October 01, 2009

Figuring It Out As I Go

WelcomeAt next week's meeting of the church board, we will do more than receive the usual reports. We will do more than discuss various aspects of running the church. We'll do more than discuss property needs, or the fact that we still don't have a chairperson for the facilities management committee.

At next week's meeting, we will, if all goes as planned, discuss the possibility of a whole new ministry, and possibly even give approval to this ministry. It's a ministry that we've never done. Few churches have. A number of churches have ministries like the one that is proposed, although when it comes to this exact type of ministry, I know of no other Disciples congregation where it is taking place.

The ministry I'm talking about is a worship service in Khmer.

Khmer is the language of Cambodia. The Long Beach area has more Cambodians than anyplace outside of Asia. Several families in our congregation who are Cambodian have asked if they could organize a worship service in Khmer for their relatives and friends who speak little or no English.

Needless to say, we've never done anything like this before.

Some may ask, "How does this fit in to your congregation's Master Plan?" Well, we don't have anything quite so formal as a Master Plan, which may, in fact, be to our advantage. Master Plans don't often allow us to take advantage of spontaneous opportunities that come our way, opportunities that may be the result of the Spirit working among us.

Despite the exciting possibilities that this opportunity presents, I am hesitant. I am hesitant, because I don't speak Khmer. I am hesitant, because it's so new. I am hesitant, because this is not exactly what I'd planned, and I do feel the need to plan things out before they happen.

But the Spirit often doesn't wait for us to plan. The Spirit often insists that we get moving, even if we don't yet know exactly where we're going. "Figure it out as you go," the Spirit seems to be saying. Which, I guess, is a better plan of action than just sitting and waiting.

1 comment:

Maria Tafoya said...

The congregation may not have a Master Plan, but we do have a Master with a Plan, and since we have read the instructions we know that Plan is to proclaim the Good News over all the world. Even in Khmer, in Long Beach.

You Go, Danny and BKCC!