15th Anniversary Reflections
Mar 2, 2020 | by Brad Sumner
In 1664, the Parliament of England passed the Conventicle Act, which forbade more than 5 persons outside of an immediate family for gathering for public worship outside of the church of England. A young Puritan dissenter who ignored this rule, was arrested and thrown in jail for 12 years for preaching without a licence.
With little to occupy his time, he took up his pen and began to write. He ended up penning 108,260 words and by the time it was printed in 1677, historians tell us that it was perhaps the first novel published in English. John Bunyan’s The Pilgrims Progress from This World to that which is Yet To Come tells the story of young Christian – a weary traveller moving through the journey of life from his hometown, the City of Destruction to the Celestial City atop Mt Zion. It is a dream sequence where we see the progress of the pilgrims and the challenges they face along the way from the perspective of an omniscient narrator.
The journey is a perilous one with many twists and turns along the way. But the pilgrims are always provided for, rescued and invited to share what they have with others along the journey. The title of the story is revealing: Pilgrim’s Progress.
Ten years ago, when we gathered for JRCC 5th Anniversary, we put up a storyboard wall and invited people to share their memories of the journey thus far. There were many highs and many lows in that period of our life together. We made progress from the cafeteria at the old RE Mountain Secondary School to the gym then eventually to the Langley Events Centre . When we gathered for our 10 year anniversary was asked ourselves again “if we could title the story that God is writing at Jericho, what would the title be?” and the consensus was that the title of the book of Jericho might well be “God is Faithful”.
In Philippians 3, the Apostle Paul looks back at the progress he has made as a pilgrim. He has some people who are purportedly saying to him “Paul! Look at how amazing your life has been! Look at how far you have come! Look at all of the accomplishments – a scholar of religious law of the highest calibre; a radical convert to the Way of Jesus; a zealous missionary / evangelist / church planter. What a resume! Pause and bask in the accomplishment, Paul!”
But Paul’s perspective is very different: Here’s what he says in Philippians 3:7 - “The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I’m tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand”. (The Message)
At a time like our 15th anniversary, it's good to pause and look back, Jericho. But it’s not good if we use this moment to say “look at all the amazing things we can take credit for! We survived some garbage that would have sunk others! We’re scrappy, we’re unique. We’re amazing! We’ve got ourselves a building!!”
There are moments in the pilgrim journey when it can be tempting to look backward and all the hard work that has gone on and say “we have arrived”. But friends, we are not at our destination yet. The building is not the destination. It is a tool on the journey. It can help us reach our goal: of helping others find meaning, purpose, wholeness and healing on their pilgrimages.
Listen again to the language of pilgrimage Paul uses in Philippians 3: “I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me… I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us.”
Friends, I want you... I want us to embrace all that God has for us. What that means is that we are entering into a season where we need to pause and listen. I am asking you to set aside time over the next two months to begin to ask God “what do you have for Jericho in the next 15 years?” and when we gather in May at Ministry Night, we will hear what the Spirit is saying to the church. Then as elders, we will take that as we meet in June for our planning and prayer retreat and we’ll process it and make plans for the future based out of what seems good to the Holy Spirit and to us.
The only thing I can say for certain based on the past 15 years, is that our progress as pilgrims is going to be anything but smooth. But it is going to be rich and full and sweet and I’m so excited to go on that journey together with you. And when we get to our 20th, or 25th or 30th anniversary as a church by God's grace, I am also quite certain we will still be saying that the title of the book of stories that is being written by God at Jericho will be “God is still Faithful”.
I also want to offer us this Benedictory Prayer that would have been spoken over many millions of our fellow Christians around the globe this past Ash Wednesday as we begin the journey toward Easter. It's the prayer of pilgrims who are making some progress.
“In the footsteps of centuries of pilgrims,
Go now to embark on your… journey.
Consider how you may simplify your days,
so that you may travel lightly.
Be alert to all that could side-track you:
notice that which beckons alluringly,
or with apparently greater urgency,
than the pilgrim journey Christ invites.
Do not try to cover more than one good day’s journey at a time.
Know when to stop for food and sleep,
so that the journey will not be too great for you.
Walk humbly, knowing that the goal
is not recognition, achievement or reward,
but simply to have come to know Christ
and yourself more intimately.
Be on the lookout for other pilgrims,
caring for those who limp, or fall;
those who cannot see the way forward:
pilgrimage is richer in community.
Go now: place your hand
into the outstretched hand of Jesus Christ,
allow the words of the story to guide you,
and pray for purity of heart and mind. Amen."
- Pastor Brad