Man is a knot into which relationships are tied.

~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Dear Friends,

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

This week, the Kroc Center sent 35 children to enjoy a residential summer camp experience at The Salvation Army’s Wildwood Ranch in Ramona.  Camp has been an integral part of Salvation Army mission since the 1920’s, exposing kids to God’s love and caring relationships in a rustic, nurturing setting.  We’re grateful to Jessica Sneed and Lynette Baker for all they’ve done to make camp a positive experience for all of our kids.

On July 29, our Family Resource Center is sponsoring another nutrition class designed to help families lead healthy lives.  Over eight sessions, the classes teach something many of us take for granted: exercise plus nutrient rich meals equal healthy living.  I’d like to thank Nahum Mendoza for all he’s doing to coordinate this learning series, and help us fulfill one of our strategic priorities.

Our fourth annual, July 4 Church at the Pool was awesome!  Over 115 people gathered in and around the pool where they were encouraged to discover God’s love and enjoy each other’s friendship.  This year, I’d like to join the ministry team in expressing appreciation to Danny Beers and the Life Guard Crew for keeping watch over us; and to Ross Klareich and the Food & Beverage Team for feeding us.  We appreciate all you do everyday – but we’re especially grateful you provided service to our church family on a holiday.  Thank you!

And finally – drum roll, please – our second annual Heroes With a Campaign has surpassed this year’s goal.  One of our engaged members came forward last, and sent us soaring to a campaign total of $70,427.  Once again, we are indebted to our Heroes; and also to Fran Waller for her service.  Congratulations!

I recently re-read a letter from a member whose story touched the very depth of my soul.  It’s from the 61 year-old mother of an autistic son, both of whom have found a lifeline at the Kroc Center.  We have created “a sense of family they do not otherwise have.”  For her, our facilities provide fitness so she can stay strong – off an invasive medical regimen – and involved in her son’s life. She writes:

“We are regular church members locally and stay involved with our faith.  The Kroc Center membership is certainly an ongoing answer to my prayers for God’s blessing in our lives.  Thank you again for your help and for the wonderful people who greet us each day with warm and welcoming smiles.”

Her letter reminds us of one important thing.  We’re all about people.  Everything we do is subservient to encouraging, equipping and engaging people.  People are our mission, and relationships – genuine, authentic, caring, selfless relationships – are our lifeline.

The Bible’s third guidance for relationships is simple: let’s work together and help each other:

So let’s agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other.  Help others with encouraging words; don’t drag them down by finding fault.

– Romans 14:19 (The Message)

A better English word for the phrase “encouraging words” is edification. It’s a word resonating with depth and dignity. It’s a word that elevates its recipient, and comes close to articulating the thoughts and intentions of its speaker.

From where I sit this answer is very obvious because the illustrations – the real life examples – abound. We’re at our very best when we come together and do our mission: whether it’s interpersonal moments that touch the soul, or center-wide activities that celebrate our life together. In these moments we not only build each other up, we also edify the people and fabric of our community. We experience the best of who we are, and see – perhaps – a glimpse of who God knows we can become.

So let’s pursue, let’s continue running after these things with open hearts and hot-blooded passion.

In Jesus,

John

Isn’t it strange that princes and kings,
And clowns that caper in sawdust rings,
And common people like you and me
Are builders for eternity?

Each is given a bag of tools,
A shapeless mass, a book of rules;
And each must make – ere life is flown
A stumbling block or a steppingstone.

~ R. L. Sharpe

Dear Friends,

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

This past week, our School of the Arts did Rock the Kroc with their summer recital.  Many styles of dance and the beautiful sound of piano filled the theatre as our students celebrated their accomplishments and shared their newly developed skills with family and friends.  We grateful to our instructors Rebecca Bauman-Inglis, Hanan Jammal, Annalisa Lauer-Hansing and Spencer John Powell for their guidance through hours of rehearsal, and to Deidra Davis for her guidance through the recital.

There’s nothing quite like being the new kid at school – especially when a well-intentioned teacher draws unnecessary attention to you through the obligatory, “Class, please welcome our newest student…” which is followed by the thunderous silence of half-hearted applause.  The same holds true for being the newbie at work.  Learning the professional and social norms is  awkward and mildly uncomfortable, and all the while you’re wondering, “Is my best behavior good enough?  When do I let the real me out of the bag?  While they like me?”

Acceptance is one of the most important spiritual needs people have.  It begins with our family – the immediate and extended – expands to our friends and peers, and penetrates all the dimensions of our social interactions with other people.  Failure to feel acceptance can lead to hurts we try to mask and suppress, or can lead to deep wounds from which we never recover.  Inversely, finding acceptance can cause us to soar with wings like eagles, and lead to immense, complete healing.

Our experience along the way of life teaches us there are few places where we can find authentic acceptance, and that there are fewer people with whom we can be ourselves.  We’ve learned to be reticent and untrusting of others, hiding our deep desire to know and be fully known.  But we persist on the pilgrimage for acceptance.  We march onward to its cadence beating in our hearts because we must – not out of duty but out of desire to find what we’re looking for.

We’re a community of princes and kings, clowns and common people – each with a story, each with a need, and each with a unique ability to contribute to eternity.

Acceptance requires humility, a deep awareness of who we are and who we are not.  Humility also acknowledges who other people are, even regarding their needs as more important than our own.  Acceptance also requires grace, paying forward the patience, generosity, gentleness and kindness we’ve received from others.  Acceptance opens the doorway to opportunity because it welcomes all that we are – our strengths, skills and successes equally with our hurts, habits and hang-ups.  It creates safety for who we are, it helps us whisper the dreams of who we want to be, and it opens our eyes to discovering the ever expansive horizon of God’s perfect purpose for our lives.

O Lord, make us not a stumbling block, but rather a stepping stone…

In Jesus,

John