Just as a nursing mother
cares for her children,
so we cared for you.
Because we loved you so much,
we were delighted to share with you
not only the Gospel of God
but our lives as well.
cares for her children,
so we cared for you.
Because we loved you so much,
we were delighted to share with you
not only the Gospel of God
but our lives as well.
+ 1 Thessalonians 2:7b-8
This is a guest post
written by a beloved woman
who has whole-heartedly
given the past decade of her life
to this part of Jesus' Church
with every fiber of her being.
It is not only a blessing for Emmaus City,
It is not only a blessing for Emmaus City,
it is poetry, a Spirit-inspired letter
from a spiritual mother
from a spiritual mother
to all those she sincerely loves.
Beloved Emmaus City Church,
I’ve had the gift of being able to observe and be a part of church families in various places, expressed in different ways. The church can be beautiful and messy. We all know there is no such thing as a perfect one. We consist of redeemed sinners stumbling through life, often tripping over our own and others’ sins, egos, distractions, desires for control, fears, baggage, and the constant need to prove ourselves. Yet, in the middle of our mess, we are adopted as children of a perfect, holy, loving, and compassionate God who laid down His life for us, defeating and forgiving our sin.
He’s given us His holy word, sacraments, and Spirit to guide, counsel, and convict us. In His compelling and extravagant grace, He gives us new lives and guides us in our created purpose. We mysteriously get to be His bride, His children, and His friends.
He never gives up on us!
Emmaus City Church has been a small,
but beautiful expression
of showing one another and the world
what God’s household can look like.
We are disciples from many different places and backgrounds who come together to learn, teach, challenge, pray for, encourage, and provide the freedom to create spaces for each other to daily walk alongside anyone and everyone.
Just as Jesus walked alongside
the searching disciples
on the road to Emmaus
who didn’t at first recognize Him,
we have been able to walk alongside others
in His name and in doing so,
help point one another to who He is,
what He has done for us,
how we get to be His body in our world.
ECC embodies the truth
that being the Church
that being the Church
encompasses all of life.
We listen, ask, and trust God to show us what our next step is to walk with Him and others faithfully. ECC embraces loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves. Some examples in which God’s work in and through Emmaus City Church’s The Tangible Kingdom (the title of a book our community read as church planters)
has blessed me and my family include:
+ Acknowledging that our busy lives
are not our own but belong to God,
are not our own but belong to God,
who can do above
what we ask or imagine
what we ask or imagine
with the limited time we have.
We give up our desire to “run a tight ship”
and ask the Holy Spirit how
and ask the Holy Spirit how
He wants to bring “holy interruptions”
into our days.
into our days.
+ Celebrating birthdays of teen moms
and their children.
and their children.
+ Celebrating each other’s milestones,
achievements, births, birthdays,
achievements, births, birthdays,
graduations, and baptisms.
+ Enjoying many years of relationships
with Burmese and other refugees within
(e.g. helping with homework,
teaching ESL classes,
providing snacks or meals,
teaching ESL classes,
providing snacks or meals,
having refugee families and other neighbors
over to our home and backyard
over to our home and backyard
to eat popcorn, play games,
and sit on blankets and chairs
and sit on blankets and chairs
to watch a movie during our
outdoor summer movie nights).
outdoor summer movie nights).
+ Enjoying relationships with friends
who don’t yet have the hope of Jesus,
who don’t yet have the hope of Jesus,
being faithful to pray for them,
and seeing God move in their lives
and seeing God move in their lives
(e.g. an atheist friend
who used to get upset
when I spoke about Jesus
who used to get upset
when I spoke about Jesus
and who now regularly asks me
to pray for her,
to pray for her,
a neighbor who was rejected by his family
and who now sees us as his family).
and who now sees us as his family).
+ Giving us a Biblical metric for “success”:
faithfulness to what He’s called us to and
trust that He is the builder
and sustainer of His Church,
and sustainer of His Church,
locally, and abroad.
