Last week I set up my mobile office at the Scipioville Church. It’s a sweet country church building set back a bit from the road with a large expansive lawn. It’s the sort of church you imagine has been in that exact same spot for generations.
Except… it hasn’t.
Those who know the story of this church know that it was MOVED from one site to another in order to accommodate the building of a Fellowship Hall. I’ll let that sink in for a minute. Back in the early 1960’s, this congregation desired a place for fellowship and gathering so much they MOVED their building.
When I consider the sheer number of meetings, consultants, experts and bar fights that often accompany church decisions to… oh, I don’t know, change the paint color in the women’s bathroom… the magnitude of this move is mind-boggling. What an incredible undertaking!
As I toured the sanctuary I thought of those who must have had such a passion for fellowship with one another they were willing to move mountains (or churches!). It’s difficult to imagine a group of people having such a fire in their collective soul… and yet, I’ve seen glimpses of the same in other places. The Arlington Church in north Virginia sold its building in order to build affordable housing. Isaiah’s Kitchen has relocated in order to feed both body and soul. Something transformational happens when we look to where there is need and we are willing to sacrifice.
What are you willing to move in order to accomplish your congregation’s mission? This isn’t about restructuring committees… this is about tearing down in order to build up in a new way. Or, a bit closer to home, what are you willing to move in your own life that will help you accomplish the work you’ve been called to do?
The Quirky Calvin-isht 