Dear Rose Park,
Have you ever attended to a theater production and actually felt like you were in the play itself? Ever been transfixed by a movie, television show, or even book that you felt immersed in the context, the struggle, the character development, and the resolution? In a sense, this is exactly what the season of Advent invites us into.
Dear Rose Park,
This past Thursday, Sam and I went to visit Jim and Vonnie Boeve over the noon hour. A day prior, Jim had called me to share they had received the heartbreaking news of the death of their eighteen-year-old great-grandson, Max, in a motorcycle accident. As Sam and I sat with Jim and Vonnie in their living room, we heard stories filled with joy and memories filled with tears. As we were leaving, Vonnie made sure to give us each a hug and tell us to, “count your many blessings.”
Dear Rose Park,
Last week, my family and I drove to Zeeland East High School to watch Ava Lemire play volleyball. On the way, my daughter Winnie asked me: Dad, how do you know the way to this place? My initial response was simply to say because I just know the way. As I’ve had some to think about that question, I’ve also thought of Jesus and you.
Dear Rose Park,
In Jesus’ most famous sermon, The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), He says these words: blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. It can be very tempting in our current cultural moment to either see that peace is a posture of weakness or that peace is such a lofty goal that it will never be achieved anyways. As people who love Jesus, we cannot call either of these postures home.
Dear Rose Park,
As I mentioned in last week’s letter, a small group from Rose Park was able to attend a Generation Spark conference last Friday in Grand Rapids (for a more detailed look at Generation Spark, click here). I can safely speak on behalf of the entire group, it was a wonderful time of worship, play, discernment, discussion, and imagination. God’s Holy Spirit is clearly alive and well in the life of the Church as faith is being sparked and fanned from one generation to another.
Dear Rose Park,
This coming Friday, a small group of us from Rose Park will be attending a Generation Spark conference in Grand Rapids (for more information on Generation Spark, click here). I anticipate this time to be filled with prayer, discernment, worship and Word. It will be a time of intergenerational listening and vision-casting as we hope for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and anticipate international ministry finding a home here at Rose Park.
Dear Rose Park,
According to a 2021 Pew Research Report, roughly a quarter of the American population hadn’t read a book (printed, audio, or electronic) in the past year. I imagine many of us recognize the importance of reading. We know it helps our minds, vocabularies, and worldviews to grow. We know how reading to children helps benefit the development of their brains and social skills. We also know, as Christians, that we should be reading our bibles more.
Dear Rose Park,
One of my favorite responsibilities of being a pastor is having the opportunity to preside at the communion table. I love speaking the words of institution and inviting you all to come to the table of remembrance, communion, and hope. I love seeing families walk down the center aisle of our sanctuary together preparing for the bread and cup. I love hearing voices say, Thanks be to God after receiving the gifts of God. And this past Sunday, I found yet another thing I love about communion.
Dear Rose Park,
Typically, when we hear or read the word vow, we think of a wedding. Images of a bride and groom standing at the altar making promises to love and care for one another in sickness and in health appear in our mind. However, vows are not limited to a wedding. As a Minister of Word and Sacrament, I made vows when I was ordained. Together, we made vows when I was installed as the pastor here at Rose Park. As we approach worldwide communion Sunday, I’ve been contemplating the vows we make when receiving new members into the family of God here at Rose Park.
