The Tree Planted by The River in The Middle of The Village

I find it useful to look at things from different perspectives to understand them more clearly. Some years ago, I began looking at our church as part of a river system, a peninsula among peninsulas. The problem with that is we’re not really water going people, so it didn’t help much. Then, one day as I was looking at a map of zip codes, I saw that we sat at the intersection of three zip codes – 23664, which runs down Beach Road to Grandview, 23669, which runs from Fox Hill road to Mercury, and 23663, which is the Buckroe area.  I still find this a useful perspective, because it suggests that our church isn’t just one kind of person, but a conglomeration of different people and different ways of life.

Two years ago, when Alphonse Kasongo and Pat Leary led us through some listening sessions, Alphonse spoke of our church as the church in the middle of the village. That perspective is helpful too, because it suggests that we have a role to play, to be a connection for our community and the good news of Jesus.

More recently, I was reading Psalm 1, which depicts the righteous life as trees “planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.” (Psalm 1:3) If you connect the dots between Psalm 1, which depicts the tree, and Revelation 22:2, the tree has a definite purpose: “On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.”

Putting all that together, we are to be like a tree, planted in the middle of the village, growing by being fed by streams of water (our worship, service, small groups, ministries, and spiritual growth), surrounded by people of different backgrounds and perspectives (mixing of the zip codes and communities), whose purpose is to bring healing to our village. If we tie that even further in with what we have been using as our symbol, the cross on the roof, which is how our salvation operates – bringing us forgiveness and a new relationship with God through Jesus, and also that that new relationship leads to new relationships with the people in our lives, we have rich well to draw from.

Some of you may be on the ball and wondering – “what difference does that make? I see where a pastor needs to have a perspective of the church they serve, but how does that help me?” Let me explain – our church serves us by being a place and a people who help us get nourishment, hope, and restored relationships with God and each other. But we also exist to help our community do the same. We are not the only church, and we do not have all the answers, but we can still help each other and be a source of refreshing hope for others. So, the next time you come to church or gather with friends from church, realize that you are being healed by our church body, and God wants others to find the healing you have and are finding.

I invite us all to think about these images and ask ourselves, “How can I remain planted by the stream of the Gospel truths, and how can we bring healing to the community around us?” You may be surprised and pleased to discover that more is happening in and through us than meets the eye!

It's my honor to serve alongside you!