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As I write this, I have just
returned from a meeting of the Congregational Church Development Division
in Phoenix, Arizona. We were wonderfully hosted by the
Congregational Church of Sun City, currently pastored by Reverends Richard
Adair and Tom Witzel. The Sun City church was an NA church plant begun
in 1976 under Rev. Dr. John Alexander.
While there, we also visited
the Goodyear Community Church, led by Rev. Matthew Winslow. The
NA's newest church plant, the Goodyear Church was accepted into
membership at last year's annual meeting. On Sunday half our group went to
worship in Sun City. The other half went to worship at the
Congregational Church of the Valley in Chandler, Arizona, currently pastored by
Rev. Lyle Schossow. The Church of the Valley was a CCD project begun
in 1984.
Whence comes the Church of
tomorrow? From the Church of today. The churches above, now of the
future, were born of people of faith in their day. Indeed, it was their faith and
vision, in concert with God's grace, that made it possible for us to work
and worship so well.
While meeting, we considered
the characteristics of church planters and planting congregations. Here is
the short list; Hearts for God and Christ, and a desire to share the love of
God revealed in Christ, spirits kin to the Holy Spirit, welcome and
hospitable toward all who would know the living God made known in Christ,
and gifts and talents, given by grace — for preaching, teaching, pastoral
care, planning, dreaming and service.
While meeting in Phoenix, we
had countless opportunities to remind ourselves of Paul's words to
the Corinthians, that "there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; varieties of service, but the same Lord; and varieties
of working, but the same God inspires them all in everyone." (I Cor 12:4-6).
We also took time to rededicate ourselves - to reclaiming the passion of
planting new churches _ for the glory of God and Christ.
So… Whence comes the Church
of tomorrow? From the Church of today! We ask — is God calling
you, your church, or someone you know to start a new church? We ask
you to search your heart, and the hearts of others. To seek the heart of
your church. And listen for God's call… then call CCD. We can help you
plant a seed - today - that will bear fruit in untold tomorrows.
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In his opening sermon to the
50th Anniversary meeting of the Michigan State Association, the Rev. William
H. Davis wrote:
The disciples "had talked with Him beside the lake and the river; they had looked up into His eyes;
they had heard the tones of His voice. But Paul never had that privilege. He caught one glimpse of the
glorified Son of God [. . .] so that his thoughts are of the Glorified One and his coming, and their
thoughts were on what had been the memorabilia of the past. Here is the difference between Paul and the
twelve. And the church of the living God is Pauline. For ours is the spiritual vision and expectation, and
therefore we put the ictus of faith and hope upon the triumphs which are to
come."1
1 William H. Davis. D.D., "The Opening Sermon",
The Congregational Churches of Michigan: For the First Fifty
Years, "Printed by Order of the Association", undated
Rev. Dr. Lloyd Hall is the Association's Historian and serves
Plymouth Congregational Church of Lansing, MI
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