+ Asking God to open our eyes to see
how He is already at work
where He’s placed us
where He’s placed us
(e.g. everyday meals, homes, offices,
hospitals, schools, sports,
grocery stores, sick beds, playgrounds etc.)
hospitals, schools, sports,
grocery stores, sick beds, playgrounds etc.)
and looking for and embracing
the natural intersections of life
with others to love them in Jesus’ name.
the natural intersections of life
with others to love them in Jesus’ name.
+ Listening to God together, praying together
(and sometimes crying together)
over Zoom calls or in homes
over Zoom calls or in homes
(e.g. praying for those who need Jesus,
who are hurting, asking for ways to point others
to the hope of the Gospel,
asking for missional guidance,
interceding for local and overseas
churches and missionaries).
who are hurting, asking for ways to point others
to the hope of the Gospel,
asking for missional guidance,
interceding for local and overseas
churches and missionaries).
+ Learning about how to be
and make disciples through the regular
preaching and teaching of God’s word,
Soma Schools,
and make disciples through the regular
preaching and teaching of God’s word,
Soma Schools,
where we get to practice
vulnerability in being fully seen and known,
challenged, encouraged,
counseled, and prayed for)
vulnerability in being fully seen and known,
challenged, encouraged,
counseled, and prayed for)
and GMTs (Gospel Mission Training)
all that include things like
working through “Learning Circles”
and “The Four G’s”.
all that include things like
working through “Learning Circles”
and “The Four G’s”.
+ Learning how to better love
friends and church family
friends and church family
who are a part of the
+ Creating intentional spaces
to develop relationships with others
to develop relationships with others
that are made in God’s image
(e.g regular “Family Meals”
in which all are welcome,
“Third Places” to meet with others,
City Group mission foci).
(e.g regular “Family Meals”
in which all are welcome,
“Third Places” to meet with others,
City Group mission foci).
All of these allow us to listen
to the stories of those
God has placed in our lives
to the stories of those
God has placed in our lives
and discover how God meets each of us
where we are.
where we are.
+ Singing worship songs
during Christmas or
worship nights in living rooms.
during Christmas or
worship nights in living rooms.
+ Receiving help, meals, prayers, and
encouragement from my church family,
neighbors, and friends
when I was dealing with
my autoimmune disease.
encouragement from my church family,
neighbors, and friends
when I was dealing with
my autoimmune disease.
+ Going on hikes, camping trips,
taking day trips to the beach,
taking day trips to the beach,
attending theatrical productions,
sporting events, and concerts
with each other.
sporting events, and concerts
with each other.
+ Praying with those in ECC
who engage with Route One Ministry
who engage with Route One Ministry
to love and develop relationships
with women who work in clubs in our city.
with women who work in clubs in our city.
+ Praying with and celebrating family
who opened their lives and hearts
to fostering and adoption.
+ Praying alongside those in ECC
who engage with those who suffer
who engage with those who suffer
with opioid addiction, poverty,
and homelessness.
and homelessness.
+ Welcoming Afghan refugees with WARM
(Worcester Alliance for Refugee Ministry).
(Worcester Alliance for Refugee Ministry).
+ Welcoming teenagers from our
children’s schools into our home
children’s schools into our home
whenever they want to show up
(after school or track or during movie nights).
(after school or track or during movie nights).
+ Sharing Thanksgivings and Christmases
with refugee friends, neighbors,
and many others in ECC.
with refugee friends, neighbors,
and many others in ECC.
+ Supporting, praying and providing
for each other through sicknesses and trials.
for each other through sicknesses and trials.
Finally, we have been blessed
by being a part of ECC
by being a part of ECC
in sharing in the sufferings of Christ together.
When we share in His suffering,
we get to turn to Him again and again
to receive all that we don’t have
in ourselves (the fruit of His Spirit)
to receive all that we don’t have
in ourselves (the fruit of His Spirit)
to move forward or to simply rest
in His acceptance and love.
in His acceptance and love.
When we suffer with Him
as His followers of Emmaus City Church,
as His followers of Emmaus City Church,
He gives us Himself.
