My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. Luke 1:46b-49 NRSV
Oh, who are the people in your neighborhood?
In your neighborhood?
In your neighborhood?
Say, who are the people in your neighborhood?
The people that you meet each day.
I was saddened to learn of Bob McGrath’s passing Sunday night. I remember his voice, a talented music teacher and an original cast member who played Bob Johnson on Sesame Street, singing this song when I was a child. The tune would carry through the day, weaving its way into my own creations of Matchbox car cities, where I imagined emergencies occurring and the good people in uniform answering the call to serve those in need. I remember the calm presence and voice of Bob Johnson, and loved singing along with him.
He embodied goodness and kindness. He rejoiced in the relationships he shared with others on screen – whether they be children or puppets or other adults. He was truly somebody I looked up to as a child.
The song kept running through my thoughts as I reflected on the past couple of months traveling across the Beacon district for charge conferences. Week after week since early October, I have been blessed to share fellowship with so many good neighbors, listening to their reflections on three questions:
1. How have you experienced God’s new creation in your life and church?
2. What is something you lament about the past year regarding your leadership and the church’s ministry?
3. What gives you hope for the future? Where do you sense God calling you to the future?
As a response to the words expressed by Mary in Luke, I offer this list as a celebration of the many ways God is engaged in new creation, in the ways God is present in our lament, and the many ways God is leading us into a future with hope. Listen and rejoice in all this good news!
Young parents and young kids attending worship. “How can I help?” Hope jumping in and helping each other. Community strings have been beautiful, as young people learn music in the church. A story of a child skipping to lessons with their instrument in hand. Joy for the Yaupons. “I am free to be able to express myself.” The Connect program gives me hope. “We make folks feel welcomed.” “There’s still a place for me.” Community donations to help support local foundations. “We are a singing and praying church.” Reaching people beyond the walls of the church through streaming. “Wanting to be part of something bigger.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 – So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! “When we let God rule our day.” New seasons for Sunday school and youth. “Shepherds leading us in ministry.” “Hope is found in our desire to have a relationship with God.” “Addressing our fear, examination of our fears and God pondering my fear.” “New bonds being formed equals God’s new creation.” Moving beyond the pandemic. Choir returning. Bible studies. Joyful Hearts group. “The comradery between three churches.” “Death has given us new life as we celebrate life.” “Sunday school class is growing!” “Funerals pull people into the church.” Lament lack of growth, no young people, and division in the church. “Getting used to the normal again.” “The power of prayer and the healing of members.” Celebrating our relationship with Jesus Christ. “The pastor’s messages bring newness every Sunday.” Attendance is growing. Lament of evangelism and the need to do better. “Our hope is in Jesus Christ.” “God is in control.” Coming out of Covid. “The pastor gives us hope.” Bible study – “important to those who have come and identified pertinent topics to study. Sunday school. Quarterly Women’s Fellowship. Sunday school class with the pastor. The Community Garden is growing. School outreach. Don Lee partnership! Online worship for the homebound and keeping them connected. Adding Methodist Home for Children to the Angel Tree! Lament in declining numbers. Choir and music ministries. Aging population. “We faced Covid head-on and never missed a beat.” Covid also helped us recognize our strengths. A 91 year old participated in Zoom! Taking risks! The pastor’s photos help us celebrate our community and give us hope. Lament for not visiting and being convicted to visit more in the future. Good intentions – can I pray with you? Heaviness and a season of grief. Losing my husband and being surrounded by holy friends. Hosting mission teams. Bible studies and the blessing for all to gather in God’s Word – Baptist, Church of Christ, Roman Catholics, and United Methodists! “My children are raising their children in the church.” Peace – a deep well. “Short people revival,” through Seal Pups preschool ministry. Two new children ministries directors and their creative ways of doing children ministry. “Can’t wait to get back to the way things were, yet embracing new things, inventing new ways of tutoring.” Lament those who’ve left the UMC and who found more not to like about the UMC. Lamenting dis-/misinformation. Feeling left out, unwelcomed and experiencing God’s grace leading me home to this church. “There’s been lots of talk, news and it’s good to have help to know who we are.” Crossroads in recovery group. “Love others no matter where we are.” Lament “sitting at home” versus going. “Hope in reaching out to the young kids who don’t have a father. Reaching out to