So. It's been awhile. There are a million things to write about. Peter. Church. School. Marriage. But what's rolling through my head right now is just a comment made by someone who checked out MainStreet last week and emailed Jeremy letting him know that our church will not become their church home because it's 'too casual'. (Full disclosure - they also live like a half hour away, so they are also looking for something 'closer to home', which I totally get.)
'Too casual'? Maybe. I have worn jeans every single Sunday so far, but I think that's primarily been driven by unshaven legs and trying to get both myself and Pete dressed and out the door on time. Although I don't think they meant 'casual' in the dress code sense. If I was an outsider, I might think MainStreet is a bit too casual, too, but more from what I'm coming to think of as a style of 'abundant grace'. Jer mentioned that we have more liturgical elements than, say, the other new church down the street (scripture reading, etc.) so the service isn't exactly 'casual' in a biblical sense. However, our attitude regarding performance (read: presentation) might be.
I can't think of a Sunday yet that has been completely polished, with all people involved hitting their transitions at just the right moment, announcements and such being totally engaging and fun, or Jeremy not forgetting to mention something like prayer partners at the end of the service. The week this couple visited, Jer jumped ahead of the service order printed in the bulletin, only to realize it after a minute and backtrack. So... if someone is/was looking for a completely perfectly polished service, they probably won't find it at MainStreet (at least... not yet). I can excuse these blips because I know one of our core values is abundant grace. I would much rather (I think) attend a church that can laugh at itself when things don't go quite-so-right than attend one that gets high-strung and tense when a microphone stops working. All that to say, though, I wouldn't want to go somewhere that always felt like the service was thrown together last minute and was completely unorganized...
What a crazy line to walk between being a church that is too performance driven and/or too sloppy. My prayer is that we will get it just right for what we want to be at MainStreet. I hope that we can be a church that has high standards, but that also practices grace. And if that means we seem 'too casual' to some, I think I'm okay with that.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Sometimes Things Stink
Last night was one of those wonderfully awkward nights that I both loved and hated.
We got some stinky news from a dear friend who is being called elsewhere (as in not MainStreet). It left both Jer and I sort of shell shocked (though we saw it coming) and feeling like we're not enough. And then we have to remind ourselves that we don't have to be enough because God is enough. And He's building this church, and He's brought people into and out of this journey before. But it still stinks. Jeremy said our church planting director told him to expect that we will probably turn over every person on our team before the church really starts, so it's at least comforting to know that it's not just us that have gone through this.
And from this news to our new LifeGroup kickoff... only to have everyone we invited not show up. Argh. BUT. Jer and I got to have dinner with our host couple and hear their story... Cliff and Ruby have been married for 61 years. It was fun to sit back and listen to people who have gone before us and to hear their journey with the Lord and with the church. AND... Ruby has a history of praying things into fruition. Those stories were cool to hear.
We got some stinky news from a dear friend who is being called elsewhere (as in not MainStreet). It left both Jer and I sort of shell shocked (though we saw it coming) and feeling like we're not enough. And then we have to remind ourselves that we don't have to be enough because God is enough. And He's building this church, and He's brought people into and out of this journey before. But it still stinks. Jeremy said our church planting director told him to expect that we will probably turn over every person on our team before the church really starts, so it's at least comforting to know that it's not just us that have gone through this.
And from this news to our new LifeGroup kickoff... only to have everyone we invited not show up. Argh. BUT. Jer and I got to have dinner with our host couple and hear their story... Cliff and Ruby have been married for 61 years. It was fun to sit back and listen to people who have gone before us and to hear their journey with the Lord and with the church. AND... Ruby has a history of praying things into fruition. Those stories were cool to hear.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Growing Fast
This is Peter at 11 weeks old. He has outgrown all of his 3 month clothing. Jer and I assumed we would have a tall baby, but this is nuts. He is growing fast, and he is healthy. We are grateful.
I pray that MainStreet would grow fast and healthy, too.
Baby Pete, meet Baby Church.
MainStreet Covenant is a real church!
Jer and I have always thought that, but now we look more like a 'real' church according to American standards. We had our first Sunday morning preview service in September, and are now one week away from our second one!
There were 147 people - which includes tiny people like Peter - that joined together to break new ground in Mound on September 18th. God showed up and took care of all the silly things for us, and we had fun watching person after person come through the door. It was a little overwhelming, but then again, we've been saying that God will build his church and it really has nothing to do with us. There were people there we've never met before, so that was really fun to see. According to church planting 'rules', at least 50% of your church body should be from new contacts. Jer and I were talking afterwards, and I think of the 147 people there, we only knew 20 or 30 of them when we said yes to this last spring. God is building this church.
