For the first three weeks in November, this will be our Golden Verse and theme. The challenge is to build a house founded upon the faith of our Lord, the hope instilled by the Holy Spirit, and the love God pours into our hearts.
We are not erecting a building nor an institution, but a house of God.
Clay Christiansen former dean of the Harvard Business School wrote these words:
More and more MBA students come to school thinking that a career in business means buying, selling, and investing in companies. That’s unfortunate. Doing deals doesn’t yield the deep rewards that come from building up people.
Building up people in God’s name has been our heritage for generations.
As I reflect on my first two years at Brick, it has become clearer and clearer to me the unique gift and calling that God has given this community centers on this verse. Life in New York, even from the beginning, has been a hub of frenetic activity in which the world came to make fortunes, to establish grand institutions, which bless us to this day. But sometimes these dreams failed people, hopes were dashed, and a sense of purpose and meaning has been lost.
Brick Church has been there for people, for so long, who needed the solace and purpose this city sometimes drains out of people.
In ways we cannot even know, the Tree Lighting at Christmas has built hope into people’s hearts about God’s “peace, goodwill toward all!” (Luke 2:14) People are joining our church today because they grew up coming to that sacred time as a child.
In blessings beyond our deserving, we have the gift of building people’s lives from the very youngest age. The Brick Church Day School, in only a few years builds friendships that last a lifetime…and even into the next generation!
We build up adults through education and service, and we build purpose and hope through our worship for all people.
For these next few weeks, let us give thanks and glory to God for this sacred mission to build people into the faith, hope, and love of God.