"Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness." -- Ephesians 4:6b [The Message]

Tonight was the discernment committee meeting. It was an interesting meeting in the sense that we found out that pretty much everyone was confused, and then we got to find out why we were confused.

We have been presented with a lot of different information about churches: types of churches, models of churches, etc. and it seemed to me (and from the comments I might say us) like we were not making any progress and that things were getting more confusing. That on top of the continuing work done by the group to continue to build trust, and practice discipleship among other things.

I think, for me at least, it helped to see the "bigger picture". That we are in an information gathering phase - collecting data needed to help planning happen (as mentioned on one of the many sheets of paper that were handed out). I am heartened to realize that we are, I hope, in the latter stages of the second phase of planning.

One of the frustrating things though is that there needs to be a consensus for the vision statement for the church. The frustrating thing is not that we don't agree on one, but rather that we have all voiced the same vision for the church in previous discussions and are currently unable to articulate it. The facilitator has recognized it, but cannot (or rather will not) tell us what it is because then it would not be "our" vision.

God Bless You!