“Not to us, Lord, not to us
   but to your name be the glory,
  because of your love and faithfulness.” 
  - Psalm 115:1 

This Sunday, we are celebrating the seven years of COTC’s life. I’m excited! There’s so much to praise God for. 

Seven is a good biblical number. It suggests order and completion. Nothing left out, nothing wasted. COTC doesn’t necessarily feel complete to me. There is still more life and more to be done at COTC. I’m wary of saying “Mission Accomplished” too soon! Nor does it suggest to me a sense of order. Sometimes things can feel downright chaotic! 

However, the idea that there is nothing wasted does resonate. COTC is God’s work. Jesus is the Lord of our life together. Any fruitfulness in our existence is a work of the Holy Spirit. And in God’s work, nothing is wasted. Even the smallest and most halting acts of faithfulness and love are made perfect and more as they are bound up in Jesus’ offering of himself to the Father. As COTC remains very much a work in progress, this reality gives me hope and confidence; each week, each day. 

Come Sunday, we’ll celebrate the ways that God has worked among us these past 84 months. That work of God in some form or fashion includes you and many others. Jesus has drawn us into God’s great story of salvation, and we are playing a part in this season together in ordinary ways here at COTC.

As I reflect on all the acts of service, generosity, sacrifice, and praise that have made our shared life what it is, there is, in fact, a sense of order and completion. It’s not that things are finished. It’s not that COTC is perfect. It’s that God is writing this story and he is making something beautiful, good, and true out of us together. Something that fits and is moving toward completion, as we submit our ways to him and follow His son. Above all, that is worth celebrating. 

Ready to party,   

Peter+ 

PS. We’ll be sending out a email for Lent early next week. Keep an eye out for it. Be sure to join us for Ash Wednesday, February 22nd, at noon or 7pm. 

PPS. In addition to the care calendars below here is a Meal Train for the Deckels. Mother Kimberly has a planned medical procedure this next week and the support of some meals over the coming weeks would be a real blessing.