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Good Stewards |
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Location: Blogs Brad's BlogMid-Week Missive |
 | | Posted by: Brad Miller | 1/26/2010 2:12 PM | One of the great things about working at the church these days is that I get to watch as the changes in the sanctuary take place. First, the stripping away of everything not needed, or that will be renewed or replaced. Then, the slow buildup of new things, the replacement of worn things, the renewal of things that still have much life in them. And it is very hard for me not to understand that what is happening in the sanctuary at BCC is also what happens in our lives when we set our minds and our hearts on renewal. It is the great gift that we can do that whenever we choose.
I was chatting with one of the electricians the other day about the work he does and he said at one point, “I really like it when we get to work in churches – it makes me feel good to know that I am helping to beautify God’s house. I like that.”
And he’s right: the sanctuary and the rest of the church building may only be bricks and mortar like every other building in town, but it is something special. It is a place that we have deemed holy, not because God is ONLY there, but because it is a place where we have found God – in each other, in the songs we sing, in the prayers we pray, in the sharing of the Word, in the service of communion. It is indeed God’s house, and we are called to take care of it.
In the not too distant future, we will once again be worshipping in the “new” sanctuary and I hope you will join me in rededicating ourselves to being good stewards of God’s house. In talking with the executive team and others, it has become clear that when we are able to once again be in the sanctuary, we want to pay special attention to where we are and how we treat it. Someone yesterday said to me, “We need to treat it as if we were a guest in someone’s living room.” I would take it even further: we need to treat it as if we were in God’s living room, because for us, it is. So what do I think that means? no food or drinks in the narthex or sanctuary; nothing that takes away from the purpose of the space: ringing cell phones, newspapers, or other things that intrude on that purpose. In short, when we come to God’s living room, let’s pay the respect that the space is due. Because anything that distracts or detracts from our purpose – worship and sharing together – is something that makes the space just a little less special.
And as long as we are at it, I want to be mindful of how we treat the rest of the building, too. Let’s try and not leave coffee cups and soda cans around. Let’s make sure we leave each room we use just as we found it. In that way, the next group that comes in can enjoy and use the space. They won’t have to worry about cleaning up what we left behind, or spend time putting away supplies – they’ll be ready to walk in and use the space as they need.
There is no doubt that the church is a special place. It is made special by how we have been touched here, who we have met here, how we have celebrated and grieved here, how we have been renewed here. It may be bricks and mortar, but it is indeed, special space, and it’s up to us to keep it that way.
For an updated prayer list and list of upcoming activities, please go to www.brookhavenchristian.org
For your prayer list:
• Ella Schaedler, great-niece of Brad and Carol Miller, who is hospitalized with respiratory issues.
• Grace Parker, in hospice care in Charleston, South Carolina. Please keep her son Mike Parker, and the whole family in your prayers.
Upcoming Events
• In Celebration of MLK, Emory University will host a “Jazz Vespers Worship Service” on Thursday, January 21st at 7:00 p.m. in the Cannon Chapel. Go to www.emory.edu to find more information.
I hope you can make it to worship this Sunday as we celebrate the Lord’s Day together once again. The sermon is titled “Honoring the Gift” and the scripture is 1st Corinthians 12: 1-11. Have a great rest of the week!
Be peaceful,
Brad
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