Here at Peace Lutheran Church, we unapologetically believe everybody needs Jesus and everybody needs a faith family to encourage them on this journey of faith. We sincerely hope you find Peace to be a place where you can get connected and form the relationships you need to keep you going even as you encourage others on their faith journey. But if you just can’t get connected here, get connected any place else: it’s that important!
We need to be tied on to other Christians as we all move forward together. Who will be there when you stumble or fall? Who is committed to moving forward with you, but not without you? Who are you encouraging as they struggle to take the next step on their faith journey? For the sake of the Church, for the sake of our mission, for your sake, and for the sake of others around you, get connected to the mission and ministry of your church. Think of the people of Peace and ask, “Who’s on my rope?”
In his book Organic Community, Joseph Myers describes four different “patterns of belonging” we all need in order to experience a sense of community. Myers doesn’t tell us what to do to experience belonging, he describes how belonging takes place. And he doesn’t suggest we necessarily move from the more loosely connected relationships to more intimate ones: we all need a variety of relationships to feel like we belong. Based on the aspects of community described by Myers, you can think of Peace as a place to connect in vital ways to a variety of other disciples on this same Journey of Faith.
The Peace Family
You know what it’s like to be connected to a group of people you may or may not know because you share something in common; whether you are a UT fan or an OU fan, you wear the colors, know the lingo, watch the game, high-five the fellow fan you’ve never seen before as you celebrate a victory. This kind of “public belonging” is an important aspect of our social life. So, too, at Peace you may simply find comfort in being in our sanctuary with other people who are on the same journey of faith. You know some of the “lingo,” you like going to the “game,” you’ll smile and shake hands with a stranger because they are also a part of Peace. We have more of these public relationships than any other kind of connection, and that’s OK. It’s good to belong to the family of God at Peace Lutheran Church, even if you never get to know everybody’s name. You’re glad to be around other Christians and we’re glad you’re here!
Put a Peace bumper sticker on your car or purchase some Peace wear.
Become a Fan of Peace Lutheran Church on Facebook.
Come to one of our Special Events at Peace, designed to help build relationships.
People You Know at Peace
Behind public belonging, most of the relationships we have belong to the category of “social belonging.” These are people you know well enough to ask a smaller favor of them. They might be people who share your pew or who sit at your table in Bible class. They might be people you sing next to in choir, serve next to on a board, or ride next to in our motorcycle club. These kinds of social relationships are important because they allow us to express who we are and tell our story to other people in a way that strengthens our own sense of identity. For Christians, being able to speak about your faith walk comfortably with those in your social group at Peace helps us understand better what God is doing in our lives. It also makes it easier to share our faith with others when the opportunity arises. You don’t have to know everyone to feel like you belong at Peace, but as you become more and more connected, it’s important to have some people whom you know and who know you on a first name, social level. After all, sometimes you want to go where at least somebody knows your name . . .
Strengthening your “social belonging” at Peace
Social connections can grow out of public connections, so get to know the people who sit in the pew with you week after week and greet them by name. It will make you both feel more like you belong.
Sunday morningand midweek bible classes intentionally spend some time on building relationships. Commit to participating in a bible class for six weeks; social relationships take time to develop.
I, a pilgrim of eternity, stand before You, Eternal One.
Let me not seek to deaden or destroy the desire for You that disturbs my heart.
Let me rather yield myself to its constraint and go where it leads me. Make me wise to see all things today under the form of eternity, and make me brave to face all the changes in my life which such a vision may entail; through the grace of Christ my Savior. Amen.
Just as social belongings can grow out of public relationships, personal belonging can grow out of social relationships. We all need a few people with whom we can share our own private (though not intimate) opinions or views. We usually call these kinds of people “close friends” and friendships develop over time. Some of the people in our social community get connected to us over time until we find ourselves sharing our own personal joys and sorrows. We don’t need to be close friends with everyone at Peace, but we do need some people in our lives that will share our burdens, prayers, and joys. Do you have someone you would call if you had to go into the hospital or if you found out your mother was going in for surgery? Who would visit you if you were laid up for a month or bring you a meal if your oven blew up? Though you might smile at everyone in worship and you might call a few people by name, you also need a small number of Christian friends that can support you in times of difficulty or sorrow, success or joy. These are the travelers to whom we are most closely connected on this faith journey. Who’s on your rope?
Strengthening your “personal belonging” at Peace
Personal belongings grow out of social relationships: take someone you serve alongside out to dinner.
For some, small group bible study can be a way to develop social relationships that grow toward personal belonging. See if there are any small groupsbeing formed soon that fit your schedule or check out our regular offering of midweek bible classes.
