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| From connectionpointe.org |
"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat..."
I haven't written in this series a lot recently and wanted to pick it up again to write about our new church home, Connection Pointe Christian Church in Brownsburg, Indiana. The series was started to write on special Sundays and outline reasons I love the church we are attending.
It can be very easy to focus on the negative in anything we do. To point out everything we would change, every little problem we have. Everything that doesn't make us happy. All too often, we focus on those aspects to the exclusion of all that we have been blessed with.
And please do not misunderstand me, I love a lot of things about Connection Pointe. I love the staff, I love the intentionality that everything is done with, I love the biblical foundation, I love the people. The foresight to start an online ministry a year before the pandemic. Everything listed probably does not get enough recognition.
But this series will not initially focus on those aspects. To start this series is going to focus on those really unique, standout things our church does, including a few things that I would love to see other churches do as well.
Today, I learned about Connection Pointe's community garden. And I think this is an amazingly great idea for any church. The church campus has the blessing of size and of land, so a portion of the land in the northeast corner has been set aside as a community garden, to grow food to donate to local schools, food banks, and elderly care.
I've seen the space in the back and thought it was likely for a garden, but never knew its impact until the bumper today. Such a great opportunity for everyone to serve, whether they have a green thumb or not, by pitching in and literally helping grow the food that can have such a tangible impact on the community.
Community gardens have existed for ages, and have had their surges in popularity, from the Victory Gardens during the world wars, to the current resurgences helping to offset America's "food deserts." It's so inspiring to see a church joining in that effort. To not only provide food, but to provide fresh food. Fresh fruits and vegetables.
Such a simple but profound way to demonstrate God's love to a community by meeting such a basic need. "Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and tear off every yoke? Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your home, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?" Isaiah 58:6-7.
And it's such a great idea that aligns with the interests and service areas of most churches. In most rural suburban churches, I guarantee that you can find people with the time and the interest that are already gardening in their spare time, that would be perfect volunteers for such a community effort.
All it takes is someone to take the charge and lead it.
If you are looking for a church home, to find a place to truly connect and dig in deeper, you can find out more about Connection Pointe here. We have a great online presence and people joining in from across the country, so it is a great way to start a connection to a church.
If you have a church home, I would ask you what you love about your church. Could you list the things that you feel your church is really strong in? And are there areas that you recognize you are being called to serve in?
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