Does the Wind Blow?

The Spirit moves like the wind. In Creation, it is the “wind of God” that “swept over the face of the waters.” (Genesis 1:2) In Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus about new life he says, “The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8) A hymn says: “O Wind of God, come, bend us, break us, till humbly we confess our need. Then in your tenderness remake us; revive, restore, for this we plead.”

Right now, we need to know the Wind. We are discerning where the Wind is blowing. And, we will be making critical decisions. Here are some of the things that are happening:

• The All Chairs Team is taking a deep breath and forming our Vision for the future.
• The Expand the Light Task Force is holding Focus Groups this Sunday to listen for the Spirit as people from all across the church and community respond to questions about our ministry.
• There will be a Survey handed out at each worship service for the next two weeks. You can also respond to the Survey beginning Monday, April 19 on our website: expandingthelight.org. Your response is critical to helping us discern the wind of the Spirit! Please take a few moments to respond to 10 questions!
• We are re-evaluating our Sunday morning schedule for fall. Watch for news. Share your ideas in the Survey! We will potentially be expanding the light in some new format.
• We are looking forward to welcoming Rev. Andrea Allen as our new Associate Pastor. Andrea brings a fresh and creative expression of the Gospel. We are excited that Andrea will be helping us move in some new directions.

The Spirit brings change. God does not leave us alone! God moves across the face of the deep and creates the universe. God moves across our dead lives and brings new life. God moves across the church to call us to the future that God wills. (Why else would we pray, “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as in heaven!”)

You can help by doing two things:

1. Pray for discernment. Where is the Spirit leading Lakewood UMC right now? We need everybody to pray! All members, leaders, guests, friends: Where is the Spirit calling us to go next? Pray and listen.

2. Take a moment to answer the survey. After prayer, answer 10 questions from the depths of the most faithful part of your heart.

Jesus told Nicodemus to discern the Spirit. The Wind blows. We do not cause it to blow, but we can sense where the Spirit leads.

I sense the Spirit moving in our midst.

Rev. Richard Lancaster