The Foundry is moving and so are we?
Some of you may have recently heard the news. The Foundry, the congregation that has graciously allowed us to rent their facility, has purchased a building. They closed on their new property this past week. The property is located south of Seltzer Elementary near the Woodland Lakes Neighborhood. (Southeast of the intersection of Kellog and Greenwich) They purchased the facility used by Heartland Community Church. The Foundry has extended an invitation to us to move with them to their new facility and continue to lease from them on Saturday nights. Also, they will not be moving until October.So what does this mean for The Wheatland Mission? It means we have some important decisions to make. Allow me to share what I believe the decisions before us are and the order in which they must be made.
1) Before we decide to go with the Foundry we must decide whether or not The Wheatland Mission will continue to meet on Saturday Evenings. Do we want to continue with our current time or would we rather move to a Sunday morning time? (Or, another time entirely such as Sunday nights?)
2) Then, we must decide if we want to accept the invitation of The Foundry and meet in their new facility.
3) Or, do we want to find a new facility for us to use for our worship gatherings on the weekend? (If we choose to look for our own facility we must consider the lease versus purchase option.)
Let me ask you to do three things. First, please pray about this. These are not lighweight decisions nor are they simple. If you are like me you may discover that you have mixed feelings about when and where to meet. We are loathe to embark on any decision without first seeking God's clear and direct guidance.
Second, talk about this issue with one another and with me. Our conversations about these issues will enable us all to think about them more clearly. In addition, your input is very useful. I want to know what you prefer but I also want to know what you believe to be best and God's leading. This is especially true if what you believe to be best is in conflict with what you want. (This happens to me quite often.)
Third, ask questions and share concerns. If you have questions about how this process is going please ask. I may not always have an answer but if I have one I will share it with you. Also, if you are concerned or worried about the direction this process is going let me know too. This issue, and all issues related to the life of The Wheatland Mission, are heavy on my mind all the time. Sharing your questions and concerns will aid in this process significantly.
There is one other important fact for you to keep in mind. As we search for a new location, whether that is continuing with The Foundry or moving out on our own, that which is best for our children's will be foremost in our mind. Ministry to our young people is crucial and ministry needs for children allow less flexibility than those for adults.
Thanks for taking the time to read this and please commit special time to praying for this situation.
posted by The Wheatland Mission @ 10:07 PM
10 Comments:
Yes we'll continue to pray about this and will galdy share what is on my heart and mind.
My question is - if the Foundry has room for us and we have been invited will we be able to function as the Wheatland Mission? If yes then I sense that we should prayerfully consider the invite.
When Abram and Lot separated it was because their possessions had increased greatly and the region around Bethal and Ai did not have adaquate pastures and water for thier animals (Genesis 13:5-7. Having stated that ~ I believe the Foundry has accumulted more and are ready to make the move. The Wheatland Mission although rich in other areas financially I don't think we are there yet. Or are we?
Something else to think about and pray is that many of us are still rebuilding after the our personal exodus and many areas in our ministries are still being restored, sorted, and reparing what we have just started. Like in Nehemiah he was prayerful and diligent looking at all the possibilities he resisted the temptation to charge in and start rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem instead there was intelligent planning & lots of prayer - I think we should continue with this plan.
I will support your decisions because I trust you have been in prayer and I believe that God has already spoken to your heart. I will continue to pray because our children do need stability and our prayers and teachings in our Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation that will stand firm through all our moves!
Another question - will some of our questions be answered on the blog or do you want us to call you? Can we have a meeting of prayer & worship music then have a discussion about this on a Saturday in place of a church service? Or can you meet with every Home Group so that we can hear what is on your heart. We need to be more proactive in this matter because it's almost July and October is moving in fast. We can't be making decisions at the last minute since the Foundry is moving on that month. I am in prayer and my prayer partner and I have been talking and praying about this I told her to leave a blog but I think she is a little timid. Thanks, God Bless!
