Open the Eyes of Our Heart, Lord...

A World of Travelers, Safely Home

Sun, 8 Mar 2009 17:23:48 -0500

“Relaxed, safe, comfortable, and happy.”
That is how some of ECF’s children described the feeling of being home after going on a trip, during tonight’s Time with Young Disciples in our worship.
Not only does this suggest that their parents have done a good job creating an environment which cultivates those feelings in their children, but that we at ECF already possess at least some of the gifts needed to realize the vision God has given us of “A World of Travelers, Safely Home.”
As the photo above suggests, sometimes the world can seem like “total chaos,” and those who pass through it like travelers ever in search of an elusive destination. The heartbreak, poverty, and violence that is part of life seem more powerful than any of the forces of good will trying to struggle against them. To be “relaxed, safe, comfortable, and happy” is no more than a cruel dream for too many of God’s children.
But even though the photo above proclaims “Total Chaos,” what is actually taking place there is ECF’s vision coming to be. That photo was taken last year at the San Ramon farm of Amy Swartzbaugh and Kevin Ludeke, who welcomed ECF’s Wednesday evening Bungee Jumpers Bible Study, and children from ECFer Megan Crow’s Christ for the City ministry in La Carpio for a day in the country to be “relaxed, safe, comfortable, and happy.”
For at least an afternoon, a large and diverse group of travelers through God’s world were “safely home,” surrounded by friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, and God’s creation. Together, they glimpsed both a vision of the Kingdom of Heaven, and a truer picture of one another than they might see through the lens of their daily lives.
In the coming months, the Council will be directing a process of giving shape to ministries which help us do more of what took place in San Ramon that day, but in a more intentional, focused, and sustainable way. Although it may seem as if we have been “talking” about this for a very long time, just a little more patience is needed to be able to make all our previous efforts as valuable as they can be.
In the meantime, I encourage you to begin to look at those around you as “fellow travelers” and to begin to do what you can to help them arrive “safely home.” And don’t let our planning process stop you from getting started with other ECFers! Jump in with your best ideas, grab a few other folks, and let’s get everyone to the place God wants them to be!
Peace,
Stacey

The Unveiling

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 01:00:00 -0600

Many thanks go out to the many ECFers who shared their thoughts at the unveiling of a draft statement of God's vision for ECF - "A World of Travelers, Safely Home" - last Sunday evening following church. The conversation was animated and fruitful, yielding some small suggestions for finetuning the wording, but more importantly a broadly shared affirmation that our work during the last nine months has yielded something that is not only useful, but powerful and contextually appropriate, as we put our hearts, hands, and voices to work bringing it to fulfillment.
For those who were unable to attend the "unveiling" focus group, the members of the "wordsmithing" task force shared how they came to express the vision in this particular way. A significant part of the process was examining the nine statements written during the retreat to draw out the most widely shared sentiments. These proved to be the words/ideas of "hospitality," "community," and "ministry/service by all." These three central themes were put into conversation to see how they could be woven together into one vision in a way which gave power to each aspect. Several images were discussed and rejected for emphasizing too much one over another.
Finally, however, the image of "traveler" made its way into the conversation, upon recalling just how frequently ECFers seek prayers for themselves or others when traveling, how central a theme in the Bible is that of the journey or sojourn, and how often ECF receives visitors. We are all on a journey with God and one another, both ECFers, as well as those who have not yet found their way through our doors.
The task force found great power in the image of where and how God wants all people to be: "safely home." That "home" may be interpreted broadly enough to include both our heavenly home and the homes of Habitat for Humanity, and to include our community at ECF, both for those who are long term residents, and those for whom ECF is a church "home away from home."
The vision challenges us to provide a ministry which helps our fellow travelers reach safely whatever destination God may be calling them to. It provides a focus for our discipleship as we are able to challenge one another with the question, "How have you helped someone arrive safely home?" and our ministry together as we shape our programs to meet that imperative.
The focus group conversation on Sunday evening yielded the very valuable suggestion to make clearer the fact that not only are we all travelers, but that we travel in or through God's world. This feedback is precisely what the next month's period of confirmation is designed to seek.
The next step will be January small group meetings in the Dinners for Eight format that ECFers have so often enjoyed. These dinners will be another opportunity to "try on" the vision and see how each person might connect with it personally. Please make every effort to attend one of these dinners planned for the weekend on January 23-24.
Finally, if the Spirit is indeed confirming this vision, we will celebrate that Spirit-filled consensus in worship on February 1 as we join together in the Lord's Supper, itself an important element of the vision and our life together.

Please continue to hold this process, and especially the Spirit's confirmation of the vision, in your prayers. God is doing a wonderful thing yet again, calling us to welcome our fellow travelers into authentic community, that we may help lead the world safely home, wherever that home may be.

