Dear Rose Park,
About a week ago I had lunch with my good friend Eric Peterson. Eric is the pastor at Benjamin’s Hope. If you’re scratching your head trying to think where you know that name from, let me fill you in…
Benjamin’s Hope is a farmstead community where people of all abilities are transformed by the love of Christ. The campus is located on the south side of Riley Street in between 152nd & 160th. Its’ goal is simple: to ensure those with intellectual and developmental differences connect to their greater community and thrive. Eric has the great privilege to be the pastor at Benjamin’s Hope and I had the great privilege to hear how God is transforming lives through the co-laboring on their campus.
I first met Eric when he was a seminary student alongside my brother Matt. He then became my mentor when I was in college and he was the youth pastor at Beechwood Reformed Church. Eric has a pastor’s heart and it was a joy to reconnect with him over lunch. As I sat with him and tried to get a sense of how we at Rose Park could be a good neighbor to the people of Benjamin’s Hope, Eric made it pretty clear: let’s start being friends.
I remember my mother used to tell me when I was a kid, “Mark, if you want a friend, be a friend.” It’s really that simple. Perhaps the best way we can be neighbors with Benjamin’s Hope, or any other organization or group or family, is to be friends. And the way we develop friendship best is when we spend time together, particularly time together serving and worshiping God.
On Sunday nights at 6:00pm, Eric hosts worship at Benjamin’s Hope. I wonder what kind of friendships might blossom if we made a weekly, or even monthly, rhythm of going to worship with our neighbors on their campus. I wonder what kind of transformation God might display in people of all abilities through His love. I wonder how our hearts might grow closer to each other and closer to Him in a radically inclusive gathering space.
I plan to find out and I hope you’ll consider finding out as well. To read more about The Church at Benjamin’s Hope, follow the link below:
https://www.benjaminshope.net/worship
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Mark