Blessings of Surprise!

I have a confession to make.  I am a planner.  I plan everything.  Whether that is how we spend our money, where and when we go on vacation, the family meals, my day, and even what I wear.  Sometimes, planning has benefited me, especially when it has come to finances.  And yet, often when it comes to faith, planning has rarely been helpful.  After all, I had never planned to study religion, go to seminary, or become a pastor.  Yet, here I am.

God often shows up in scripture in surprising ways. Moses did not expect to meet God one day when he was out caring for his father-in-law’s flock (Exodus 3-4).  Jacob, running from his own family drama, did not expect to encounter God (Genesis 28).  Elijah did not expect to meet God in the “sound of sheer silence” rather than in the earthquake, wind or fire (1 Kings 19).  And in the Gospels, no one expected an unmarried young woman to give birth to Emmanuel. In addition, no one anticipated the announcement of Jesus’ birth to be first given to shepherds (Luke 2).  An experience of God cannot be planned. God often shows up when we least expect it.

And God has shown up for us, over this last year, in ways we could not have planned.  We have particularly felt God’s guiding presence with us as countless people, with the gifts and skills we needed in the moment, have not only found us but also joined our community.  Last week, on our first Day of Service, when we gathered across the area to care for our neighbors, we had planned to make 35 hygiene kits.  These kits were to be given out through Project Hope, our food and clothing bank, and Monday Night Community Suppers.  When our service was over, we discovered that we had made 71 kits!  What a blessing these will be to our community!

In addition, we have been blessed by the generosity of this congregation, whether you have given to our annual stewardship campaign, our capital drive for our social hall floor remodel, or for our Raise the Roof campaign.  Recently, we have been blessed financially in ways we could not have anticipated this year.

Last month, a member of our community was so proud and excited by our ministry to the unhoused and low-income that they shared what we are doing with a friend.  That friend also happened to be a friend of mine and called to say they wanted to give Auburn First a gift toward this ministry.  When the check arrived, it was for $10,000!  What a gift!  A blessing that will impact our community in ways we could not have planned.  God certainly surprised us! 

Additionally, earlier this year, the office received a call saying that Evelyn Goodrow, a long-time member of this church, had passed away.  In her will, she had left a portion of her remaining funds to Auburn First. For many months, we did not know how much we would receive.  When the check came in a few weeks ago, it was for approximately $131,000.  This gift was unrestricted, meaning the Church Council can decide how best to use the funds.  Twenty percent of this gift was placed in our Building Fund, and the rest was deposited into an investment account with the Faith Foundation Northwest. While this was a planned gift, we at Auburn First did not know it was coming or the amount we would receive.

While I am a planner, I do know that we cannot plan for God to show up.  We must instead be good stewards of the gifts we have been given. This means that we need to ensure that those who give so much of their time and talent are able to take breaks for rest and renewal. We also need to use the financial gifts we receive in ways that make an impact on our community as well as using them wisely.

When we stay focused on the Way of Love by deepening the trust within our community, extending compassion to our neighbors, and being sent into the world to do justice, God will show up through us and others.  As you go about your daily tasks this week, I encourage you to open your eyes to the ways that God is already showing up in our community.  But also, may you be so excited about what we are doing here that you share what is happening with others.  May you also consider leaving a legacy gift to the church so that the next generation may be blessed by a surprising God!