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Jesus, All About Life
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A word from Chris...

"Enriched for power"

How many of you know much about nuclear power? Probably not many. Don't panic, I'm not about to deliver a lecture on nuclear physics; but there is an illustration I would like to make so please bear with me.

To run a nuclear power plant you need uranium. In its natural state, uranium is a mixture of two different isotopes of the same substance. Put simply, there are two different sorts of uranium that occur, mixed together. But only one of the two isotopes is useful to create the nuclear reaction, "uranium 235". The process of separating out the two isotopes is called enrichment. The purpose of uranium enrichment is to remove the unwanted material, leaving behind the useful form of uranium. The remaining enriched product goes into the reactor which generates heat, which in turn generates power. If the amount introduced into the reactor is too great, it reaches "critical mass" and the reaction continues out of control. BANG!!

As I continue to reflect on our Mission Statement, I turn my attention to "...enrich relationships...".

In any group of people, such as a Church, there are all sorts of reactions going on as we work together, live together and serve together. And there are issues, attitudes and agendas that limit how richly we can enjoy each others company and achieve God's purposes. God calls us to rid ourselves of impurity and selfish desires that cause us to fall short of the depth of enjoyment we can experience in our relationships with each other. If we want to enrich our relationships, as our Mission Statements says we are called to do, then we need to put aside the parts of our lives that are helpful in how we relate with others. This can be a confronting and difficult process, when God points out something in your life that needs to be gotten rid of.

To use the other part of my illustration, if we can be freed of our inhibitions and prejudices, we will eventually be able to abandon ourselves fully to the pursuit of loving relationships with others - both in Church and in the rest of the world. When we are free to lobe unreservedly, give generously and serve selflessly, we will reach a "critical mass" of love that explodes out into the world, shedding light, warmth and love in the name of our glorious God.
 

Bless ya,

Chris Carrie
Associate Pastor