We were a little out of sequence today by holding the Green Team meeting before the Blue Team meeting, but I thought our first gathering went very well (you can see I've made another valiant attempt at finding green in my font color palette). The Green Team meeting is a place for anyone to ask any question; no one should ever leave the room with a question unresolved. We tackled some thorny issues today like the validity of announcements in a worship service and our "Guest Month" outreach strategy. In an environment where we have strong, loving relationships and have established trust in one another, there's no reason why we can't have healthy, robust dialog on a topic knowing that we're hammering away at issues...not hammering away at each other.
By the way, do you know the difference between "discussion" and "dialog"?
"Discussion" comes from the same root word as CONcussion and PERcussion...something is being hit!
"Dialog" connects the prefix "dia-" which means "beside" to the Greek word "logos" which means "word." In a dialog, you bring one word (i.e. thought) to the conversation and I bring another word. When we release ownership of our individual words by putting our two words side-by-side and allow our two words to interact, something new is formed in the synthesis, something that neither you nor I could have created alone. I want to create a spiritually and organizationally healthy environment that facilitates creative dialog.
This painting has been hanging in my office for about eight years, first in Minnesota and now at Apostles. It was painted in 1963 in Minnesota by an artist named Don Ricca. I hope you'll stop by my office to view the original for yourself. The painting is abstract but has some discernible features. I never met the artist so the following interpretation is my own (which of course is the essential feature of abstract art). You'll see three steeples at the top of the painting, each erected on three very different structures of varying shape and size. The steeples find their definition in the turbulent sky behind them. A large horizontal darkened area divides the painting into two parts. I see the bottom of the painting as an inexact reflection of the top, perhaps in a reflecting pool. The steeples are reaching up to God while their reflection extends out toward the world and eventually to the one viewing the painting. The brushstrokes are varied, some heavy, some light. The work almost appears unfinished but never feels hasty, ugly or ill-conceived. The texture is sometimes smooth and often very rough. The color palette is very wide, ranging from white to onyx.
I display this painting in my office because it reminds me of Jesus' Church. Simultaneously it reaches up to God while the light of God reflecting from it extends out to the world. The trinity of churches in the painting speak of the unity and fullness of the kingdom of God; the churches are very dissimilar but stand side by side in spiritual unity. The vitality and vibrancy of the church stands in contrast to the turbulence of the world, an open invitation to find sanctuary within its walls. The church's reflection in the world appears distorted and is often indiscernible to the world. The church of Jesus Christ abounds with colorful people (wouldn't you agree?) and is sometimes a very messy place. The adorning of the Church for the day of our reunion with Christ is an ongoing process, reflecting the gentle, persistent work of the Holy Spirit in our midst.
I'm glad to be a part of THE Church. I'm thrilled to be a part of THIS church. Let us continually surrender ourselves to the will of the Artist who "makes all things beautiful in His time" (Ecc 3:11).
