Vision Sunday

The first church I served out of seminary was a church in a county-seat town in northwest Iowa. The people always joked around that I was either the youngest adult or the oldest kid. The best humor exhibits truth and this was true. 

During my three years there we clarified our vision. We figured out who God wanted us to become and what God wanted us to do. We started new ministries, we ended some, and we repurposed others. We all embraced our present and our future together. 

Our vision at The Water’s Edge is clear and succinct: 

To be a church who relentlessly pursues a transforming relationship with God, generously extends hope to the hurting, sacrificially serves our families, and radically invests in the next generation. 

Our mission has always been the same. I can’t imagine it changing: 

To lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and each other. 

As far as vision and mission statements go, these are wonderful. Something much more wonderful occurs when we live these out. 

Our first Easter - 2008 - Russell Middle School

Next Sunday, November 23rd, I will be talking about our present and our future. We have so much exciting stuff going on. One thing I know is that God is leading us into a deeper and more meaningful prayer life: as individuals, as families, and as a church. And one thing I know God cares about deeply is you. Your growth, your healing, your service, your generosity, and your relationships with others and God. 

Another thing I loved about the church in Iowa was that they loved to eat. Good food. Lots of food. We had these dinners called potlucks. People would bring strange salads with things like ramen noodles and cranberries and marshmallows. And for some reason they tasted wonderful. Men would bring various forms of meat. Pies and cakes were the dessert if you had room. 

We have shared many meals at The Water’s Edge. Pancake breakfasts, Blues and BBQ, Chili-Cook-offs, etc… Next Sunday, November 23rd, after the 10:30 worship experience, we will be having our first ever potluck. I’ll whip up some Norwegian food and am looking forward to trying your salads. Most importantly, I’m just excited to sit down and share a meal with my brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Next Sunday is a great day to invite people to worship and eat with us. They can get an idea about who we are, who we hope to become, and join us for lunch. One simple invitation from you can put somebody in an environment where God can do great things. That’s the dream. 

The best is yet to come… 

Craig