Investment

My life is such an open book that most of you already know I’m in the midst of changing houses. I’ve already bought the great new house my family and I will be moving into shortly. This would normally be a busy, but exciting and hopeful experience. And it is. But there’s a catch.

The catch is that the house we already live in isn’t sold yet. So I’ve needed to do some work with my friendly, neighbourhood banker to shift some of my reserves into a down payment for another mortgage, and if my present home doesn’t find a buyer right quick, I’ll be owning and living in and between two houses. I’m telling myself, and anyone who wants to commiserate with me, that I still have that investment, it’s just in a different form: a very nice house instead of a comfortable bank account.

One pastor, with whom I’ve done lots of work over the years, recently made a comment to me. “For all you invested in us, what do we have to show for it?”

No, they don’t have a large and growing congregation. They’ve even made a decision to sell their facility as it’s not feasible for their small group to maintain it as a church home any longer. But is my investment lost? No way!

I see a community that continues to care for each other, despite much brokenness. They’ve struggled with ill health and advancing age more than many groups. And yet, they continue to take care. They are part of a thriving volunteer program that is very successfully meeting needs beyond themselves. Leaders of this congregation carry the biggest share of the burden of a community outreach organization with fund raising, organizing and volunteering to house and feed needy members of the broader community. They aren’t likely to lay this down any time soon. In fact, it still lives in the church building.


Concern for health has led many of the group to volunteer in the hospital. They’re sending one of their promising young adults off to a university nursing program with dreams and ambitions to expand his caring into a professional life that started as a kid volunteering at the hospital alongside others from his church. Many Community of Christ folks are known by sight and by name when they walk through those doors, for each other or just for someone in need.


I think of all the people in that congregation that I’ve known over the years. Yes, I’ve invested a lot in them. Some have moved on and are sharing their talents in other congregations. My investment and theirs continues to yield dividends. It doesn’t look exactly as the pastor might have imagined. But it is still there!


Just like my house. No one knows exactly how that will turn out. I hope it becomes a happy, comfortable home that my family will enjoy and from which will flow much wealth in years to come. I doubt that wealth will have big dollars attached; I’d rather it be in the form of lives well lived, nourishing ourselves and serving others.



Posted by Marion