Mission trips are a great way to get to know other people very well very fast. Sign up for one of our short term mission trips to Honduras.
Invite someone to go with you to our Men’s Retreat this April or our Women’s Retreat in the fall. Those kinds of extended social activities help lay a foundation for personal belonging.
Is someone in your pew or in your ministry area in the hospital? Write a note of encouragement, or better yet, go visit them—we serve Jesus as we serve each other. Check out our Christian Care page for some ideas.
When You knock at my heart’s door, let me not keep You standing outside but welcome You with joy and thanksgiving.
Let me keep nothing in my heart that might embarrass Your presence; let me keep no corner of it closed to Your influence.
Do what You will with me, God; make of me what You will, and change me as You will, and use me as You will, both now and in the larger life beyond; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
In Organic Community, Joseph Myers wants us to know that we don’t need to progress from the less intimate to the more intimate in our relationships to be good Christians or even to be healthy people. We all need a variety of patterns of belonging to have a sense of community in our lives. Your most intimate relationships may not be with people at Peace, and that’s OK—but we all need one or two “best friends” that can share our most personal hurts and joys. A fellow Christian who knows you well enough to listen to your failings and offer forgiveness, listen to your struggles and offer encouragement, or just plain listen when you’re having a bad day—they are a gift from God and one of the ways God works in your life through His Word.
Strengthening your “intimate belonging” at Peace
If you are married, take advantage of the childcare offered on a Date Night here at Peace: when was the last time you courted your spouse? Visit our Marriage Resource page for other ideas on strengthening your most important intimate relationship.
If you have a best friend, set a regular date to get together. Don’t wait until you need emergency prayer: walking through ordinary life together makes it possible to go through times of challenge or decision with much needed support.
Pray regularly for the people you are closest to. Don’t know what to pray? Check out this link.
If you don’t have the support of a best friend, consider those in your personal network of relationships. What would it take to walk a little more closely with one of them? Who would you call at 3 am if you needed emergency prayer? Ask God to connect you to one or two fellow travelers so you can support them and be encouraged in your faith journey.
What I desire for myself I cannot attain, but what You desire in me You can attain for me.
The good that I would do I don’t do, but the good that You will in me, You can give me power to do.
Father-Child Retreat Recap Our fathers have told us what you did in their days
(Psalm44:1)
What a great (and hot) weekend we had at Lake Murray State Park! The tie-dying was amazing this year and we only had a few minor sunburns. I saw a number of dads really investing time in their kids to just have fun with them and grow their relationship, and also to pass on the God-stories of their families. I even heard of some kids telling their Dad, "We're not playing with our friends this weekend. We want to spend time with you!" All around, it was a fabulous weekend for dads and grandads to spend valuable time with their kids and grandkids.
Our theme this year was GO(o)D DAYS, and our theme verse was Psalm 44:1a, "We have heard with our ears, O God; our fathers have told us what you did in their days." One of the things we did was have the dads and grandpas tell their kids a story before bed about how God had worked in their family's past, and we had kids tell their dads and grandpas stories too. This is a vitally important part of being family in Christ. When we stop telling the stories, our faith gets disconnected from real life and the real people in our lives. We also looked for God-sightings, just like we did during VBS back in June. It was fun to see dads and their kids experiencing God in their everyday living and playing.
On Saturday night I shared two books, one for fathers and one for parents. Here they are:
The Seven Secrets of Effective Fathers:
Becoming the Father Your Children Need
by Ken R. Canfield
I am just getting into this book, but it was highly recommended in another parenting book that I loved. Dr. Ken R. Canfield is founder of the National Center for Fathering, and served as NCF's president and CEO from 1990-2005. He currently serves as Executive Director of the Boone Center for the Family at Pepperdine University. Join me in reading and applying this book and intentionally growing as a father. I think this book has the potential to be a worn-out, coffee-stained, dog-eared handbook that I will work through slowly, prayerfully, and deliberately.
Sacred Parenting
by Gary Thomas
This is a book we are beginning to use in our Christian Discipleship Training (CDT) with parents. I am working through the book currently with Jamie. It’s different than most parenting books in that it does not burden you with all that you are screwing up, but talks about how God is shaping you spiritually through your relationship with your kids. Since I haven’t completed it yet, I’ll withhold praise…but so far, this is a great book!
God's richest blessings on all of you who participated! ~ Pastor Wiechman
Send us your pictures from this year's retreat - click here.
Save the date for next year - July 29-31, 2011
More Resources
Purchase these discipleship resources online or check them out of our Peace Library.
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