I am excited.
I am especially excited to see how Baby Pete and Baby MainStreet grow up together.
Jer and I have always thought that, but now we look more like a 'real' church according to American standards. We had our first Sunday morning preview service in September, and are now one week away from our second one!
There were 147 people - which includes tiny people like Peter - that joined together to break new ground in Mound on September 18th. God showed up and took care of all the silly things for us, and we had fun watching person after person come through the door. It was a little overwhelming, but then again, we've been saying that God will build his church and it really has nothing to do with us. There were people there we've never met before, so that was really fun to see. According to church planting 'rules', at least 50% of your church body should be from new contacts. Jer and I were talking afterwards, and I think of the 147 people there, we only knew 20 or 30 of them when we said yes to this last spring. God is building this church.
I am excited.
I am especially excited to see how Baby Pete and Baby MainStreet grow up together.
Friday, June 10, 2011
It's been awhile!
I have to apologize for my absence from blogging... this spring I finished up two classes for my master's program, and then jumped into another one this summer. It ends two weeks after the Fish is due. (Needless to say, I'm not quite sure how that will work yet!) We also wrapped up meeting with our LifeGroup for the spring, but replaced that with a Dave Ramsey class every Wednesday - our buddy Graham will be taking that over, so I may find a free night to myself soon! We launched a Backyard Bible Study on the Sermon on the Mount last Sunday and had 16 people in our backyard. I realized I really like hanging out with these MainStreet people, so that was good.
And now Jer and I find ourselves staring at parenthood from about five weeks out (although I'm sort of expecting to have a little bit more time!) It's crazy to think about. Pretty soon there will be one more Berg body in our house. Jer and I are trying to sneak in whatever free time we have together and appreciate it. That usually happens around 10:30 PM until I NEED to fall asleep. Jeremy plays guitar for the baby, makes up poems, and we play Scrabble on his iPhone. Last night I got to pray for our marriage, for parenthood, and for God's mission in Mound and how that may affect our family. It's pretty fun to think about when we actually (well... 'I' actually) take time to reflect on it. We have been blessed.
And now Jer and I find ourselves staring at parenthood from about five weeks out (although I'm sort of expecting to have a little bit more time!) It's crazy to think about. Pretty soon there will be one more Berg body in our house. Jer and I are trying to sneak in whatever free time we have together and appreciate it. That usually happens around 10:30 PM until I NEED to fall asleep. Jeremy plays guitar for the baby, makes up poems, and we play Scrabble on his iPhone. Last night I got to pray for our marriage, for parenthood, and for God's mission in Mound and how that may affect our family. It's pretty fun to think about when we actually (well... 'I' actually) take time to reflect on it. We have been blessed.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Should I feel bad being excited about this?
So... sometimes God takes things that are not-so-awesome and uses them as something awesome for someone else.
I think of Jeremy's cousin Scott and his wife Amanda who lost their precious little daughter two weeks ago and decided to donate her organs to other babies in need. Eight month old Eden was waiting for new lungs herself when God welcomed her home. Scott and Amanda took their not-so-awesome situation and turned it into a glorious day for many other parents. May they be richly rewarded for that decision.
Well, MainStreet is on the 'awesome' receiving end of one of these types of things. A few weeks ago, another Covenant church plant decided to close shop after their planting pastor stepped down. This church has been around for almost 4 years. That it's closing is not so awesome. But.
Working like the kingdom does, Jeremy got an email that MainStreet gets first dibs at their equipment... sound stuff, kids stuff, hospitality stuff... and we don't have to pay for it. Jer and I are headed over to pick up some of this stuff in about an hour. I have no idea what's included, and I'm sad for the church that closed.
But oh man am I excited about this unexpected blessing.
I think of Jeremy's cousin Scott and his wife Amanda who lost their precious little daughter two weeks ago and decided to donate her organs to other babies in need. Eight month old Eden was waiting for new lungs herself when God welcomed her home. Scott and Amanda took their not-so-awesome situation and turned it into a glorious day for many other parents. May they be richly rewarded for that decision.
Well, MainStreet is on the 'awesome' receiving end of one of these types of things. A few weeks ago, another Covenant church plant decided to close shop after their planting pastor stepped down. This church has been around for almost 4 years. That it's closing is not so awesome. But.
Working like the kingdom does, Jeremy got an email that MainStreet gets first dibs at their equipment... sound stuff, kids stuff, hospitality stuff... and we don't have to pay for it. Jer and I are headed over to pick up some of this stuff in about an hour. I have no idea what's included, and I'm sad for the church that closed.
But oh man am I excited about this unexpected blessing.
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