There is no greater gift than this
and as hard as it can be,
and as hard as it can be,
I wouldn’t want to “do” church
any other way.
any other way.
Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:3-12 helps to express what this can look like for us on this church planting journey:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
We’ve felt poor in spirit when we’ve struggled to know how to love and engage with those that seem more difficult to be around, when we’ve felt exhausted in giving our energy, space, and time for our expression of God’s mission in the world and are tempted to isolate, when we know we don’t have enough to give, when we’re beaten down by discouragement and fear due to bad news and human hatred, or when I’m personally plagued by autoimmune flare ups. The Holy Spirit reminds us that His Kingdom is near; that in our weakness, He is strong. He reminds us that He is at work and active in and around us and that His promise to restore all the earth with his love, beauty, and blessing will one day be fulfilled. When we are willing to receive from Him, He allows us to see others through his eyes of love and compassion. When I’ve received from others, I’ve experienced the tangible care of God through his people.
“Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.”
for they will be comforted.”
I’ve cried tears of grief as I’ve walked with beloved friends who continue to refuse Jesus. We’ve grieved over family with whom we’ve walked with Jesus and shared so much of life turn away from Him, His kingdom, and us. We’ve grieved when we’ve had to say goodbye to church family we love (even though, by God’s grace, those goodbyes have been in the context of love and thanksgiving). We’ve grieved alongside those who suffer with addictions, past sexual abuse, rejection, mental illness, lack of employment, marital distress, sickness, and the loss of loved ones. We’ve grieved the familiar feeling of being left behind when someone chooses convenience, busyness, or desire to isolate or withdraw over the ongoing work of committing to one another and engaging in God’s mission together. We’ve grieved when others readily compliment what we’re doing, but feel that the work requires too much of them. God provides his comfort again and again, ready to give us His peace and reminding us to trust Him with other’s stories as Jesus is fully acquainted with grief. As He waits for us to engage with Him, His people, and His world together, we are called to prayerfully wait for others.
“Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth …
for they will inherit the earth …
blessed are the peacemakers
for they will be called children of God.”
for they will be called children of God.”
I’ve personally had to work through and watch others in ECC work through the challenge of being humbled, putting others ahead of ourselves, and acknowledging when we’ve overlooked something or hurt someone without intending to. God has helped us work through challenging misunderstandings and conflicts in patience, forgiveness, and love for ourselves and for others. He is faithful to show us what it means to be at peace with Him and others…the way He intended His world to be.
“Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall receive mercy …
for they shall receive mercy …
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they shall see God …
for they shall see God …
Blessed are those who are persecuted
for righteousness’ sake,
for righteousness’ sake,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven …
Blessed are you when others
revile you and persecute you
revile you and persecute you
and utter all kinds of evil
against you falsely on my account.”
against you falsely on my account.”
Time and again, families in ECC have experienced the cost and worthwhile vulnerability of opening our hearts, homes, wallets, tables, vehicles, and time to those in a season of need and with whom our paths intersect. Most often, the efforts are appreciated. Less often, we can feel used and even abused. Sometimes this mercy and love causes the opposite of what we would expect: an onslaught of anger, insults, painful baggage, and accusations from those we have sought to pour into. How can we not show others God’s mercy and grace when we have so freely received this from Him? How can we not take the hits when God took ours? God has been faithful to provide what we need so that we can give and respond in patience and love.
I thank God for the gift of a
May we continue to hunger
and thirst for righteousness
and thirst for righteousness
as we walk this road together,
for then we will be satisfied.
for then we will be satisfied.
May we rejoice and be glad
because we get to worship and serve
a God who is the very definition of love
and may He receive all the glory
and praise for His goodness and faithfulness.
because we get to worship and serve
a God who is the very definition of love
and may He receive all the glory
and praise for His goodness and faithfulness.
And when we feel the heat,
may we always remember
that we are never alone;
there is another in the fire
(Daniel 3:25).
(Daniel 3:25).
+ Julie Sullivan
More Anniversary Posts:
More Anniversary Posts:
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