Let's Do This! - A Letter from Pastor Todd

Dear PoC Family,

Ok, here we go . . . 

This week my family I went to eat at a local restaurant.  We were busy ordering and slowly realized that the lady taking our order looked familiar.  I asked Kim if she knew who the lady was and Kim said, “I think it might be . . . Excuse me, Miss . . . are you our . . .”  And the lady responded, “Your neighbor?  Yes.”  

After just finishing our 6 week PoC Conversation on being more missional, I thought, “Ok, let’s do this!”

Now, I should tell you that I’ve met this particular neighbor once before.  Actually, I backed into her car with my Jeep.  I’m don’t pretend to be a genius, but I’m pretty sure that this doesn’t make the best first impression.  We exchanged insurance info and all is well now, but we really don’t see each other that often.  So, imagine our surprise when we found out that they own the restaurant where we were eating.

Kim looked at our neighbor, Michelle, and said, “I’m so sorry, but we have been terrible neighbors.  We haven’t welcomed you or invited you over.  We would sure like to do a better job with that.”  Michelle said, “Oh, I know, I feel the same way.  We see you guys coming and going.  We’re always busy.  My husband and I were just talking the other day about getting to know our neighbors.”

Can you flippin’ believe that!?!??!?!!

Our Father is heaven just served up the sweetest missional opportunity!!  It’s almost as if he wants to make this missional stuff easy for us.  It’s as if there’s a boat load of joy in our call to Love.  Our.  City.  Awesome!!

Kim and I have already decided to eat there again . . . perhaps on Father’s day . . . and hopefully we’ll get a chance to talk to Michelle again and set something up.  I just feel like something missional is about to happen as we begin to do life together more and more.

Let me switch gears just a little and remind you that this week is our Point of Change Vision Sunday.  You’ll get a chance to meet the staff, hear the history and vision of the church, as well as celebrate new life with membership and baptism.  It’s gonna be awesome.  We’ll also be passing out our new PoC T-Shirts.  They look awesome!!!  Please join me inviting LIKE CRAZY.  Everyone you know can learn about your church and get a T-shirt.  Please work the phones, text, email, and visit.  We want people to know what God is doing at PoC.

And, try to put yourself in my shoes.  Imagine having the responsibility of delivering the message on Vision Sunday, a message on the PoC Vision.  Imagine families sitting around the lunch table saying, “Did that pastor really just preach a message on loving our neighbors?  Shouldn’t that be rather obvious?”  Think about it, in 20-25 minutes there needs to be a sermon that “fleshes-out” a rather simple concept and congregation charge.  How would you do it?  How would you preach, “Love your neighbor” to a room full of people who are really only excited to get their mitts on some coolio new t-shirts?  Well, I don’t know about you, but I’ve decided that I’m going to tell a story.

Join us Sunday as I tell the story of Seth and Stacy, two Christians who made a decision to live their lives on mission using the regular rhythms of life like story . . . listening . . . eating . . . blessing . . . celebrating . . . and recreating to give like heroes to their community.  I’m hoping that this story just might be enough to paint a picture of missional living for all of us.

I can’t wait to see you, your friends, and your family on Sunday.  Until then, Love.  Our.  City.

Pastor Todd