Text Box: An Invitation for Sunday, January 30th, 2011 For luncheon and listening! “Listening is a process. Listening is an encounter. To truly listen we must make space. We must build trust.” We will gather again as a congregation on January 30th – for a catered luncheon so that we can be freed to share some time together. There will be laughter, growing, and listening. As the Interim Pastor, I want to ensure this is a chance to truly talk and listen. I will take some time to help us have some ground rules for talking together. I will make sure that everyone has a sense of what we are talking about. This time around we will say all that we can say about what we have learned so far from these last few years, and from these last few months. It will be a continuing Holy Conversation, because we sense that God is helping us grow in all things. I will encourage people to sit with someone they do not know well and someone they know well... We can have a deeper conversation together. “To gather as the church and take a good hard look at ourselves is hard. To gather and trust one another to say things that may be hard to hear is difficult and requires true listening, patience, trust, and hope.” We must learn from one another, but we also must learn from God who calls us together. In 2011, I hope that you will make it a priority to learn from the Holy Spirit, who has brought us into this community of Christ: …”we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” We are the body of Christ, and we need our direction and our health to be found in the Head of the Church. So that we can live out this vision of what God is calling us to be… A Healthy Church… Seeks to find out what GOD wants rather than letting our own preferences set the church agenda… - in our vocation… - in our vision… - in our mission priorities… - in living out our faith sacrificially… we listen for God’s leading. See you on the 30th! We will gather for a brief worship in Fellowship Hall (the Gym) and then a shared meal and conversation.