently comment on our inclusion statement. People are looking for an alternative to the guilt-ridden, judgmental forms of religion. They are seeking something that is life-giving, celebrates the goodness of creation, refuses to ignore injustice, respectfully listens to the stories of diverse people, and willingly has the tough conversations that many wish to ignore. Isaiah 9 offers a prophetic image of who God is and how God interacts with the world. It says…
“For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.…”
This is not a God who sits idly by, feeling bad for people. This is a God who fully invests in the divine nature, even choosing to allow the Living Word to take on flesh and join humanity in its suffering and brokenness. God’s incarnation, the birth of the Christ child, represents a God who refuses to allow the status quo of a hurting world to continue without offering a clear alternative. If the church is to fully reflect God, then it’s pretty clear who we need to be and what we need to do.
Your church might worship you in a sanctuary with walls, O Wonderful Counselor, but it chooses to follow your example by enfleshing your witness in the world, among all your people. Continue to inspire us through the example of Jesus. Amen.