those crying out for love.” Persistence with those who turn down Jesus. Discerning a call to international missions through finances and prayers. “God has fought the battle for us.” New creation in looking outward versus inward, through social justice, equality and recognizing our biases. Being more aware and seeing things I could not see before; “maybe removed some blinders for me.” Hoping for a feeling of revival, yet, some folks who are members have fallen away. “Analysis paralysis.” Building leadership with Hispanic communities. Sown seeds in the community. Providing Pop Warner tutoring space. Sharing two dozen meals every first Thursday. Using Duolingo, Bable and Google translate apps. Road markers – from five years ago offering an ESL class and now talking about improving our connections between caucasian and Hispanic communities. As we start as individuals, witness to others, being the body of Christ, “going off course” is a good thing! Itinerant pastors come when seasons are needed. Having “skin in the game” exemplifies new creation through fresh leadership. “Meeting folks where they are at.” Post-Covid – some fewer numbers pre-Covid and feeling like this is a season of growth. “In the Word…and yet, grief is still heavy.” “We are in the wilderness together.” We have assembled a staff together for this season. “Seeing the faces that are not here…lament for those who’ve left due to denominational issues.” Opening the church to another congregation so that they can worship together. “People coming back (post-Covid).” 100 year celebration! New life, enthusiastic, and Bible learners is evidence of God’s new creation. A new roof! Concentration on the Bible. Lament – not being able to be with God’s people. Survival mode moving into growth mode. Not holding on by fingernails. “Attitude adjustment to change.” Lament – reduction of worship attendance – “Where have they gone? Why didn’t they return?” “Kids are coming back!” Lament – envy where I see colleagues in ministry. “Leave one space and be embraced in another space.” Partnership between AMEZ and UMC communities for trunk-n-treat. New creation: “We are left. Revival.” “I was mad.” “When I breathe, I hope.” We are survivors of the pandemic and we are people who want to be here to share joy.” A hope for outreach with ideas for more to come. “Coming home when I enter church, absorbing the pain of disaffiliation, and sharing ways to grow gives me hope.” Lamenting the loss of a life group. “Maybe we are on easy street and it’s time to regroup.” “God being with us through the living Word.” Being sad versus being mad. “We had a town hall of hope.” Our pastor’s love for us gives us hope. Lament a season of ministry where we asked, “Where have you been?” “When I came back and heard the congregation singing, it took away my anger.” A new pastor has brought a sense of God’s new creation. Having to ask the question, “Do I pay the water or light bill?” Now, we leave the lights on as a beacon for our community! Celebrating 5-6 (sometime 8-10!) kiddos in the back during worship is joy! As a new member, “Praising those who hung on and kept it going, and now being called to help revive the church.” New creation is being more active in the church and doing new things. More engaged with spiritual discipline practices. “My relationship with Christ is so different than it was before.” Although frustrated during Covid, as “isolation was everywhere, I experienced God’s hope.” “I am expecting…as I feel better…I have hope in new strength and purpose.” The church is a new creation and there’s excitement in the air.” New creation in mentoring…learning new things and thankful for not “feeling like I’ve been put out to pasture.” Celebrating new members. “How an iron-on rainbow patch on my Bible reminds me of God’s promises…having the faith to touch the hem of Jesus’ cloak…surrendering on my knees…finding new creation in the hopefulness of young people.” “God has me.” Facing a transition in life and doing things I wasn’t expecting to do. “Getting the next step, instead of wanting the mountain.” New creation – continue to be called in-/outside the church. “Hope is anticipation and adoration in Advent.” God through the years and coming out stronger together. Cutting back a plant and watching new growth equals hope. Mentoring two dozen pastors and sharing lament with others. Being authentically who we are in Jesus. God is the giver of hope and source of encouragement. New creation – a second granddaughter, who has an adopted grandfather in her church family. Feeling like I fell down on my role and being convicted of doing more in the future. God’s new creation in leading us to a new church. Blessings of friendships, to bear passion of the hope within membership and keeping the doors open. A lament that all would come back to church out of Covid, and yet it didn’t happen. How do we experience this new creation in the life of our church? New creation is new life after losing my husband. “The struggles with lots of communication, yet no communication.” New creation in the ministry of writing letters to the Council during Covid.
These are some of the words of the people in my Beacon neighborhood. How thankful I am to make this journey with each of you.
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…
Blessings, 
David