Another election day is around the corner. I can always tell by the increasing political ads during evening programming. Unfortunately, the nearer we get to an election day the more heated the ads become. Rather than informing voters of the campaigner's platform, time and resources are spent on stories to sway our view of their opponent. The tactic seems to be aimed at inundating us with who not to vote for, so that we rule out names at the polls on election day.

Sadly, the same thing can be said of churches at times! We can spend precious time and energy defining what and who we are not, instead of who we are as a body of believers. It is for that reason that we are placing so much emphasis upon our upcoming Shaping our Future Together. It provides an opportunity to further focus, unify, and be intentional in fulfilling our God given role to be disciples who make disciples of Jesus Christ.  

Shaping our Future Together is also about having your voice heard. It is about sharing what you deem important, it is about celebrating where we have been together, dreaming, discerning, and pressing forward. Your input helps us weigh what others are looking for in a church home and to more clearly define how we can meet those needs to live out our calling.

In a sea of church options, we Saint Barnabas defined not merely in terms of denominational affiliation or worship style, but more in its approach to making and growing believers. We want to look at that together, praying for God's will to be done in and through our church. Our goal is not growth just numerically, but growth in Christ. Saint Barnabas has that foundation. And, as we spend time together and take godly counsel, we will begin to see how we can continue to build upon this foundation to God's glory.

I want you're voice to be heard during this process. The first part of the process are 45 minute small group discussions with Canon Ron McCrary. Each of you are in a group over the course of the weekend. The second part of the process is on Saturday, November 8th, from 9am-3pm in a parish wide workshop. On that day childcare and activities will be provided for all ages, infants through teens. We will have a working lunch on site that day as well to ensure all of your needs are met, so you can enter into this important work. Continue to pray the way for this exciting and pivotal endeavor as we plan to gather and seek the Lord's will in a few short weeks.

I trust by now that you have received a letter regarding Shaping our Future Together and the events surrounding it at the beginning of November. If you have not, please email the church office to ensure you are included in this pivotal moment in the life of Saint Barnabas. I am excited to see the visioning for the future get underway, as we have been praying, discerning, and exploring it for the past couple years. I hope you too are excited to pray, discern, and participate in God's will for our church in the years to come.
 
One of the main components of this process are listening groups. These are opportunities for you to meet with a church growth expert, Canon Ron McCrary, who is assisting us in this endeavor. In your thirty to forty five minute session with him you will be asked questions as you share your needs, hopes, and concerns for the years ahead. Canon McCrary wants to get the most input he can receive from the widest number of people in order to get the best picture of our church.
 
Your investment of time for this portion of Shaping our Future Together is crucial. It allows for you to have input as we work together with the Lord to build, grow, and chart the course for Saint Barnabas. We did our best to find times that would be suitable for everyone, but realize we cannot see all of your busy schedules! Please do your best to make it, as we have nearly 20 groups slotted to meet with him over the course of a long weekend.
 
If you would kindly RSVP to let the church office as soon as possible, it will help us work with Canon McCrary's scheduling. Next week more details will follow in the Encourager regarding the other part of Shaping our Future Together, the Saturday workshop. Although we have blocked off the whole weekend, your individual time commitment is for this forty-five minute listening group session and the nine to three Saturday workshop. Please contact us with any further questions or points of clarification as we prepare for this watershed moment at Saint Barnabas. 

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. Romans 8:20-22

On Sunday afternoon, the front lawn of the church will be overrun with all species of God's creation for our annual pet blessing from 1-3 p.m. It is a fun celebration wherein we gather in the spirit of Saint Francis, who himself lived in harmony with creation, to enjoy the animals entrusted to our care. Amidst all of the sniffing, barking, meowing, and squawking, we ask God's blessing upon the animals that capture our hearts and become part of our families.

As we gather together, we do so to recall a vital aspect of our faith as Christians. We believe that all God created is good, as stated in the first chapter of Genesis. However, when man turned away from God the consequences affected all of creation. God placed man as the tenant or manager over his creation.

When man turned to his own interest and desires, it disordered his God-given role in creation. It is a reminder to us all that sin always affects others. Sin is never contained, solely affecting the one who sinned. Part of the consequences were that the earth was subject to futility, to borrow Paul's language (see third chapter of Genesis). The ground would not bear its fruits without toil and labor. Man's motives became self serving, disordering his role as manager over the animals. 

The amazing, merciful, and beautiful reality is that the story does not end here. When Jesus died for us, he not only redeemed us but all of creation with us. Jesus' blood shed upon the cross covers our sins, and also those of the earth (quite literally). It begins God's process of restoring creation. Paul reminds us in Romans that all of creation (the land, its creatures, and ourselves) is being freed from the bondage of sin. He uses the image of childbirth to indicate how the process has begun, but is not fully realized or completed.

Sunday as we gather to bless our pets, or perhaps to adopt one just blessed from the Canine Soulmates adoption agency, we do so to recall and participate in what God is doing. Over a hot dog, ironic choice of food I now realize, we celebrate all that God is accomplishing as he redeems the whole of his creation. And as my wife likes to joke, we let our minds wander to envision what more obedient creatures look like in God's fully restored creation and kingdom! So grab your pet(s), invite your friends and neighbors, and enjoy fellowship during our annual pet blessing as we remember God's great plan for us all.