Dear Family and Friends of The Neighborhood Church,

Finally, we broke out from the June Gloom and have hit this string of beautiful days—God has put together some awfully nice displays for us of splendor and majesty here on the Southern California coast! What an artist, our God…Master Designer and Creator of all things bright and beautiful.

While we relish these days and sights, I’m guessing most of you are mindful that this is NOT the case for much of our country and planet—places where fires rage and destroy…where crops suffer and attached economies wane...homes slide and possessions are lost…where floods destroy, and lives and livelihoods are tumultuous at best. Many places and spaces in God’s creation will never be the same again.

We have much to be thankful for AND prayerful about.

This is the way it’s always been for God’s people: praise and prayers, ups and downs, blessings and curses. Our Gospel this week shares a story Jesus told about weeds and wheat growing up side by side. This reality is a part of the character of God’s design, and faith, hope, and love are our response.

To borrow the phrase and poetry of the writer of Ecclesiastes, chapter 3: “For everything, a season…”  There’s no escaping it or overcoming it.  There’s no plan that will work around it. We’re challenged to make it a bit better, in Jesus’ name, for those who hurt, and to do our best to steward the gifts of natural and economic resources God has given for the sake of the next generations. We rely on clinging tightly to our God in Christ who has promised rest, peace, hope, and joy amongst all that passes in every season.

It occurred to me this week that this has been enough for God’s people through the centuries. And it’s enough for me still…

Pastor Rick
Intentional Interim Minister