Thanks for the responses everyone. Your thoughts are encouraging and important. There are many different perspectives to take into consideration and while I am paying attention to them I know that there are things that I have not thought about yet.
We do need to have a time for open discussion as a group. I will look into planning that soon. I don't know yet that we will use our worship time for that but we may.
It would be foolish for me to share my current opinion because it might change by the time I go to bed tonight. :) Needless to say, I am not commited to one course of action at this point but wanting to take time to make the best, right decision.
Thanks for your continued prayer and we need to give this more time in concentrated prayer. I shall keep you posted.
I agree with BDJ---Hopefully the focus will remain on living missionally continuing freely ahead with the current priorities regarding resources of time and money efficiency. Things are efficiently balanced, right?
I say if the shoe fits, wear it. Despite a change in the laces, we could continue to use our energy breaking WM in.
I'll keep praying with everyone else. If no other really geat, obvious options come up, it could actually be a simple transition for WM.
Whatever the case, I'll follow!
I had a thought about following with the Foundry, if we're going to have to move locations no matter what, would it be worthwhile for the different people heading up the ministries (like Nichole, Kris and Leigh for children's and Ty and Calana for music and whoever else for other groups) to go to this new site and tour it and see if it would meet our needs/desires? And keep that in mind with other possibilities that may come up?
Also, another thought is, currently we're rather limited on using the Foundry. Not many other times of the week are availalbe to us to meet at their location, so with anything outside of worship services, we're rather 'homeless.' Then again, that does force us to be out in the community meeting. Which, in all reality, isn't that a great thing? Churches often end up isolating themselves from the community and this way we're out in people's homes/neighborhoods, the Friday group I'm in is at Panera's, the church has had different gatherings at neighborhood and ap't complex's club houses. We are out there being seen and interacting and witnessing, not just keeping to ourselves. A good thing, you think? A last thought I mentioned to a few of you; consider the verse about how even Jesus didn't even have a place to lay his head. Something to chew on.
Once again...my question is do we still function as Wheatland Mission or are we strictly under the Foundary Church?? Personally I think we need to remain who we are. Also I think we need to make sure that Pastor continues to have an office and in the near future a secretary. If we lease elsewhere do have the $ to keep up with the demands?
We also have to look at the culture - living in America there are certain expectations; safety for the children, schedule, time, and distance. If we lived in another country where children are to be seen and not heard yet loved and concerned for their safety but the other resources not so important then it really won't matter. So we do need to take this into consideration, some need the comfort and security of a building. I don't have a problem with that since that is not the "church" but will we be enslaved to debt if we move on our own if the $ isn't there?? QP
QP, thanks for the input. Let me clarify something for you and for anyone else who may wonder how the Wheatland Mission is affiliated with the Foundry. First of all, the Wheatland Mission is a completely separate and independent church body. While the Foundry has allowed us to lease space from them there is no "formal" connection but a great deal of love and prayer support from them. We will continue to be independent in that way.
On that same note...Russ Morton, the pastor of the Foundry, also serves on my advisory board. This board provides me with guidance and direction in the leading of our congregation. They are also people with whom I consult on this current issue.
The members include: Russ Morton from the Foundry, Dennis Turner from Eastside Community Church, Kelley Landenberger from Live Oaks Community Church, Steve Radley and Dr. Paul White.
Paul, thank you that is what I thought. It was also suggested by Marci to tour the new property of the Foundry will be moving into. Not to tour to see if we like it but some of us are visual people and that is how we sense God's leadings, tuggings and warnings. I must say that it's a great comfort that the Foundry prays for us and helps you with guidance, what a blessing! Now that I have names and places with people that you are associated with I will pray for them by name for wisdom and wise counsel for this matter.
Thank you for keeping this dialogue going it's important and I will continue to pray for wisdom.
Shalom, QP
I'll check on that. It sounds like a great idea and I am certain the Foundry folk would be glad to have us take a quick tour.
Thanks for praying and keep it up. And, by the way, I just realized who "QP" is.
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