The Concluding Retreat

Sat, 6 Dec 2008 07:36:48 -0600

On a lovely Saturday at La Palabra de Vida School in San Antonio de Belen, nearly 40 ECFers gathered to pull together the nearly nine months of work done to discern God’s vision for ECF, how we will put to use our lives and ministries as the heart, hands, and voice of Jesus Christ in Costa Rica’s English-speaking community.
Facilitated by Chris Little, Judith Hamje, and Pastor Stacey Steck, the participants narrowed in on the kinds of ministries, needs, and gifts that God might be calling us to address and use. Using numerous exercises, the group explored the range of ministry opportunities within English-speaking community, as well as considered what ECFers had to offer.
Below you will find a summary of the discussions at the retreat. This data will be used by a “wordsmithing” task force which is charged with distilling it into a useful and compelling expression of the shape of ECF’s ministry over the next several years. Please check back for more updates on the process.
Draft Vision Statements from Retreat
Caring Christians Embracing the Needs of English-speakers
Strengthen and Expand God’s diverse community, converting our unique individual gifts into active service (ministries) by all
Glorifying God by being His authentic witness through intentional acts of love and service
A thriving community that draws people into a deeper relationship with Christ, resulting in service to those in need
Freely we have received God’s love and grace, so freely we give; An oasis for emissaries
A Christ-led community expanding and equipped to draw English-speakers into community
A vibrant, Spirit-filled community reflecting Christ’s attitude in all things
Travels with English-speakers to provide them with community, purpose, hospitality, rest, and hope on our journey
Christ’s love is demonstrated by how we welcome and care for each other and how we serve in our community

Brainstormed images for “hospitality”
“Lights on”
“Open arms”
“Listening ears”
“Attention”
“Non-judgmental”
“Smile”
“Table”
“Feast”
“Questions answered”
“Smells”
“Home”
“Welcome Mat”
“Flowers”
“Family”
“A place for you”

Brainstormed images for “active service/ministry by all”
“People”
“Plugged in”
“Ants”
“Cup overflowing”
Gifts and talents”
“Flow”
“Team”
“Gifts to share”
“No person left behind”
“Coordinated”

Target group exercise
1. Individuals and families needing counseling
2. People without a support network
3. People in acute need
4. Children and Youth
5. The local non-English community
6. The existing ECF community
7. People in transition (new arrivals and departing)

Overlaps in Venn diagram exercise
1. Multilingual
2. Connections
3. Long term presence
4. Skilled professionals
5. Passion to meet needs
6. Strong economic resources
7. Strong spiritual resources
8. Diversity and lack of dogmatism
9. Reaching out and in to energize us

Similarities in vision exercise drawings
1. Community doesn’t stay inside except for nourishment, fellowship, equipping, serving each other (Come to worship, leave to serve)
2. Oasis
3. Christ-centered worship
4. Service to others (not just English-speakers)
5. Diversity, welcome, openness
6. Meeting needs of broken people
7. Flow
8. No person left behind

Know Thyself

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 16:57:11 -0500

Tonight, Judith Hamje presented some of the findings of the “Know Thyself” Committee which is charged with helping all of ECF have a clear picture of who we are as a congregation right now and how we perceive our ministry now as we prepare for the future. The Committee received from focus groups the answers below in response to its question:

If you could choose only 1-2 priorities to develop for probability of successful implementation of the ECF vision in the next 12-18 months what would they be and why?
• Strengthen existing ministries/participate fully in missions supported by the church
• Getting to know what missions are going on and getting more involved. Look at things already in place
• New member recruitment in schools, embassies, places of employment
• Share what’s being done in missions so others can contribute a few hours
• Newsletter outreach improve how we communicate that
• Work together with IBC or other English speaking congregations
• Think about how to let other English speakers know about the church. Maybe provide a bus from the language school or other predominately English speaking areas.
• A study on the east side of town
• Community outreach once a month
• Adult education
• Welcome info: continual need
• Transportation-hard to get to church
• Greeters- individual contact
• Mission for a year- tasks to plug into
• Info and opportunities
• Offer to greater CR community through radio and other media for families and children: English worship and Sunday school
• Newcomers:
- identify needs in English speaking community and how we can serve those needs
- select a few to focus on
- advertising
- whole community being able to communicate with each other (community building)
- retirement community

• Emphasis on Sunday school. Better support
• Prisoners support and visitation (English speaking prisoners)
• Focus on English speaking community
• Nice springboard
• Web page and email (are we doing ok?)
• Small groups
• Mobilize English speakers to other ministry
• Model congregational life to Costa Rican churches
• To reach out to people who don’t know Christ is to go where the people are

“Too often, Christians develop programs to reach out to other Christians. Jesus had another way…so should we”

In, Out, Up, Down!

Sun, 1 Jun 2008 19:21:06 -0500

Q: Where does ministry take place?
A: Where doesn’t it take place?

During worship tonight, Tom Soerens shared the chart shown above to help us in our thinking about the shape (and direction) of the ministry to which God is calling us through our Vision Discernment process.

This helpful diagram was shared also during the Launch retreat by Matt Befus, and all agreed that whatever vision God was leading us to would, by definition, include activities in each quadrant. It is not a matter of pursuing one of these, but integrating them all.

Tonight, Tom invited the congregation to form small groups to whom the following directions were given:

In pairs or groups of three, take about five minutes to talk about ways you see that ECF is currently working in one or more of these quadrants.

Identify one or two that you are particularly proud of. Write them into this handout in the box that you think best corresponds. You don’t have to come up with one for each quadrant. Just one or two from any of the quadrants. We will collect these and they will be part of the input we will use in the vision discernment process.

ECFers are good at following instructions, so many lively conversations ensued. The results were gather up, and, once collated, will be presented on the Blog.