10 May About Those Leaks + Thoughts on Politics

Over the past few weeks, depending on the service you may have been in at Mosaic North, you may have seen a drip-drop or two coming out of our ceiling, in our 50-year-old-converted-office-park-building-into-a-church-facility.

It hasn’t gone unnoticed by our team, and we have worked diligently with a repairman to address it and fix it every time. We apologize for the ongoing inconvenience and believe we have finally found a solution. That being said, thanks for hanging in there with us and for your patience as we do our best to navigate it!

When I told my mentor and pastor friend, Jim Laffoon (whom many of you know), about our challenges with our facility, he said with a twinkle in his voice, “Well, next time you ask God for an outpouring, just be more specific!”

Bad church humor aside, our facility is important, but our people are more important, just like the place in which you live. Your house or apartment is really important, but its primary purpose (and the reason you repair it) is to create space for your family to gather, love another, and be launched out into the world, on mission, from a place of stability and grace.

Speaking of mission…

With our first-ever Political Symposium coming up on May 17 (registration is completely full), let me give you, briefly, some thoughts about our upcoming national election, already looking to be as polarized and anxious as ever.

My main thought is this: the overall cultural anxiety we may feel does present a unique opportunity for Christian witness in the world—if we will seize it.

That opportunity looks like answering this question: how can the church of Jesus maintain unity in the midst of political diversity?

That’s the burning question at the center of my doctoral research, the first results of which will be presented over the course of two symposiums (the other is scheduled for the fall).

Overall, however, and in case you aren’t able to attend, let me give you some brief talking points as to what you can consistently expect to hear from Mosaic going into this fall (notice the order of these; it is important):

1. Jesus is King: Our ultimate hope is in him and nothing else.

2. Unity is Key: Our unity in Christ matters more than our political differences. It is possible to remain united as a people, even while we may disagree about a candidate or a policy.

3. Engagement is Encouraged: You are encouraged to prayerfully consider issues, allow Christian Scripture to form your views, and to vote and humbly engage as “salt and light” in the democratic process.

The church always lives, as famed British missiologist Lesslie Newbigin put it, in the midst of history as a sign, an instrument and foretaste of the reign of God.

In other words…it’s always messy (we live and work and vote now, in the middle of history), but can also be good (we have a message of a Redeemer who is greater than all, and outside history).

Drips or no drops, I’m glad to be with you, as we turn our attention this Sunday to Matthew 5, and what’s called “The Sermon on the Mount.”

I’m fairly certain my own sermon on Jesus’ Sermon won’t be nearly as good, but I’ll do my best.

Here’s hoping.

Morgan

P.S. Sunday is Mother’s Day! Mosaic Students will not be meeting at Mosaic North. Students are encouraged to join families in the main worship service. Tomorrow is Day at the Park; see you there!