Grace Evangelical Free Church
Thanks to Anna (Ben) Crumback at Sointula Community Church for producing the Church of the Week!
So, where do we
go from here?
We can answer this question in one of two ways. Either we will follow the route of another or we will enter uncharted waters, trusting our navigational skill.
As Karen and I sail the waters of the Salish Sea, we use charts that show us where the rocks, shoals and hazards lie. Less adventuresome, but safer. Some mariners travel these waters without charts, and do so at their own peril.
I often think of the early
explorers, who ventured into our region and first mapped out the features,
hazards and harbours. Anchoring their ships in the deep waters, they would
venture into the shallower waters using longboats.
Sir Francis Drake is said to have explored our local waters in 1579. He is also believed to have written the following prayer that bears his name.
Prayer of Sir Francis Drake
Disturb us, Lord, when we are too
well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too
little,
When we arrived safely Because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, Lord, when With the
abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life, We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth, We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.
Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wilder seas
Where storms will show Your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars
We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.
This we ask in the name of our Captain, Who is Jesus Christ.
Sir Francis Drake
I love this prayer – an
invitation to “be disturbed,” rather than settle for either
“small dreams” or seeking the safety of the shoreline.
Last weekend, at our LPD Conference,
presenters Steve and Neil did not provide us with a chart, a course or a
pathway towards discipleship.
They focused on providing tools for navigation, encouraging each church to define
its biblical understanding of discipleship and the pathway to get there. While
it is the work of Christ that really transforms, we align ourselves and our
ministries with his purposes.
Cam Taylor, Director of Transitional Leadership Ministries at Outreach
Canada asks, “Are
You a Map Reader or a Navigator?”
He quotes Eddy Gibbs, who writes in
his book, “Leadership Next,” “The church needs navigators tuned to
the voice of God, not map readers. Navigational skills have to be learned on
the high seas and in the midst of varying conditions produced by the wind,
waves, currents, fog banks, darkness, storm clouds and perilous rocks.”
Taylor
writes, “If
you are going to be a navigator, you have to be a growing leader. Growing
leaders are coach-able. They find those around them who can both believe in
them and challenge them to be their best.
Being coach-able means being open to outside input and new ideas that you haven’t thought of before. They say, “if you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.” In other words, if you want to move into uncharted territory, you need others to speak into your life who have been there or know how to use the instruments needed to figure out how to get to where you want to go.
“Every leader will hit a series of plateaus in their life. The key is not to stay there, because settling on a plateau can easily lead to an elongated season of comfort. Being comfortable is one of the leader’s worst enemies.” ― Gary Rohrmayer.
As we gathered for conference last
weekend, pastors and leaders went home challenged to leave the familiar shores
and venture to the sea of our mission, with Christ as our navigator.
May we be those who pursue
the course of discipleship with passion, and invite others to follow Christ our
master with us.
So, where do you go from
here?
Watch for stories from the
journeys of district churches in the weeks ahead…
***
LPD Annual Conference:
Thanks so much to all who attended,
to Vancouver Chinese EFC, for their wonderful ministry as hosts, and to Steve
Sharpe and Neil Bassingthwaighte for equipping us toward ministry of “Discipleship that
Transforms.”
AROUND THE LPD
Last Sunday, it was a joy to visit Grace Hanin Community Church,
to present Lead Pastor Shinil Park with his EFCC Certificate of Ordination. As
you are aware, this church joined the LPD/EFCC at our conference in 2018, and
Reverend Park transferred his ordination from the Korean Methodist Church.
This Sunday, Karen and I will be at our home church, North Delta EFC for
worship …. and a
congregational meeting.
***
Please pray for:
***
Upcoming Events:
Summer Ministry Opportunity
Looking for a youth mission opportunity this summer?
Vancouver Island?
Have you considered a beautiful island in the Pacific? – as in …
Some Island Churches would welcome
ministry teams to come to the Island to minister with Vacation Bible School Ministry
and children’s programs this summer.
Your church can take your VBS ministry on the road with your youth or mission team – and be a real blessing to Island churches too.
Please contact the LPD Office for information!
***
Attend live in Okotoks, Alberta or join us for livestream locally.
Watch for details next week!
***
LPD Pastor and Staff Cruise
Wednesday, May 29
– a day with colleagues in ministry.
***
LPD Pastor and Spouse Retreat
Nov. 22-24, 2019
Hello LPD pastors, we’d like to
invite you to join us on Nov.
22-24, 2019 for a Pastors’ retreat! We’d like to
encourage you to take a breather in late November (before Advent begins) with
your fellow pastors at Camp
Charis in Chilliwack.
Please set this date aside and watch for details early in the months ahead.
