On Sunday, I mentioned a growing movement in Japan called “future visionary design.” This planning process asks residents to imagine themselves as residents of their town or city sixty years in the future and draw up plans for their city with that mindset. The plans produced by groups that engaged in this future visionary design process tend to be more transformative and innovative.
With eyes to the future longevity and well-being of a place rather than short-term gains or current limitations, residents are able to imagine greater things and dream bigger dreams for their communities.
That’s what we’re planning on doing at our church retreat on Saturday, October 16. This will be a special time to share and celebrate the gift we inherited from past generations. It will also be a time to begin dreaming about how God’s calling us to pass on God’s love, peace, joy, and hope to those in our community as well as those who will come after us.
I’m honored and humbled, as I’m sure many of you are as well, to be part of this church’s story for the time and season that’s been given to us. Community Baptist is a place and a people that are committed to caring for one another and living out the good news of Christ’s love for the world.
On October 16, I invite you to come share a story about what this church has meant to you, help craft a shared vision for us moving forward, and set a communal intention as we dare to dream holy dreams for this church and the future generations it will serve.
In Love,
Pastor Annette