November Update from New Hope

Dear Friends and Family,

Once again, thank you for your support and interest in following what’s happening at New Hope. Here are some updates and reflections from this past month in Bangor.

·         Hospitality: Sometimes it’s easy to see only the weaknesses and growth areas of one’s own congregation, when God has also given us so much for which to be grateful if only we notice where He’s at work. One of those areas of strength at New Hope is the hospitality extended to fellow members and visitors (and which I also experienced upon my arrival last year). A few weeks ago, I saw this on several levels. Someone was visiting for the first time—his first time back in church in years, I believe—and it was wonderful to see how naturally and genuinely he was greeted by many people, and even how he appreciated being able to work alongside other members in setting up and taking down chairs and partitions for the service. He felt sincerely welcomed, and returned the following Sunday. It was encouraging to see not only how caring people here are for one another, but also how they extend that care to others as well.

·         Defined by Our Professions: As I’ve continued to navigate what it means to be a “pastor”, I’ve found it all too easy to view this as my primary identity. As soon as someone else discovers what I do, their reaction often shifts significantly: I am no longer just “Jonathan”, but “Pastor Jonathan” (with all the associations that may accompany it). And whether in pastoral or other vocations, perhaps this same tendency (of being identified by what we do) is reflected in the first question we often ask someone: “What do you do?” In these past months, I’ve been reminded that my identity is not first that I am a “pastor” (or for others, that they are a teacher or an electrician or a software engineer); my identity is first that I am a Christian. Knowing who we are—that we are sons and daughters of God—must come before our “doing” identities. If I forget this, I could easily become a “professional” pastor—“doing ministry” but not being truly grounded in my faith. So before we are pastors or professors or nurses or contractors, we are sons and daughters of God. Out of that identity, then, comes our profession and work in the area in which God has equipped us.

·         Sermon Series: Over the course of the past couple months, we’ve been studying the story of David in 1 Samuel. It’s been rewarding to study the story in its immediate context (with all its “messiness”: Scripture, like life, is certainly not “G-rated”), and then see how it points us towards Christ—the Son of David—and then where we find ourselves in the story. Preaching from narrative also lends itself to skits: It’s been enjoyable to have children in the congregation help act out the passage, modern parallels to the passage, or do role-play scenarios related to the sermon theme.

Thank you for reading!