Don't try to make me feel guilty since I haven't posted much here. Facebook is kind of a mircobloggery for me so I've tossed a hodgepodge of items up there. Just had a break in the weather this week and the breaks bring out a certain kind of energy, so I'm back here. Weather changes are often good in that way. Maybe a Coldfront Party should be held.

We had a party this week at Capitol View, what can I say? As a church sponsored event, I couldn't be more excited along the lines of Hannibal in the A Team, remember him. He used to say, I love it when a plan comes together. I do too. I remember planning some complicated missions in the army using a number of helicopters and crews to move soldiers and arms around. Some complex planning and contingency coordination. I really enjoyed the after-action times where we sat down and took a look at how things went. There was little judgment, just simply a good look at facts and perspectives at how well we accomplished the mission. I always felt better after them, even if we had a screwup somewhere during the mission. We learned to accept the screwups as essential parts of risky missions. But we took risks because we needed to. And we still do.

I didn't see any foulups this week at Corn Stalk, or Corn Roast, or Corn Feed or Corn Feasteavil or Corn you name it. There probably were some somewhere. I take that back, I did hear the P.A. system squeal one time. Ambiance. What would a festival be without a little bit of squeal? All of it was a remarkable day of fun and fellowship with our community. I like these kinds of no ropes attached events. We don't stand out in the parking lot with handcuffs and try to tie someone up and drag them into our church. We simply provide a space, place and energy for people to come together and beat back the ordinary in their lives. Capitol View is in a unique spot in town to do just that. It is our mission. I enjoy watching that mission grow and take residence in the hearts of our members. We've got a ways to go I think and I can see some of the things that will happen in the future there. You could say I've got a vision.

That vision is born of my searching in the Word, searching the culture around me, my interests in what can be done and last but not least, watching how God is working in the hearts of Capitol View members. This last area may be the most interesting to me. The practical workings of a vision only seem to come to the surface when events are planned and carried out. Several members of Capitol View provided planning and more than a few more carried it out. It is the heart of these planners and providers that interests me so much. What makes us want to share in this way? What motivates us to roast corn, slice watermelon, sing songs, listen to music on a Sunday afternoon? What was in our hearts.

It starts with good news, great news in fact. God is for you. God is with you. God thinks you are great. You know otherwise, don't you. You know how bad you are, or how homeless you are, or how hungry you are, or how long it's been since you've even tasted watermelon. God knows all that for sure, but he knows a whole lot more, He knows you through and through. It's that conviction that motivates this kind of fellowship and service. I think that's what brought us together for our Corn Roast and will bring us together for our next community event. I do love it when a plan comes together.