Many of us have lost our ability to see perfectly. We wear corrective lenses or squint to bring things into focus. Some ignore their changing eyesight – I have a friend who is
too vain to wear his glasses and chooses instead to suffer headaches and eye-strain on a daily basis! Some equate failure or a lessening of self when they succumb to wearing their glasses regularly and some have to let go of long held career dreams because perfect eyesight is a prerequisite.
Others, though, handle their vision loss with dignity and grace. They seek advice and regular eye care from specialists and they relish the many options for stylish glasses frames, new developments in contact lens wear and corrective eye surgery. They can laugh at themselves when they can’t quite make out the posted menu board or when ‘once again’; they can’t find their reading glasses.
Our ministry together is one that relies on God’s vision for our church and our collective ability to “see” what God is calling us to do. I believe that Andy’s increased presence on staff is a piece of God’s vision for this community of faith and I am grateful to the church membership and leadership for affirming our joint pastorate financially. I am also grateful to Andy for his commitment to discerning this possibility and his willingness to accept it.
I am committed to leading us into seeing 20/20 for our future together. Beginning with prayer on January 1, 2012, I asked God to give me eyes to see and ears to hear and so, each day goes. Soon, Andy and I will set a day apart to clarify our roles and responsibilities. The preaching this summer will focus on examples of Jesus’ vision for God’s kingdom here on earth (as it is in heaven) and in August, a series on the power and presence and gift of the Holy Spirit in bringing 20/20 sight to the hearts of the faithful. Then, in September comes the inclusion of your vision, hopes and dreams for the ministry of Bay View UMC. “Seeing 20/20: A Visioning Process for BVUMC” will be a day of prayer and discernment, naming and claiming, worship and fellowship for leadership and folks interested in active participation in the work of ministry in this place. This will set the course for our Fall Stewardship Campaign and our Ministry Plan for the next Quadrenium (2012 – 2016).
Friends, I believe that all of us have a vision in our hearts – not seen with our perfect or imperfect eyes, but viewed through the eyes of our hearts. It is time to share what we see and embrace the vision before us.
The song goes, “Open the eyes of our hearts, Lord, open the eyes of our hearts”. I pray this lyric often as I think of all that God has in store for us because those who desire to see 20/20 will have a “future with hope”. Jeremiah 29:11
Peace to each of you,
Pastor Kelly