My polling place at Union Elementary in West Chester is usually buzzing on election day. There isn’t a line out the door or around the building, but the turnout is strong, especially in years when there is a presidential election. Historically, during my brief fifteen minutes on the campus, I see a steady stream of people flowing into the building with many voters pausing to greet neighbors and connect with friends. From time to time, I even bump into someone from Lord of Life. It is encouraging to be part of the energy and enthusiasm around making a difference.
On election night, as polls close in Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio, it is fun—and a little stressful—to watch the results roll in for local, state, and national contests. It continues to amaze me that a vote cast earlier in the day or during the early voting season makes an immediate impact! Even though I imagine that there may be some elections that will be unresolved for several days in our upcoming election, every vote matters.
We don’t always get instant results in the same way. You may have heard that we’re collecting autumn leaves from our yards to be dumped on the Lord of Life community garden. Later this fall, those will be tilled into the soil and will provide essential nutrients for garden vegetables in the future. The future!
A big part of what happens at Lord of Life is future-focused. We gather for worship and hear the promises of Jesus that not only impact our current situation, but also create a trajectory for where we are headed in the months and years ahead. Sometimes, we don’t see any immediate results. Reconciliation takes time. Forgiveness is a process. Generosity takes a lifetime to cultivate. Loving your neighbor as yourself can be long and tedious work, especially if you don’t much care for your neighbor or have difficulty seeing the value and beauty in yourself.
Ministry outcomes can be slow, too. You might faithfully have your dollars pulled from your bank account or place them in the offering plate, but might not see any immediate return, since they help pay for the copier, snow removal, coffee supplies, insurance, youth retreats, as well as staffing and worship supplies. You might volunteer and serve with our Family Promise guests next week, but there is a good chance that you won’t develop a deep and enduring relationship with them. You might sit on the floor and read a book to a child in the fellowship hall during a learning moment on a Sunday morning, but won’t see that seed of faith sprout in that young heart and mind for years. You might prepare food for a funeral luncheon without ever having an awareness of the solace it will provide for the tough days of grief ahead.
Beyond our view and understanding, God promises that growth is happening! The apostle Paul writes, “I pray that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love” (Ephesians 3:17). Our roots are plunging deep and holding firm as God helps us grow in faith. Our trunks are strengthening and pushing upward as God urges us forward in hope. Rooted and grounded in God, our lives branch out as the love of Christ grows through us and extends to the world. We are growing in God!
Thank you for being part of what God is doing in and through us! Plan now to be part of Celebration Sunday on November 17. We’ll say “Thank You” to God for all that we have, elect some new leadership, and vote on our mission spending plan for 2025. Nominee and mission spending plan information is available in the gathering space.
Growing with you,
Pastor Lowell Michelson