Heartland Community Church: If the Lord doesn’t build the house

What does it take to build a church: a vision, a plan, labour, materials? Any contractor could tell you that to build without a plan is foolish. So how do we plan when there are so many visions? Can one plan be followed by everyone? What if we looked at a number of plans then built them to specification, what would that look like? These types of questions were presented at our multi-generational service on February 21, facilitated by our Education Committee. The plan: Love in Action.

This service employed a number of willing labourers. The children’s choir, led by Cheryl Warkentine, taught us a song, Reach out. Then Deb Rogalsky’s hands reached out and directed us in worship; and Alvin and Katherine Plett’s hands reached all the way to Bolivia, to hand out bibles, disciple, and encourage believers there.

Wendy Hildebrand and her cohorts Dillon Unger and Jeremy Dueck, along with many construction workers, performed a drama about team work.(Nehemiah rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls). Then we, as the church, were taken through a fun exercise of paper airplane construction to see what it looks like to follow directions. We had a number of models to choose from: a bird, a glider, a space shuttle, a bat, a stunt plane, a diver, and a UFO. We found out that, although many had followed the same plan, the results were different.

And when we made different planes and finally launched them from the balcony of our sanctuary, some glided, but not very far; some flew a longer distance; one nearly put out an eye; some dove straight down at first, then caught the jet stream, so to speak, and rose above the rest; and still others simply fell out of the hands of immature pilots and spiraled to the floor.

What was the point of this exercise? It was to show us that some of our ministries (plans) would

be short-term and some would be long-term. It also helped us to see that there can be many ministries launched, but not all of them would fly the way we planned them, or even take off at all. When we grasped this important lesson, we were then taken into the practical application of it.

We discussed many plans and were presented with a few more options. Who would take initiative to pilot some of these projects? What would be the implications to the greater community? What could be done right now or in the near future? This was a great exercise for community building and idea sharing.

From building airplanes… to building relationships… to building houses… to building the church.

But for all of our plans, if they don’t glorify Jesus, the Chief Cornerstone of the church, on which we were built, then what have we gained? Only a building! For without the Cross, Christianity is garbage (Galatians 3:1); without the Resurrection, Christianity is hopeless (1 Corinthians 15:12-19); without Hope, the workers labour in vain (Psalm 127:1). Brigitte Toews

PHOTO: BRIGITTE TOEWS

Portage EMC 50th anniversary and building dedication August 28 and 29, 2010 Registration: August 28, 1-3 p.m.

More information to follow on our church website.

Please respond by July 31: 204-857-4146, www.portagepec.ca, or www.facebook.com (search PEC 50th anniversary)