How does the garden grow?

There's a beatiful garden of black-eyed susans near the front gate of Montreat. Makes me think about gardens of growth and beauty, of cultivation and fruitfulness.

And I begin to think of our church in Clarks Summit.

It has been a transforming experience to take part in the Christian Education conference this week. Almost two years ago, I agreed to play the piano for worship and lead a workshop, never having been to Montreat. When the prospect of a sabbatical surfaced, I almost cancelled out, thinking that I didn't want to interrupt the "peace and quiet" with the activity of a conference.

But this week, God's great surprise was to bring me to a place where I learned some things that I needed to learn. For those who are reading this note from Clarks Summit, here's your advance notice: we're going to get even more serious about children at First Presbyterian. I have become convinced that we need to be all about Family Ministry (using the broadest definition of "family"). Our church's future will be determined by our willingness to invite and nurture households of faith. And that's been the big theme of this conference. A church that loves children in a deeply inclusive way will develop great programming for adults and teens.

Over the past week, it has become increasingly clear that this is our way forward as a congregation. I've known it in my head, but now it's becoming sealed in my heart. Dick Hardel, our conference speaker, has shared a model of ministry in which children are at the center of a congregation's entire life. It leads to the crossing of generational lines, the enlivening of programming - - and the increase of fellowship and fun. We are ripe for that, I think, and I look forward to unpacking some of Dick's insights with our good folks back home. Stay tuned :)

As for the sabbatical, things will grow quiet for a while now. I'm leaving North Carolina for New Mexico, and will spend a good bit of tomorrow in transit. While I may have time for a quick post from my Albuquerque hotel, there will be no wireless service at the monastery, no cell phone coverage, and no noise.

Hmm... Do you think I can do it?