Weekly Update from the Senior Pastor
February 17, 2006 
Dear Family and Friends,
GRATITUDE. I keep pondering the power a single insight is having in my life.
I knew it as a biblical principle, but heard it from a fresh perspective in a book about Secrets of the World Class Leaders. I shared it a month ago. Let me remind you again.
One great difference between world-class leaders and the vast majority of “ordinary” lives is that most world-class leaders (not celebrities, but leaders) live with a sense of profound gratitude—even in the middle of the toughest circumstances. Most people continually indulge in a quiet “victim” mentality—a “poor me, nobody knows how hard my life is” inner perspective. In opposition to that, world class leaders develop a resilient sense of gratitude for whatever comes down the pike, even terrible hardships or major set-backs; because they see life itself as THE gift and they see anything life brings as a new growth opportunity. Mainly, they’re just filled with gratitude to be breathing!
The Bible’s response to that insight is: Yep! “Rejoice in the LORD always—and again I say: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).
- The coolest thing about gratitude is that it is not a feeling based on positive circumstances.
- Gratitude is our choice to have a positive perspective toward whatever kind of situation we’re in.
Gratitude really is thanking God for a cup half full, not pouting about a cup half empty; or maybe thanking God for a cup one-fourth full, or for an empty cup that isn’t broken—or maybe for an unbreakable God who has an infinite supply of new cups for those who trust Him—and plenty of renewing resources for filling any cup He gives.
My last birthday gave me a huge gift in this gratitude-perspective department. I turned 53. For the second time, I read that anthropologists and historians’ best approximation about life-spans places the average life-span for men throughout history at 42. The best Man that ever walked the earth only got 33 years. And I’m 53! So for me, every single day is a gift well beyond what most men had. With gratitude for that fact, I seize the day, thank God for it and look for what I can learn and give in it.
GRATITUDE is a choice—not a feeling, but as soon as you choose that perspective and take time to think of five things you are so grateful for, you feel so much better. It releases creative energy to the same degree worry negates our capacity to think at a higher level. So when the Bible commands us to be thankful IN all things (not thankful FOR all things) it probably isn’t doing that to be Pollyanna, but to help us be healthy and productive.
UPDATES:
DEVELOPMENT TEAM needs your feedback: In the next couple of weeks we will buy our land and go like gang-busters to start preparing the land for a building and preparing options for discussion about the particulars of that building, but right now a more urgent decision needs your input. Our rent is $27,000 a month—that is a heavy hit. Plus we will need to go into an interim space sooner or later (later being March of 07). So we are looking at several potential options for our interim time with various time lines. Here are the options:
- Damascus High School for weekend service, with rented space for offices and smaller mid-week gatherings.
- Liganore High School for weekend service, with rented space for offices and smaller mid-week gatherings.
- Westridge Movie Theatre, short-term lease with build out for worship space, offices and mid-week gatherings.
Now remember. All of the above are interim-options. All have definite pros and definite cons. None is ideal. All are doable. Everyone has mental and emotional perspectives on this kind of discussion—so stay open, because God alone can see all the factors of human impact, eternal impact, financial impact and community impact. We all see through a glass darkly (2 Corinthians 13:12 ). Okay J , what do you think? Should we stay close to where we are now for the interim? Should we go up to the Golden Mile in Frederick in order to capture a seven-day a week facility for the interim?
Should we move north into Liganore High School since our land is in Frederick County ? There are a ton of aspects to all this, but share some initial reactions with the Development Team.
SOUTH AFRICA : Because of several significant leadership and organizational issues that were unresolved, the Elders prayerfully requested that we postpone our trip to South Africa next week to explore building an orphanage at Memel. This postponement in no way signals a step back from our commitment to South Africa , but involves unresolved issues in accountability and relational reconciliation. The Elders prepared the following statement to share with the congregation as a summary of a month-long process:
It is with sadness that we share the resignation of Ron and Ena Bromley from their part in the leadership of our South African Mission Team. The catalyst for this resignation began with an unresolved relational conflict. This conflict activated Biblical principles outlined in our congregational By-Laws pertaining to leadership and organizational accountability. The Elders sought to mediate the relational issues and to offer the Bromleys shared leadership accountability, but the Bromleys repeatedly declined to participate with the Elders.
We have great respect for Ron and Ena's passion for the orphans of South Africa and great love for their entire family. We continue to pray for a full reconciliation of relationships. Meanwhile, the Elders and Trustees, working with our Missions Board and other members of our South African team, will continue developing our South African Mission. We are clear God has called our congregation, as a unified body, to minister to AIDS orphans in that ravaged country.
WOMEN’S MINISTRY ANNOUNCEMENT: All women are invited to join Women on the Walk in attending Redeemer Lutheran Church of Damascus’ "Sisters in Faith;" a one day conference on March 11th from 9am to 3pm. Afterwards, join us for fellowship and supper at the home of Jean Smoot. Cost of the conference is $25. Registration and information is available in the lobby. More information and a brochure can be found by clicking here.
As a last word, Sallie and I just got back from hopping over the Atlantic Ocean and back for a week in Rome and Florence —the two largest art galleries in the world! After this quick jaunt, I can say with a greater perspective that so much of what is beautiful and great in this world was inspired by the power of that one single solitary life and death lived over 2000 years ago—a life that ended in victory for both God and us. Seize it!
Love ya,
Richard
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