Planning This Fall

Looking Ahead!

We are excited for what God has in store and look forward to catching the vision together.

couple staying on edge of bow

This morning our six year old grandson, Ethan, had his first day at school. He is a proud first grader at Sherwood Elementary. As our students head back to school this week we are reminded that the fall is also the start of a new church year. Compass groups, Women’s Bible Study, our Discipleship course, Alpha, our back to school youth event, and other exciting opportunities have begun or are just around the corner.  

In a Peanuts cartoon, Lucy and Charlie Brown are having a philosophical discussion about the past and the future. At some point Lucy interjects the powerful metaphor: 

Charlie Brown, on the cruise ship of life is your deck chair pointing back at the stern or looking ahead to the future?” Charlie Brown replies: “I’ve never been able to get my deck chair open!

Friends, regardless of our age or circumstances, God has called us to embrace the future. In Isaiah we read about God calling his people into the excitement of the future when he says:

Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth

Isaiah 43:19 ESV

At North Sound we value the rich history of the Kingdom of God going back to Creation, but we also find ourselves in an exciting historical period as well. I love the expression from Gandalf, in the Lord of the Rings. When they were going through a tough time he had words of wisdom for Frodo who wishes things were different than what they are facing.

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. 

“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” 

This fall we will have some extended conversations about the future of our church. We are excited for what God has in store and look forward to catching the vision together. We too have to decide what to do with the time that is given to us and we know that the God who loves us will be with us every step of the way.