Winter has finally arrived in Northwest Ohio! It was twelve degrees this morning and we even have a little snow blowing around. I find my mind wandering, finding far off warm places to help cope with the bitter cold.
There will be warmer days ahead. It will be summer before we know it! I want to remind you all of some warmer days with our triennial conference taking place in Findlay July 25-27, 2022. Our theme this year is “Reimagine” and we’re planning on a great week of celebrating all that the Lord has done through the collective work of the CGGC these past three years while taking some to reimagine our ministries. The last two years have certainly forced us to try some different things and discover some new practices as we work to seek and save the lost. I believe that’s been one of God’s gifts to us through this pandemic: we’ve been forced to look at what we do and how we do it with fresh eyes and new perspective. Rather than obsess with “getting back to normal” we’ve been given a rich opportunity to rethink some things and reimagine how we carry out the mission that the Lord has given us in this time and place. What does it look like to faithfully follow Jesus and serve His mission in a post-COVID North America?
I think the Lord is giving us the opportunity to re-engage His mission with a fresh imagination of what could be rather than just what we’ve known or grown accustomed to through the normal rhythms and routines of life and ministry.
REIMAGINE 2022 is going to be a rich time of celebrating and stretching as we seek to be faithful to Jesus and His mission in the world.
We’ve invited Brad Brisco to be a part of our time together. Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate Brad’s commitment to Jesus and his passion for God’s mission in the world. I think Brad will stretch us and challenge us, but I also believe that he’s going to help equip us to think differently about how we live as the church of Jesus Christ. Brad is the Director of Bivocational Church Planting for the North American Mission Board. He holds a doctorate in the area of missional ecclesiology; his doctoral thesis was on assisting existing congregations in transitioning in a missional direction. He and his wife have three children and have been foster parents to more than fifty other kids.
You’ll be able to find registration information at www.cggc.org in the weeks to come. Local conferences are putting together their delegate lists right now, but here’s some good news: even if you aren’t elected as a delegate, we still want you to attend REIMAGINE 2022! We don’t have many opportunities where the whole body gathers together and this is certainly one of those times. We’d love to see you in Findlay this coming July!
One last note before I sign off today. Just a quick update on our Bless Bangladesh effort from December (you can read about it in the December 17th E-News). Thank You! Your response was generous to an overwhelming degree! The matching gift challenge was met and your giving went above and beyond what was required. We are grateful for your generosity and excited about the work that will continue to be done in Jesus’ name because of your willingness to partner in ministry. Thank You.
Don’t forget to mark your calendars for July 25-27, 2022 and make plans to join us in Findlay.
Christ’s Peace,
Lance
CGGC eNews—Vol. 16, No. 1
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