Hello again everyone!
I won’t bore you with what’s been going on in our business meetings but I will let you know that we have been doing a lot of moving, seconding, debating and voting.
In these meetings there has been one exciting aspect that is certainly worth mentioning. For the first time in all the General Assemblies, we are using video conferencing in the NYI portion. We have global representation in our meetings from 7 other world areas all at once on video screens. The participants in these global areas are able to make motions and participate in debates just like any other delegate. There are also translators right at hand to facilitate the dialogue. While it does slow things down a bit, it is outstanding to have that kind of representation and participation from the whole NYI world in these meetings! We are truly a global church and we are showing it more than ever!
Yesterday in the evening worship service I was moved by a statement that was made. It wasn’t anything anyone said. It wasn’t a portion of a song or a phrase written on the screen. When we walked into the worship center there was a 23 foot cross standing front and center! It was blocking vision to portions of the stage and screens. It was totally in the way! From the vantage point of the middle seating sections, the preacher was literally hidden behind it. What a statement! In a world where so many are hiding the cross to popularize Christianity, I’m so glad that the Church of the Nazarene is making the statement that we want to celebrate the cross! We want it to be in the way! If we are going to preach, we want to have to preach through it. If we are going to worship, we want to worship with the cross in sight. We want to allow it to be a constant reminder that we are called to take up our own crosses and to die to ourselves so that God can resurrect us into the life of Christ.
On the lighter side, we are continuing to run into people that we know and love, we are dinning like kings, and we did finally get a chance to enjoy the pool a little. We are a little short on sleep but I have plans to make that up today after lunch! Keep on praying for us because God is using your prayers to bless our interaction and our meetings here.
Peace of Christ!
Coast Community Church of the Nazarene 